In PR and marketing, information is everything. Sharing that information in a way that catches the eye of target audiences is the primary goal of PR and marketing professionals.
But, what should organizations do to share information when they have news that’s not exactly press release worthy? Or, on the flip side, what if there’s too much information to share at once in a press release? It could be the perfect time to issue a marketing newsletter.
A what?
Once thought of as a quick and dirty way of disseminating news, marketing newsletters deliver bite-sized servings of news (of your choosing) to a target audience. Readers today are inundated with an overabundance of news, from traditional news media, to podcasts, blogs, and non-stop social media posts. There’s just too much to process easily and quickly, but a newsletter provides readers a condensed version of the top news in an easy-to-read format.
They also provide a way for organizations to elevate their messaging while fully controlling it. By producing a branded newsletter with original content, PR and marketing professionals can deliver a polished, on-message product directly into the hands of their readers.
Do they really work?
While just putting out any old newsletter doesn’t guarantee that people will engage with it, there are plenty of examples that show they can be extremely effective when executed in the right way.
For example, a recent Digiday article reports that Swiss publisher NZZ uses newsletters to boost readership and secure subscriptions. The publication’s daily briefing has grown to nearly 250,000 readers and accounts for approximately 8% of the site’s morning traffic. How? By creating personalized newsletters in 21 different formats that are delivered daily or weekly to interested readers.
theSkimm is another daily newsletter service that offers readers top stories in a condensed format, delivering everything readers need to know in a quick-read format complete with links back to the article sources. True confession: I read theSkimm every day with my morning coffee. It presents the top tier general news stories that I want to know about and is very easy to digest – a key component of any marketing newsletter.
The key thing for any businesses is to think about who you want to reach. Current potential customers may be interested in new developments and offerings while investors focus more on the bottom line. And what about your employees? Having a weekly or monthly newsletter can keep them informed quicker than a company meeting (because really, who wants to go to another meeting?).
What do you have to say?
Before developing a marketing newsletter, first think about why you’re writing it. What do you want to share and why will people find it useful? Perhaps you want to share some info on an upcoming speaking session – great idea, but why stop there? You could turn the initial announcement about your speaker into a newsletter series. Start by announcing the event, then a second feature with photos and info from the event, before wrapping it up with a recap edition containing some interesting facts learned at the event (a PR 3fer if I ever saw one).
A newsletter is also a perfect companion piece to a social media campaign to build interest in an event – like a webinar – and could even be used as a lead gen tool. When someone signs up to your mailing list, it means you’ve captured their interest. Why not turn them into leads while you promote your own news or original content like whitepapers or research?
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See? Marketing newsletters aren’t that scary. Not only do they deliver quality information to readers, but they also pay back the organization producing it in marketing ROI. Every click to open, article share, and website visit can be tracked and used to report market share success.
By putting some thought behind the process and providing readers with valuable information in a brief and entertaining format, you’ll soon find your readers reaching out to ask for more. And, with each marketing newsletter produced, you’re building your brand while expanding your market awareness – two goals most PR and marketing professionals strive for daily.
Interested in producing a marketing newsletter? Fantastic! Need help getting started? Don’t panic – we’re here for you. Shoot a note to hello@rlyl.com – we’d be happy to help bring your newsletter dreams to life.
