Survey on the value of newsletters
This isn’t a new survey but it’s an intersting one, and I don’t think I’ve shared it here before. Standard & Poor’s conducted a survey called The Value of Newsletters to Financial Services Companies. Here are the main results: Summary: Overall, the survey results confirmed and underscored the effectiveness of newsletters as a communications channel…
If you make an offer – tell your staff
This post should be in the blindingly obvious category. But if it’s so obvious, why did this happen…? I call a cable company to consider switching my telephone to them (it’s so competitive, each provider continually sends through new offers). But the person on the phone hadn’t been told of the offer and tried to…
How to be ‘the’ expert
Seth Godin tells us about an article in the Times which refers to “Jun Kaneko, the ceramic artist” — not ‘a ceramic artist’. He says it’s much better to be a ‘the’ than an ‘a’. I agree. Isn’t it better to be ‘the landscape gardener’ in your neighborhood or ‘the cosmetic dentist’? An expert, not…
6 words that get people reading
Journalists are taught to answer some simple questions when they write a news story: who? what? why? where? when? and how? Then they get all the facts. Those 6 words are also great as headlines for your newsletter. Why? Because they promise an answer. An answer that will be revealed only if you read the…
How lists provide quick, easy and powerful content
Lists are one of the easiest ways to provide interesting content for your newsletter. You know the kind of thing: 10 things you must do in your yard this November 5 ways to wash red wine off the rug 99 secrets to buying a used car They’re easy to write because you don’t have to…
How to use your newsletter to get referrals
Referrals are a great way to grow your business. They’re also hard to get. As Seth Godin says in this post today, there’s an element of risk involved on the part of your client if they refer you to a friend (what if you screw up?) and some products and services, due to their nature,…
Just keep showing up
There’s nothing like persistence to get a job done – especially when most people give up after just one or two efforts. It’s particularly important in marketing for 2 reasons: 1) When there’s such a noise coming from advertising in general, it often takes more than one appearance to get noticed 2) If you keep…
It’s all about the stories
Years ago, when I was a newspaper journalist, there was nothing that sent a buzz around the newsroom more than when a good story popped up. And even later, when I was working with the website Expatica.com, we lived for stories. Something new. Something you didn’t know. Something that reveals something unusual, provocative…even shocking. Stuff…
13 Newsletter Sins
Boring them to death. If they fall asleep, they’re not going to read…and they’re not going to take action. Writing just about yourself or your company. Your mother will be interested but your customers won’t. They’re all tuned to WIIFM (What’s In It For Me). So make it about them…not you. Publishing only when you…
Secrets of a successful newsletter
The content should be about your clients, not about you. Many businesses think all they need to do is say how great they are and people will come rushing. Unfortunately, that’s not the case; it will seem like bragging and you won’t engage the reader. Instead, the content should be about topics that interest the…