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How to get the most out of e-newsletters
By - , Posted on October 28, 2011
- Gabriel Shaoolian knows how important e-newsletters are to building a business. Several times recently, the CEO and founder of Blue Fountain Media, a Manhattan Web design and marketing agency, has seen his 3-year-old monthly newsletter nudge clients into coming on board. The newsletter is filled with links to solid content, written by his team, on such topics as how to use Google+ to promote a business.
“People have come to me and said, ‘I've been following you for a year and am ready to move forward,' ” he said. “We didn't know they were following us.”
The newsletter, in combination with search engine optimization strategies, helps the company—which has about 150 employees and revenues “under $20 million”—rise near the top of Google's search windows in unpaid (or “natural”) searches for keywords like “website design company,” he added. The newsletter has nearly 11,000 subscribers, and those who click on its links land on its website.
E-newsletters have come a long way since they evolved from email Listservs in the late '90s. And thanks to providers such as MailChimp and Constant Contact, it's possible to send out a great one on the cheap, noted Mr. Shaoolian, who, in addition to publishing his own e-newsletter, advises clients on creating them. If you use MailChimp, you can send out a newsletter for up to 2,000 subscribers for free.
While newsletters are getting easier to produce, many businesses aren't making the most of them. You may have noticed this while sliding a bunch of them into the “Trash” folder. Here are some tips from experts on how to use your e-newsletter to strengthen your relationships with customers and bring in sales.
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