If you're publishing a monthly HTML e-newsletter to establish your company as a knowledgeable industry leader, you can achieve that goal. Just keep in mind these seven tips, and your return on investment will improve:
1. Re-examine why you're publishing.
If you've published for a while (say, at least four issues), you've established a track record with your readers. But what are you getting in return?
Most e-newsletters are a cross between a branding tool and a lead-generating tactic. Evaluate which yours is, and which marketing tactic is more important to you. If you're not generating a significant number of leads with each issue, consider reducing the e-newsletter's frequency to bimonthly (every two months) or quarterly (every three months).
You'll get more return out of your e-newsletter investment if you continue to publish it, rather than run out of steam after four or five issues. E-newsletters are successful marketing tools when they're part of a consistent, long-term marketing strategy.
2. Assign a point person.
Designate a person at your company who will keep track of all details associated with the e-newsletter. Even if you use a web-based service to deliver it, you need at least one staff member whose responsibilities include "getting the newsletter out." This can be a junior-level person who's meticulous, as well as a good writer and editor. Ideally, he or she will have basic HTML knowledge. Be nice to this person.
3. Take stock of your editorial resources.
Do you have a CEO who has a feel for good writing? His or her personal anecdotes or musings about hot industry topics can improve your newsletter's voice. On the other hand, if no one in your group has the ability to write clearly, informally and succinctly (all of which are key to successful online content), hire an outside editor and feed him or her story ideas.
4. Analyze click-through reporting before planning your next issue.
An ideal time to think clearly about your next publication is immediately after emailing your current one. Within hours of hitting "send," you should know what attracted the most interest from readers. This is where your "content formula" comes into play. Ideally, you have a formula for a mix of articles, topics, departments, CEO letters, quizzes and other content. Be prepared to change it. If click-through reporting indicates that the No. 2 story in your e-newsletter is most popular, analyze why and adjust future content accordingly. If you ask for reader feedback on a certain topic and receive a flood of responses, you have the basis for an article in the next issue.
5. "Calendarize" your process.
It's easy to let time go by and suddenly realize your next issue is scheduled for delivery in a few days. Before panic sets in, turn to your point person and ask him or her to create a publishing calendar. Or, hand the task to an outside editor. Either way, set deadline dates for the following tasks:
* Collecting article ideas and getting reprint permission, if necessary
* Turning ideas into rough drafts
* Dropping copy into an HTML template with placeholder titles
* Editing within the template (almost always, e-newsletter copy is too long)
* Writing final article titles and the issue's subject line
* Sending a test issue to an internal newsletter-approval group
* Verifying that every link works
* Printing a hard copy to proof for typos
* Sharpening the subject line once more
You might note that some of the tasks above are similar to ones accomplished when revising your home page and reposting it.
6. Keep idea files.
The best time to capture ideas for future issues of your newsletter (other than immediately after sending it) is when you're not thinking about the newsletter at all--when you're responding to email, looking for information online or speaking to a colleague, for example. When you think of good ideas, add them to a "running ideas" file on your hard drive. Organize them into folders indicating publication month (September '03, October '03, etc.) If your computer network has a shared drive, your point person will have access to the folders as well. Place ideas gained from magazine and newspaper stories into manila folders indicating publication month.
7. Apply the "newsworthy test" before publishing.
Did something happen this month, such as a new government regulation or an industry merger, that might interest your readers? If so, add a blurb in your CEO or publisher's note. Making your newsletter newsworthy adds credibility to your publication.
Debbie Weil is an e-newsletter expert and publisher of WordBiz Report, winner of The Newsletter on Newsletter's Gold Award for Online Subscription Newsletter and an APEX Award for Publication Excellence. Subscribe for free at www.wordbiz.com/signup.html, and download a mini guide to "killer online copywriting." Visit Weil's sites at www.wordbiz.com and www.debbieweil.com.
