Creating an engaging email newsletter is an effective approach to connecting with your subscribers.
But have you ever thought about what makes some email newsletters standout in these overcrowded inboxes while others go completely unnoticed?
An email newsletter is a routinely sent email that contains the most recent news, updates, or promotional content about your products or services. It functions as a communication tool informing subscribers about relevant events and frequently engaging them to create relationships and raising brand awareness.
According to 31% of B2B marketers, delivering email newsletters is the best strategy to nurture leads – Content Marketing Institute
But what exactly is the ultimate objective of an email newsletter? Why is it so crucial in this day and age? And how can you create an effective email newsletter with a strategic approach?
Objective of an Email Newsletter :
The goal of an email newsletter is to keep your readers up-to-date about your company and its goods and services. In general, these emails are not intended to sell; rather, they are intended to cultivate customer loyalty through valuable material.
Here are some goals you can attain by sending out newsletters :
1. Inform and Update :
Keep subscribers up to date on the newest news, updates, and developments pertaining to the sender’s company, sector, or niche.
2. Increase Brand Awareness :
Promote brand awareness by providing the values and unique selling factors on a constant basis allowing subscribers to recognize and remember the brand.
3. Drive Traffic :
Generate visitors to a website by sharing blog posts, articles, or other relevant content that educates readers and positions the sender as a leading expert in their field. Increase website traffic and engagement by directing recipients to specially curated high value content.
4. Support Sales Funnel :
Strategically incorporate calls-to-action and nurture leads over time to guide readers through the sales funnel from awareness to ultimate conversion.
5. Exclusive Access :
Give your subscribers exclusive access to all the promotions or events to make them feel appreciated and a part of an inclusive community.
6. Build Long term Relations :
Create a connection with your audience by sharing relevant content, insights, and personalized messages which will help you create trust and loyalty in the long run.
You should never limit your use of newsletters to just keeping in contact with your subscribers. It is salient to ensure your newsletter inspires readers to take action like :
- Look at your most recent blog post
- Register for an upcoming event
- Examine a case study you shared
- Participate in giveaways
- Make a purchase for your service
Why Email Newsletters Matter for B2B Startups?
REACHABILITY :
With billions of active users, email is one of the most commonly used communication platforms on the planet. When used appropriately, email newsletters can reach a large number of individuals in a short period of time. It is a straightforward and effective method of reaching a broad audience.
According to Statista, the number of email users worldwide is predicted to exceed 4.6 billion by 2025, highlighting email’s broad reach.
RELIABILITY :
Email newsletters are the most reliable way to communicate with clients via email. Moreover, when compared to some social media sites, email is a trustworthy mode with a high delivery rate.
Not only this, the dependability of newsletters extends to its consistent operation across many devices and platforms. It’s likely that mobile will overtake desktop as the primary device used to access email in 2023.
HubSpot discovered that 46% of email opens nowadays take place on mobile devices.
This demonstrates the dependability of email newsletters, as they can be accessed and viewed on a variety of devices, maintaining consistent engagement.
COST EFFECTIVENESS :
It is a known fact that email marketing is more cost effective than traditional marketing platforms, with a high return on investment (ROI). This is due to the combination of low production costs, focused outreach, and measurable results.
According to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), for every $1 invested, email marketing yields an average return of $42 thus highlighting email marketing to be among the most economical forms of advertising available.
Businesses can also save money on design by using user-friendly email marketing platforms and templates to create professional-looking newsletters without the need for extensive design services.
For example : A small startup uses configurable templates on an email marketing platform to make visually appealing newsletters in-house, removing the need for a graphic designer.
CREDIBILITY :
Well-designed newsletters with a professional appearance contribute to building credibility and trust with the readership. Professionalism is enhanced by elements such as a branded template, high-quality content, and clear messaging.
Sources with credibility are seen as knowledgeable and authoritative. By providing insightful, expert insights through thought-provoking articles and case studies, the sender positions themselves as an authoritative source in their industry.
According to the Nielsen Norman Group, users pay more attention to information that originates from reliable sources.
For example, a B2B firm in the IT industry increases its engagement by including insights from recognized experts or industry influencers, leveraging the authority of external sources.
PERSONALIZATION :
A newsletter with relevant content and showcasing the impact of customization to your target audience will always perform well. Email newsletters enable highly personalized content, with subscribers addressed by name and material tailored to their tastes.
Email marketers often analyze consumer behavior and tastes while designing email newsletters. This method works out great because personalized emails promote products that people are more likely to buy.
Case Study :
Take Eventful for instance, a service that allows individuals to find concert tickets and “favorite” musicians. By including personalized event recommendations based on each user’s favorite history in their email, the organization witnessed a 400% re-engagement rate for inactive subscribers and a 97% increase in CTR. (Marketing Sherpa, 2014)
Guide to creating effective Email Newsletter Strategy
Step 1 : DEFINE YOUR PURPOSE :
Before getting into the content and designing part, ask yourself this: What is the purpose of your newsletter? Outline the objective of your newsletter, whether it’s boosting sales, sharing information or updates, or establishing relationships. Determine the goal and once you have figured this out, start developing your strategy around it.
Example: If you want to highlight new items, design your email with visually appealing photographs, intriguing text, and a clear call-to-action.
Always ensure to set specific objectives, such as increasing website traffic or increasing revenue.
Step 2 : KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE :
Understanding your audience is so critical. What are their passions? What tone appeals to them? Content that is tailored to your audience and according to their preferences promotes relevancy and engagement.
Customizing information to their interests and needs ensures that your material is relevant to them.
Example: If your audience is tech-savvy, make sure to include informative and educational pieces about industry trends or sneak glimpses into your new launching products
Step 3 : CHOOSING AN EMAIL PLATFORM :
Efficient and successful newsletter creation, delivery, and tracking are all made easier with a reliable email platform. Thus it is essential to think about cost, functionality, and usability.
Compare the features, ease of use, cost of services and evaluate the platforms like Mailchimp, Constant Contact etc. Choose the one that best meets your requirements.
Mailchimp, a popular email marketing platform, reports an average open rate of 21.33% across industries.
Example : For small businesses with limited resources, an easy-to-use UI such as Mailchimp could be a great option.
Step 4 : BUILD YOUR EMAIL LIST :
A high-quality email list is the cornerstone of successful email marketing This ensures that your message reaches interested recipients.
For this, Implement a sign-up form on your website, leverage social media, and use incentives such as discounts to encourage email subscriptions. Collect email addresses through these platforms in compliance with data protection regulations.
Always remember Quality is preferred over Quantity. HubSpot notes that a smaller, engaged list often outperforms a larger, disengaged one.
STEP 5 : CRAFT COMPELLING CONTENT
A well-designed newsletter enhances reading experience and draws attention. Whether it’s instructive articles, product highlights, or behind-the-scenes insights, make sure your content is worth your readers’ time.
To achieve this, create appealing headlines and subheadings with a variety of information including articles, promotions, photographs, and links.
According to HubSpot, visual content receives 94% more views than text-only material.
Make sure to give important insights, and include clear calls to action. Craft templates that are visually appealing and mobile-friendly and maintain consistency in logos, colors, and typography.
Not only this, the subject line is the first impression of your newsletter so always make it attention-grabbing, brief, and relevant so recipients want to open it.
Example: For a gardening tips email, a subject line like “Uncover the secrets to a blooming garden this spring” may be appealing.
STEP 6 : PERSONALIZED CONTENT
Personalization boosts reader engagement and the relevance of your material. It makes your subscribers feel valued, and raises the possibility of interaction. Moreover personalized emails have proved to deliver 6x greater transaction rates (Marketing Sherpa)
Subscribers respond better to personalized content, which leads to increased open rates, click-through rates, and overall engagement. You can divide your target audience into segments based on demographics, behavior, or preferences.
For example, if you own a clothing store, segment your customer base depending on preferences such as casual wear, formal dress, or seasonal trends.
For a more personalized touch, you can address subscribers by their first names. Instead of a generic welcome, use “Hi [Subscriber’s Name],” which creates a sense of immediate communication.
You can also go for promotional offers or discounts that are tailored to the subscriber’s preferences or buying history like providing unique discounts on product categories in which they have shown continuous interest.
STEP 7 : ADD CLEAR CALLS-TO-ACTION (CTAs)
CTAs are the guiding cues that direct your subscribers toward their targeted goals. Well-crafted Call to Actions have a huge impact on the success of your email newsletter, whether it’s making a purchase, downloading a resource, or engaging with your content.
The positioning of your CTAs within the newsletter have a huge impact on click-through rates. So make sure they are prominently displayed and easily accessible.
For instance, if you’re promoting a sale, include a large CTA button near the top of the newsletter and repeat it throughout the text.
Not only this, the CTA should be consistent with the content of your message. It should give a smooth transition from the presented information to the action you want the subscriber to perform. If your newsletter includes new product releases, your CTA may be “Discover the Latest Trends” or “Shop the New Collection.”
Thus adding clear CTA’s can be a powerful tool that can direct your subscribers toward meaningful engagements, hence driving the effectiveness of your email newsletter campaigns
STEP 8 : Test and Schedule/Send Your Newsletter :
A/B testing entails sending different versions of your newsletter to a small sample of your audience to see which version works best. This enables you to find the most effective components of your newsletter, allowing you to optimize performance over time.
Experiment with different subject lines, visuals, or CTA variations. Test small segments before sending the final version to the entire list. Send two copies, for example, one with a plain subject line and one with a more creative one, to see which one resonates more with your readers.
If your audience is divided into separate segments, you can go for Segment testing which is specific to each group to determine the most effective tactics for each subset.
Along with this, timings also can have a huge effect on open rates. When scheduling your newsletters, keep your audience’s time zone and activity patterns in mind. Your newsletter subscribers will look forward to your newsletters if you keep your mailing schedule consistent.
For instance, if you regularly deliver newsletters on Tuesdays, stick to that schedule to build a rhythm with your readership.
Moreover, always send your newsletter during peak engagement periods, when your audience is most likely to check their emails.
Research studies show that midweek mornings have greater open rates. Test and evaluate to determine the optimum moment to reach out to your subscribers.
STEP 9 : MONITOR AND ANALYZE :
A good email marketing campaign must include consistent monitoring and analysis. This examination gives you insights into the performance of your newsletters, allowing you to make informed decisions and fine-tune your approach.
You can take action by monitoring open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and other relevant indicators. You can also monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to determine the effectiveness of your newsletter. For instance, a drop in open rates could suggest a problem with subject lines or content relevancy.
If you have calls-to-action (CTAs) in your newsletter that result in conversions, monitor these conversions to assess the effect on your business objectives. You can also analyze each segment’s performance to gain insight into its distinct behaviors if you are segmenting your audience for the purpose of providing targeted content.
Always ensure to give heed to direct feedback and responses from subscribers. Pay attention to replies, comments, or any communication initiated by your audience and improve accordingly.
CONCLUSION :
For B2B startups, mastering the art of email newsletters can be game-changing. It’s not just about sending emails; it’s about establishing relationships, displaying skills, and generating actual results.
Email newsletters are critical for B2B startups in terms of reachability, dependability, cost-effectiveness, trustworthiness, and customisation. They are a dependable and cost-effective way to communicate with billions of email users globally. The authenticity of well-designed newsletters boosts trust, while personalization boosts reader engagement.
Developing an effective email newsletter strategy simply means defining a clear purpose, understanding your audience, selecting the right email platform, constructing a quality email list, crafting compelling content, personalizing content, adding clear calls-to-action (CTAs), testing and scheduling, and monitoring and analyzing performance. Each stage contributes to the newsletter’s success by guaranteeing relevancy, engagement, and goal achievement.
In a nutshell, a well-crafted newsletter is more than just a message; it’s a catalyst for success in the dynamic world of B2B entrepreneurship.
Businesses can use it to communicate with their customers, share fascinating material, and establish long-term relationships. So, if you receive a newsletter, don’t overlook it—there might be something helpful waiting for you inside!
You can also visit our other blogs if you want to learn more about email marketing best practices or understand why businesses today struggle with it and how to ultimately overcome them.