in: Newsletters
by: Sabina Hitchen
Don't Give Them All the Content Goodness in the Newsletter:
We know you want to share the amazing content you're writing over at your website, but be sure you're actually luring them over to your website to read the entire article by teasing it out in your newsletter. This will keep people clicking through your teasers over to your website to get the majority of your content. It will also give you traffic and eyeballs that are then ready and excited to discover the other things your website has to offer!
Make it "Newsletter Sexy"
What makes a newsletter sexy? Bullets, images, breaks in the copy, headings, colors and fonts to guide people's eyes and separate ideas within the copy. Can I tell you how much it deflates me when I see a promising newsletter subject line, open the email, and it's one giant black and white paragraph. It deflates me a lot. And it happens a lot! Great news, setting up a "sexy" newsletter doesn't have to be hard, and these days newsletter programs like MailChimp give you templates to make it easy to do. Remember, just like any email, your eyes love reading when content is separated and clearly mapped out. By setting up a newsletter that's easy on the eys, you'll not only encourage people to read it in the first place, but you'll be able to "funnel" them where they need to go much more successfully!
Create an Email Folder to Save Inspiring & Engaging Newsletter Examples
One of the most poweful tools in my newsletter creation tool belt is my "N" folder in my emails. Every time I see a newsletter come in that has a clever or engaging subject line, a cool layout, or another concept that I can learn from and try out in my own newsletters I save it in my this folder. Then, when I'm looking for inspiration or brainstorming I can call on these emails instantly and use them as case studies. They worked for me, they got me to click, they got me to purchase something, what was it that caused this? How can I apply what I learned from them and what worked for me to my own newsletter emails? They don't even have to be from your industry, and often for me they aren't, and that doesn't matter. I'm reading them for the strategy and the study of what works, and I'm trying to figure out how to apply that to my own newsletters.
In fact, one of my favorite things about this folder is that it gives me a chance to see subject lines that have caught my attention and led me to open emails all in one place. I shared several of these subjects in a newsletter webinar which you can access and see for yourself here!
Master the Art of Call to Action Buttons that POP!
Now that you've got great content teasers in your newsletter you need to get people over to your site. Or, perhaps you're hoping to direct people to purchase something - a course, a class, a handbag - you name it. To be sure they know what to do next and how to do it, you need to rely on buttons that are eye-catching, that pop off your page and that tell them to do things like, "Read More", "Start Now", "Download", "Begin Free Trial", "Donate Now" and so forth. Keys to great call to action buttons include consistency in color and shape so they see it and recognize it when you use it regularly, as well as the actual wording on the buttons. Give yourself time to research and even test your call to action buttons to see which ones work best, because these babies are keys to great conversion, and that means keys to more traffic, sales, sign ups - whatever your goals are!
Want More Actionable Newsletter Advice?
Be sure you download this webinar that comes with a downloadable companion guide packed with real-life examples, and all the notes you need to begin creating and sending newsletters that convert!
