There are three main reasons why marketing newsletters, when done properly, are so effective for most businesses. Or, in the case of marketing ezines, why they can offer such a comprehensive email marketing solution.
The main focus, from the owner’s point of view, is usually her products or services or the field within which she operates. If it offers quality help, advice and tips then the owner’s position as an expert in her field is the silent message communicated to readers. Therefore the primary advantage, from a marketing viewpoint, is that it demonstrates expertise.
Second, because a newsletter is an unsuitable medium for a fly-by-night operator, it follows that the more firmly it becomes established, the greater the credibility of the owner. Third, quality newsletter content can engender loyalty by discussing issues that the reader identifies as important and pertinent.
To sum up: if a newsletter sticks to the The 5 Rules Of Newsletter Content then it will:
- Demonstrate expertise (of the owner/producer in her field)
- Establish credibility (of the owner/producer)
- Engender reader loyalty (through a sense of identification)
Gaining Trust
These three things are what make marketing newsletters so powerful because they are the main factors that lead to a favorable sales climate. Expertise plus credibility plus loyalty = TRUST. Without trust, there’s no hope of a sale. But with trust—well, the sky’s the limit!
Comparing Alternatives
No other marketing tool can of any sort can offer these advantages. Dollar for dollar, no other marketing method comes near.
Consider the alternatives. Advertising, for example, will cost you a lot of money but it won’t demonstrate expertise, it won’t establish credibility, and it certainly can’t engender loyalty. In fact many advertisers know that any buyers they might gain need to be offset by the number who will deliberately avoid their products because they were irritated by the ads!
Sponsorships can engender loyalty but they can’t demonstrate expertise and they can be very expensive, often way beyond the bounds acceptable for a small business. Compare other alternatives and you will come to similar conclusions.
Cheap Email Marketing
For real value, and provided your market is appropriate, opt-in email marketing is the way to go. By appropriate I mean that the majority of potential readers obviously must have a computer and an Internet connection. Communications, and consequently marketing by email, is now so common though, that this won’t present a problem for most businesses in the western world.
Your newsletter content is of supreme importance. Newsletter content ideas are not difficult to come by and there are plenty of free newsletter content sites online. Don’t expect too much in the way of quality, though! However, if you look hard enough, you will find the occasional newsletter content provider that can deliver the goods you want. Don’t forget to provide enough newsletter fillers, amusing anecdotes, jokes and cartoons to balance out the ezine’s articles.