The current marketing environment is challenging to say the least. You could say, “old school marketers” kinda had it easy. All they had to do was recommend the right mix of marketing channels (which only consisted of about 5 for most companies), sell decision makers on the budget, develop the creative, and then track the success of their efforts. Now a-days, marketers can become overwhelmed with the large variety and complexity of available marketing channels, not to mention all the various skill-sets required to develop and maintain the creative. More importantly, it’s become very difficult to determine which channels are relevant to the clients’ companies, and very expensive and time-wasteful when misjudgments are made.
One brand-marketing tool, however, has stood the test of time, is relatively inexpensive, and very easy to position. Because of its effectiveness, but also because of its relatively long life in the hands of the audience, the good-ole newsletter is finding renewed interest! Every year we help client-partners develop and publish their newsletters. For some companies, newsletters are published quarterly, some are two times per year, but some go out every month. We even work with one organization that sends a newsletter out every week. You may be asking yourself, “in the age of instant information flow from the internet, why would any company waste it’s time or money on this kind of pre-blog publication method?” In fact, many business people have written off the need for a newsletter. They think “We have a website; we have a blog; why do we need a newsletter?”
Don’t count the newsletter out of the brand-marketing fight just yet. There are many reasons a company would want to publish a newsletter, whether it be in print form, digitally, as a hybrid, or all of these at the same time. Some leading-edge companies, having realized their team members are their most important customers, are using internal newsletters as a key element of their recognition/reward/re-energizing/motivational initiatives. But used as a traditional external-marketing piece, many companies have begun to realize there’s just no good replacement for a customer-facing newsletter to communicate branding or create individual brand engagement. So, I’ll reference both of these in my list of reasons why you’ll want to reconsider kicking your newsletter to the curb.
Consider these reasons why you may need/want a newsletter for your business… For improving brand engagement and immersion with your prospects, clients, employees, or all of them:
- Newsletter SEO – Newsletters can be sent out in print as well as in a digital format. Adding your newsletter to your website may be advantageous for SEO, while sending out printed copies gives people something that is more tangible, more engaging, and longer-lasting.
- Newsletters offer significant ROI. It’s well known that newsletters tend to linger on desks, counter tops, in break rooms, and in waiting areas. They attract many eyeballs over their lifespan, and are easily shared.
- In a newsletter… your newsletter… you get to select and publish what is important to the audience you want to engage. You can even use it for marketing opportunities as long as you keep it informative, as it allows you to connect with your audience in a new way.
- Newsletters are great educational tools. You can use it to talk about new products coming soon, and their benefits, why you created the product, etc.
- You can spotlight new hires, spotlight outstanding employee achievements, or talk about how your industry is changing. By sending news you help customers feel like more than just customers, and connect your entire team with the larger organization.
- Newsletters are fantastic for communicating the benefits of your product or services and the health of your organization. Don’t use it to sell your product! Publish testimonials from your customers experiencing the benefits of doing business with you. Let your customers’ experiences help prospects relate to your offerings. Your customers will probably show off their spotlight to people they know. And, after all, don’t you want your best customers to bring others like themselves to your business?
Newsletters are very versatile, so put some thought into getting the most out of yours. Not sure how a newsletter can improve your internal and external branding efforts? Sometimes old-school really is the best school!
Get in touch to discuss if a Newsletter is right for your company, and if it is we can identify the best delivery methods together.
