David Greiner - October 2004
While the majority of media coverage on the topic has focused on the SPAM problem, opt-in email newsletters are not only alive and kicking, but producing fantastic results for a lot of our clients.
After delivering hundreds of thousands of client newsletters through our software this year alone, I've realised that a successful email newsletter has a lot to do with following 5 simple rules:
Have a subscribe form clearly visible on the front page of your web site. Add a newsletter opt-in check box on every form on your site. Include a link to your newsletter in the signature of every email you send. You might be missing out on subscribers because they don't know your newsletter exists.
There are countless email newsletters out there. The only reason people are subscribing to yours is because they expect something unique from you. Newsletter subscribers can be ruthless with the delete button, so ensure your content is interesting and consistent with what they signed up for.
Whether it's weekly, monthly or quarterly, decide on a publication schedule and stick to it. The relationship with your readers partly depends on your reliability.
Ensure the design of your newsletter makes it easy for people to read. Try to make your content as easy to scan as possible by using sub headings and bullet points. Remember, your competing for their time against a lot of other emails.
Make the unsubscribe process as straightforward as possible. I recommend using an automated one-click unsubscribe link in every newsletter that removes a subscriber the instant they click it. If you use a manual unsubscribe method, ensure the subscriber is off your list within 48 hours.
For more information on sending effective email newsletters, contact the Switch I.T. team or check out our email newsletter products.