Today we are going to be starting a new series for the month of February on the topic of newsletters. Today’s topic is “Newsletter Do’s and Don’ts.” As a Christian author, speaker, or coach, you have probably considered starting an email newsletter. Maybe, in considering this, you haven’t been sure what to include or how to get started. I am hoping that this will help you with that.
Today we are going to go over some do’s and don’ts. We will begin by covering the things that you should do.
First, do offer a newsletter! There is no reason that you should not offer a newsletter to your potential clients and customers. Newsletters are fairly easy to do; they help to nurture and grow your relationship with those potential clients and customers, and they don’t have to be difficult.
Secondly, do send newsletters out consistently. People ask me a lot how often you should send a newsletter. I always say that you should send a newsletter as often as you can be consistent. If you can send a newsletter every week, then send one every week. If you can consistently send a newsletter monthly or quarterly, do that. The important thing is to be consistent. Make sure you know your commitment level and base your consistency on that.
Thirdly, make it your own. While it is great to look at other people’s newsletters,. It is important that you make your newsletter uniquely yours. That will help you to be able to set yourself apart, but it will also help you to get it done. If you are just trying to copy someone else or be like someone else, then it will be much more difficult than if you just do your own thing.
Fourth, do use an email service provider. Some examples are Mailerlite, MailChimp, Active Campaign, and Convert Kit. Having an email service provider will help you automate the process of your newsletter to make it easier and it will help you stay within the legal ramifications of emailing a mass group of people.
Now we will move on to the don’ts. Here are some things you don’t want to do when emailing a newsletter.
First, Don’t just offer a newsletter. No one wants to sign up for just a newsletter. When people only offer updates or newsletters, there is no incentive for them to do so. You instead need to have a lead magnet or free offer. You need to give them something of value in exchange for their name and email address. The newsletter is just a bonus. Offer a lead magnet and the newsletter is a bonus.
Secondly, don’t be too sporadic with your newsletters. Since I said to send newsletters consistently, you want to try to send your newsletters at the same time each week, month, or quarter, just depending on how often you choose to send them. Keep your newsletter on a regular schedule so that your subscribers know when to expect one. You would be surprised to know that people do get used to receiving a newsletter and will look for it.
Third, don’t try to be like everyone else. It is great to look at other people for inspiration, but you do want to make your newsletter as unique as possible. Try to do something that will set you apart from everyone else. I receive some newsletters that I look forward to because I like the personal touches that they add, like funny gifs, and the stories they tell to set their newsletter apart from others. Make your newsletter as unique to you as possible.
Fourth, don’t send your newsletter to everyone in your Gmail account. In order to send a person a newsletter, they have to opt in. In this day and age, it is so common for people to just spam anyone with their content. When it comes to email marketing, it is important to have people opt in to receive the email you are sending them. I have had former clients send me a list of emails from people that they have emailed before and they wanted me to add them to an email list. This is not legal. You have to offer a way for the person to opt in on your website or if you are doing a live event, you can have them sign up on a piece of paper and add them to an email list that way. Either way, you give them a choice to opt in or not. If they fill out a form on your website, then they are giving you permission, but if it is a case where you have emailed them before, that does not count as permission. Permission to add is so important. Some people just don’t know this etiquette, but it is super important.
Next week, we will be talking about “But First, Lead Magnets.” We will talk about what you can offer as a lead magnet.
Week three’s topic is “Don’t Forget a Welcome Series.” We will also discuss what a welcome series is and how to create one.
Week four will be “Potential Sections for Your Newsletter. “ Sometimes it can be easy to get stumped on what to put in your newsletter. I have been collecting newsletters from some of my favorite people and I am going to share with you some options for what to put in your newsletter.
STAY CONNECTED
I have a Facebook group for Christian authors, speakers, and coaches. It’s called The Christian Business Advantage, and each month I do a FREE training around the third Thursday of each month. Please come join our group, and you will learn tips and tricks for your business.
