How to Create an Email Newsletter That Will Get Opened

Email newsletters are powerful tools that businesses can use to build relationships with customers, while promoting their goods and services. However, such newsletters are only useful if subscribers actually open and read the emails. The following are some tips for an effective email marketing strategy.

1. Make the subject line eye-catching

The subject line is the most important part of an email newsletter. Since most people receive numerous emails on a daily basis, they are likely to delete emails which have irrelevant subject lines. Therefore, make sure your email has a headline which gives recipients a reason to open and read it. Don’t just use a subject line such as ‘Social Media Today – May Edition’. Instead, use an exciting phrase which will capture the attention of the recipient e.g. ‘Social Media Innovations to Look Forward To’ or ‘Mark Zuckerberg Shares His Secrets of Success’. However, avoid having subject lines which are too long.

2. Frequency and length of newsletters

The frequency of your newsletter should determine its length. If you send it out frequently, it should be as short as possible. Daily newsletters should not exceed one page in length, but weekly or monthly newsletters can be longer. However, don’t just make your newsletter long for the sake of it. Make sure it contains information which is valuable to your recipients. Whatever frequency you choose, be sure to stick to it since people will be expecting to receive the newsletter. Failing to deliver on your promises could have a negative effect on your reputation.

3. Make it easy to read           

Your email newsletters should be easy on the eye so that subscribers can read them easily. It would be advisable to use common font types such as Courier or Times New Roman which can be read easily. The font size should be between 10 to 12 points. For better visibility, use dark text against a light background. If your email newsletter is several pages long, it would be advisable to have a hyperlinked table of contents at the beginning. This will make it easy for readers to find the information they need with the click of a button.

4. Check the tone

The tone of email newsletters should vary depending on their purpose. However, a casual approach works best for email marketing. Your subscribers are likely to respond better to newsletters which have been written with some personality. Make sure the emails are sent by a specific individual using a personal email address. For instance, if the sender is Susan, she should use sue@yourbusiness.com instead of info@yourbusiness.com. In addition, she should sign off using her own name. Subscribers will find it easier to respond when dealing with a real person as opposed to the ‘marketing team’.

5. Test

Before sending out the newsletter to all your subscribers, make sure you test it first. If possible, open an account with the major email services and send it to yourself first. You could also consider sending it to a few friends and business associates. Take time to correct any evident mistakes before sending it to your entire mailing list.

Charles Mburugu is a professional email copywriter who likes sharing tips for internet marketers and small business owners.