So you want to start a print newsletter (or make yours better). How do you go about creating one that people actually want to read?
A good newsletter will do two things: provide valuable information and make the recipient feel more connected to your business. Advertising your company’s products or service should be a secondary goal.
Below we’ve outlined our top tips for creating a newsletter that captivates your audience.
Create Quality Content
We can’t emphasize this enough. Your newsletter represents your brand and influences your prospective customers’ desire to work with you, so take the time to create quality content that is of value to your readers.
Here are a few content ideas to get you started.
How-To Tips
When you’ve been working in your industry for a while, it’s easy to assume people know what you know. The truth is, they don’t! Pick an obstacle your readers run into and outline your approach in a simple way (kind of how we’re doing it in this article!). This highlights your knowledge of the industry or topic and helps your customer in some way.
Case Studies
Reading about someone else’s success can send a powerful message. Case studies allow the reader to visualize the product or service in action, and envision what it could do for them. They’re also great for adding validity to your claims. It’s one thing to say your product does something; it’s another thing to prove it. (See how we do it in our Case Studies area.)
Industry News and Trends
The information you share with your readers doesn’t just have to focus on your area of business. If it could help your readers, share it! (Psst: It also helps position you as an authority in your industry.)
Explain Something Complex or Confusing
These are parts of every business that customers don’t completely understand (which is why blog articles are so popular). You can educate your consumers with newsletters the same way you would with a blog post. Just be sure that your target audience is the right audience for this kind of content.
If you’re not sure how to create content (or simply don’t have the time to), reach out—we’d love to help you create content that drives action.
Keep The Design Simple
Your newsletter design should be easy to read, with a hierarchy of topics by importance. Because it is a printed piece, images, fonts and colors should be carefully chosen.
According to Hubspot, the brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than it processes text. Your readers will interpret the information in your images instantly, without even realizing they’re doing it. So take time to curate the right images.
If your product has visual appeal, include space for high quality photos. On the other hand, if your business is service oriented, photos should be used more sparingly so they don’t distract from the rest of your content.
Fonts and colors should be chosen based on the image your company wants to project. If your company is fun and free-spirited, choose a more playful font. If you want to give the impression of authority, use a more traditional and firm font. Just make sure that your content is easily readable.
Want help? SOULO’s graphic design team has over 30 years of experience creating eye-catching print pieces for all kinds of businesses.
Work With a Print & Mailing Service
Okay, you’ve got the newsletter but no mailing list (or your list isn’t in a format you can create a mailing from). What now? That’s where our mailing specialists can step in. Whether it’s a one-time newsletter or you publish it on a regular basis, SOULO can help you with the mailing list, printing your newsletter(s) with exceptional quality, and delivering them to your customers on time.
SOULO is a full-service marketing and communications agency that helps client partners get the most from their projects through signage, printing, and digital marketing. Ready to get started? Contact us today!
