1. Monthly Newsletters: Why Go to The Trouble?

2. Why Newsletters Are a Critically Important Medium for Your Business Studies from the AMA report… – Every month you fail to communicate with your customers successfully, you lose 10% of them for repeat business – Past customer lists mimic the phone book in responsiveness after only six months of communication neglect Keep your “sheep” in the herd!

3. The Cost of Reselling Past Customers On average, your “cost of sale” is 80% LESS when marketing to past clients than in marketing to future prospects

4. I Live On “Word of Mouth” Advertising Then tell me EXACTLY what you are doing to generate the most important live-line in your business? Most say nothing…

5. Ideal for a Premium, Easily Identifiable List of Prospects With newsletters, you can camp out on … – The Very Best Neighborhoods – Commercial Clients – Influencers or Key Referring Contacts

6. To Influence The Opinions of Your Audience With newsletters, you can demonstrate … Expert Status Competence Credibility Authority

7. To Own a Medium Instead of Renting One Over time, your newsletter can create true readership You control exactly how your publication is used Stability in price, distribution, timing, and content (not so in other mediums)

8. Why Newsletter Marketing Works You can create a true community of readers You can make customers feel like the belong to something Think about your favorite publication – Church, political, fraternal, vocational, hobby, special interest. – Especially if you are a member…

9. Why Newsletter Marketing Works Not perceived as advertising Credibility comes with authorship Pass-along value Longer shelf-life

10. Print vs. E-Newsletter Print – More credibility – Addresses change less often and are more easily tracked – Long-form consumption is possible – More flexible – Perceived as more valuable

11. Print vs. E-Newsletter Email – Can use video and audio – Better for short-form communication – Harder to get read – Subject line is very, very important – Can be measured quickly – Cheaper – Customers more likely to filter or unsubscribe

12. What’s the Answer? Break Your Printed Newsletter Up Into “Installments” and Use Email to Support Your Mailed Newsletter

13. Newsletter Formats Popular Formats – 2 Page (8.5x11, Both Sides) – 4 Page (11x17, folded) – 8 Page Plus (11x17, folded and stapled) Self Mailer/Envelope Minimum Recommendation – 4 Page (11x17, folded)

14. Determining Your Newsletter Goals List everything you would like to accomplish with your newsletter Reorganize your goals based on importance and rank them Exercise: List out what you would like your newsletter to accomplish

15. Common Newsletter Goals Increase purchases from current customers Prevent customers from “forgetting” you Generating more “word of mouth” referrals Introduce new services Build trust and establish expertise “Lock Out” competitors

16. Elements of Newsletter Masthead and Tagline – What s the name of your newsletter? – Is it clearly communicated in the name and the tagline? – Gives your publication a unique identity – Can you tell what the publication is about based on the masthead and tagline (no need to get overly obtuse or creative)

17. Opening Article It’s Typically About Your Business… – Easy and fun to read – Connects the audience to you – Builds and emotional bond – People do business with people – Think “human interest” stories

18. Table of Contents – Double readership path – Makes it feel more like a “real” publication – Makes it seems like there’s more there than what there is – Builds bulk – Directs your audience

19. Three Types of Newsletter Content Types of Content – Irrelevant to your business – Semi-relevant to your business – Irrelevant to your business – Guess what proportion or mix of these elements work best?

20. Three Types of Newsletter Content Irrelevant and Semi- relevant content should comprise 60% of your newsletter Relevant content should comprise 40% of your newsletter If your newsletter doesn’t get read, it doesn’t matter what you write!

21. Relevant Content What problems do your customers have that you can help them with? What type of information are they looking for? Do you have a particular service offering for this newsletter?

22. Semi-Relevant Content Welcome new customers Customer spotlights Employee spotlights Q&A or FAQ Testimonials Photos that demonstrate consumption Rewards for referrals or other desirable behavior

23. Non-Relevant Content Trivia Jokes Puzzles Calendars Crosswords Comics Quotes Photos Charity tie-ins Contests Seasonal items (holidays)

24. Tricks to Increase Effectiveness Personalization Enclosed notes Handwriting envelopes Double-Readership Path – Skimmers and Readers get something out of it – Teaser copy – Print extras to consistently deliver where your customers frequent (an maybe you too) Your gym, church, office building, CPA, Attorney, Etc.

25. Don’t Give Up!!! Newsletters are a long-term strategy for generating the best possible business Deliver your newsletter consistently at the same time each month Keep after it for 12 months You “paid” for your sheep, don’t give up on them!

26. Closing Thoughts It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be… DONE Your audience loves you because of the service you provide, not because you are a publisher Anything you send them will be better than nothing – just get it out there! Good enough is good enough, get it out!