In the age of social media and social sharing, one might start to wonder – are newsletters obsolete? Is the favorite marketing tool of the early 2000s just a spam in 2014? Are newsletters still as effective as they used to be? We are sure that they can be, but it all depends on how you use them and how much you know about the benefits of newsletter subscription.
Spam? Not really
When in 2012 the Direct Marketing Association decided to conduct a research on the popularity of newsletters, few people expected to see any growth. But the results surprised everyone: the positive attitude towards newsletters not only did not decrease, but it actually grew stronger: 25% of surveyed customers said that half of the newsletters they receive are interesting and relevant to them. What can we learn from this fact? Experts, who predicted that newsletters will soon turn into useless spam that nobody will read, based their predictions on how the Internet was back in early 2000s, when everyone was keen on sending tons of newsletters, because it seems as the best/ cheapest marketing option. Today, when this solution is less popular, we see more newsletters, which are informative, useful and fun than ever before. The Internet users are also more aware of their choices – they do not say yes to every newsletter subscription, but choose their favorite stores and brands very wisely, following the ones, which they plan to buy from in the future.
Provide useful information when needed
If a customer agrees to subscribe to your newsletter, do not let the excitement get the best of you! You still need to provide your customers with content interesting enough to not make them regret their decision. Make sure that the “news” in your “newsletter” stand for information, which is fresh, important and engaging. Creating newsletter content is like writing a blog: good posts can drive more traffic to your website and boring posts are the reason why people stop to follow. If you run a high tech company, use the newsletter to tell your customers about new technological developments. If you run an online store, add info about special discounts and promotional offers to every newsletter. And remember: do not flood your customers with emails. Nobody likes to receive similar newsletters every day and even the best offers and coupons seem less interesting, if you are being constantly reminded about them. Know when to give your customers a break and how to build the excitement around upcoming sales.
If you have already said your final goodbye to newsletters, it is time to take those words back. You can create newsletter campaigns, which will be as effective, as your social media strategies. All you need is a good plan. Do you run a Magento online store and would like to learn more about creating and sending newsletters with Magento? Look for useful Magento extension or contact a Magento website development company to discuss possible options and develop unique mailing solutions for your business.
Marta Gromadzka is a writer and editor with a wide variety of experience, including writing for websites internationally and editing books on many different subjects and in a variety of formats. Magecom Twitter
