subject: 10 Reasons to Have a Newsletter for Your Small Business [print this page] 10 Reasons to Have a Newsletter for Your Small Business
In speaking with clients and attendees at my workshops, I'm often asked if newsletters are a waste of time. They want to know if taking time away from their business to prepare, write, and send a newsletter will result in any new clients or projects. Will having a newsletter have any positive results at all?
This is an important question you may have with any of your marketing, isn't it? Will it be worthy of the investment of time and money?
As a small business owner, you're likely on a tight budget. And you are probably wearing many hats with little time to spare
Before embarking on any new marketing effort, you simply want know what good may come of it. These are fair questions. And here is my answer:
I firmly believe that newsletters are one of the best tools you can use to grow your business.
Because I believe so strongly in their effectiveness, I've put together a list of10 solid reasons why you should have a newsltoetter for your small business:
A newsletter keeps your business fresh inthe minds of your customer base. When they think of your service, they will think of you. Why? Because you've taken the time to stay in touch with them regularly. You remain top of mind.
Sending a newsletter on a regular basis provides an opportunity for you toinform your subscribers of new products and services. It is a perfect way to let them know you've expanded the ways in which you can serve them. Think of it as a gentle method of announcing new avenues for them to spend money with you.
Your newsletter may reach beyond your current list of subscribers. When you read something useful or interesting, what do you tend to do with it? You wouldforward it to a friend, wouldn't you? This will likely happen with a quality newsletter as well.
Publishing a newsletter helps toestablish and maintain your expert status. Suddenly you're no longer just a person who provides a particular service. You're the woman who publishes that lovely newsletter, full of useful tips and information. You gain respect as a valuable resource.
Your newsletteropens the lines of communication. It isn't just a one-way tool, like a radio or television advertisement. When a subscriber receives your newsletter, she may find a reason to respond. Perhaps you've brought up a point she hadn't considered, shared something that made her life easier in some way, or told a story that brightened her day. It's possible she will send back a note to let you know. With a newsletter you'repromoting dialogue and building stronger relationshipswith your subscribers.
The content for your newsletter should be informative. While it will serve as a vehicle to promote and sell your services, it should not make a strong impression that you are looking to sell something. Your readers should view the newsletter as aneducational tool. The newsletter will give you a platform to pass along knowledge, insights, and resources.An educated reader is more primed to buythan one who has little knowledge related to the services you offer.
Newsletters save you more time than they cost you. If you have 100 subscribers on your list, you've instantly multiplied your message that many times over. In other words, rather than having individual conversations with 100 people,you are leveraging your time. Of course your newsletter will never completely take the place of one-to-one communication, but a newslettermakes communicating messages more efficient.
The people who've signed up for your newsletter actually want to hear from you. Unlike everyone who sees an advertisement or is subjected to a mass marketing campaign, your newsletter subscribers raised their hands and said,"Me. It's okay to market to me. Thank you."That's much better than communicating with an uninterested or unwilling audience now, isn't it?Your subscriber list is more likely to be responsive to your offers.
It's easy.Once you've determined what you want to say and you've learned how to navigate the email newsletter tool, sending an email newsletter is a fairly straight forward exercise. You can easily get the hang of it or readily get the assistance you need.
Lastly, and perhaps most pleasing to you, a newsletter is aninexpensive marketing method. In fact, it is so cost-effective that it's practically free. Depending on the service you use, you may need to pay a small monthly fee. But the price will not add significantly to your current operations and marketing budget.
