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Executing an e-mail newsletter program can be nearly as important to your business as your Web site. Here are five tips for writers looking to get the most out of their efforts.
1) The subject header is critical.
Do not assume that just because you’re sending a newsletter that your prospects will read it. The subject line needs to draw response, or the number of readers that won’t even open your message will be high.
Due to anti-spam measures taken by many Internet Service Providers, messages with frequently used header words and characters will not reach the end user. Worse yet for the marketer, you’ll never know that the e-mail isn’t going through. Avoid frequently used words like NEW, FREE, and SALE, as well as symbols like ! and $ in your header.
Last and most importantly, many e-mail programs will not show a title line of more than 35 characters. Getting your company’s name and a benefit for the user in that space will increase your response.
2) Include a prominent direct link and UNSUBSCRIBE info.
Especially for e-commerce newsletters, a link to your site should be within easy access at the top of your newsletter. Your reader should not have to hunt for the click they need, and if you fail to make this easy, you will hurt your click-through percentage.
You also need to give readers that want to unsubscribe clear and easy instructions for doing so. If you fail to provide this, irate readers are likely to take up a crusade to prevent your business from sending out any e-mails at all.
The standard practice is to send readers to the end of the newsletter for unsubscribe information. This helps to lower your unsubscribe numbers, without having to dodge accusations of improper conduct.
3) Shorter is better, and don’t go over 25K.
Many mail programs will send any file that is over 25K as an attachment – also known as the way that computer viruses are spread over the Internet. Many readers, especially those who have received viruses before, will not open an attachment. Once again, your message will not reach the widest possible audience.
In general, the most effective e-mails are 500 words or less. But if you must go into more depth, make sure that you do not exceed the 25K file size.
4) Provide an AOL version or links.
When you provide a link in your newsletter, most readers will be able to click on it. However, that link won’t work for America Online mail readers. Depending on your list, that could be anywhere from 10 to 50% of your subscribers.
To make a link work for AOL, do the following:
linkname
In the example above, the AOL user would see a link on the word “linkname” that would take them to www.yoururl.com.
If you don’t want to clutter your newsletter with AOL links, send the @aol.com portion a different newsletter. But don’t treat these readers like second-rate citizens, unless you like second-rate response.
5) If possible, make your newsletter personal and exclusive.
If your technology allows it, add in personalized addresses (Dear X), and provide your readers with exclusive benefits. For e-commerce newsletters, this could be a newsletter-only sale, while content newsletters should get insider features.
The goal is to make your newsletter reader – who is likely to be your strongest customer – look forward to getting your newsletter. Do this, and your program will always be effective.
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