In the age of social media, emailed newsletters can seem old fashioned. However, they can still be very effective tools for communicating with current and prospective clients. To get the most out of yours, there are a few things to consider:

Know your audience.
Think about who will be on your distribution list. Define what they value and consider how much time they’d invest into reading a newsletter. Use this information to create compelling content and let it guide the length of your articles and the number you include in an issue. For example, if your list is full of busy CEO’s who are interested in growing revenue, then your articles should be concise. In terms of topics, at least some should focus on generating business or client retention. When it comes to the number of stories per newsletter, include only three in this instance.

Content is king.
Creating fresh content for newsletters is a best practice. And, it is important. However with the demands of social media and weekly blog posts, the idea of writing more articles can be daunting for many small businesses. So, we often recommend a different approach for those companies who aren’t content creators. Instead, use a mix of new and formerly published blog content. Write one original article for the newsletter and then, include a past blog post. For the third article, you could repurpose a posted blog series by creating a standalone article summarizing the more prominent points.

Timing is everything.
Create a schedule and stick to it. Start by being honest about what you and your team can actually manage. Consistency is critical. Begin with at least four times a year, but don’t exceed more than once a month. Beyond that, it can start to feel like spam. Also, if you send sales or promotional emails, avoid sending both on the same day if the distribution lists share even a few of the same contacts.

Stay on brand.
Your newsletter should be an extension of your brand. Use fonts, colors and photography that align with your existing look and feel. At a glance, recipients should be able to tell who the email came from.