More on Newsletters

Now that you have your website up and running, you might want to consider the need for a newsletter. This depends, of course, completely upon what kind of website you are running. If it is a business website where people log on to find information, a monthly newsletter may be just the ticket to keeping users interested and informed at your site, as well as increase the possibility of greater exposure.

Newsletters usually don't live past their first year. It's a fact and the number one reason is poorly written information and the eventual lack thereof. In a nutshell, newsletters run out of things to say that are interesting or pertinent to the website. Here are a few simple ideas to take into consideration when deciding if your site needs a newsletter:

Can you come up with of find someone who can write really interesting copy that is fun and easy to read, and is pertinent to the site?
Do you want to do it yourself or hire a copywriter?
Will your newsletter have graphics?
How often will it come out? Monthly? Weekly?
How will you know who to send it to?

In the last article, we discussed the need for a subscribers list. This list contains people who want your newsletter. Otherwise, your newsletter may go straight to the receiver's junk mail, become deleted, and never read. Also, you may encounter problems with your ISP if too many people complain about the mass mailings. Have a "click to subscribe here" option on your website, and keep a "click to unsubscribe here" option so users can opt out of the newsletter if they want to, it will save you time and headache to know whether or not your newsletter is being read. You can also keep a counter so you know if receivers are opening and reading the sent email.

A word about quality; if you can not write a newsletter yourself, please spend the money for a good, professional copywriter who knows what they are doing. If you want to give it a shot, here is a list of some of the better online sites for help with producing your own newsletter:

www.howtowriteanewsletter.com provides software which you can purchase for your own use, and has a fairly high feedback rating.
www.101newsletteranswers.com. Not only does this site provide the answers you need and a straightforward document, it's formatted to look like an actual newsletter, so you get a good idea of what a professional newsletter should look like.
www.writingthatsells.com (This site is for writers who are hired to produce newsletters for other websites but it has some great tips to get you started.)
www.howipromotemywebsite.com
www.homebiztools.com has free templates and formatting, as well as a free ebook on how to write and send newsletters.

With a little practice it's not impossible to produce newsletters that users will look forward to reading and passing along to their co workers and friends. Remember, keep it short, simple, entertaining, and to the point. The above websites are a great place to start learning how to increase your business. Happy writing!

L. Robyn O'Hara