Times change. First there were one-off promotions, then campaigns, and now opt-in email newsletters are at the forefront of email marketing efforts.
Content is (still) king in email newsletters. But every point counts in the race to win the hearts, minds and inboxes of your customers and prospects. So what else belongs in there other than "content?" Here are some reminders...
1. Masthead
At the top of your newsletter you need a masthead. It puts the reader at ease by reminding them of what they're reading and why.
Make sure it at least contains the name of the publication, plus possibly an affiliation, tagline, issue number and date, and link to the associated website.
You should be able to fit all that into 3 or 4 lines, freeing up the rest of the valuable "above the fold" space for content. If you're publishing a HTML newsletter, then you have more leeway to include additional masthead details without sacrificing space. Consider, for example, an "archive" link.
2. Introduction to the Contents
If you're publishing a longer newsletter, where most of the content is not contained within the first few lines of the email, then you need to give people an anchor or reference from which to evaluate and explore your newsletter.
You can think of it as a section of text designed to grab the reader's attention and pique their interest - give them a reason to explore your content. You might take a traditional "table of contents" approach, or go for a more vibrant text introduction.
3. A Name
Somewhere in the newsletter, even if it's tucked away down the bottom under "editor," you should have somebody's name appear.
Email is predominately used for person-to-person communication; names put people in a comfort zone. They establish a connection at the personal, human level. They're reassuring; people prefer relating to other people, rather than departments or businesses.
The same goes for voice, incidentally. Newsletters are in it for the long haul, and aren't suited to corporate, promotional, marketing jargon. Get back to the basics of human communication.
4. Contact Information
No matter how many funky automated systems, autoresponders and forms you offer, put a real contact address in there too (preferably in connection with a real name). It can be an email or physical address, or even a telephone number if you're comfortable with that idea.
First, it communicates credibility and openness - no hiding behind machines. Second, some people will always be happier using a more direct form of communication when they want to reach you. Forms may break down, browsers may let you down, and some people may simply not be comfortable with online technology. Give them a way to reach you if all else fails.
Incidentally, full contact information may become obligatory as a part of anti-spam legislation or service agreements.
5. Unsubscribe Info
Obvious, but worth repeating. Let people know how they can get their address off your mailing list.
Some marketers prefer to put this information at the top of each issue, as a way of reassuring readers that they have control over their privacy and subscription, thus preventing spam accusations. Which is a fair argument. Unless required by law, though, I prefer it down the bottom.
First, the end of the newsletter is where people expect to find it.
Second, unsubscribe information up top can also come across as, "The lady doth protest too much," especially if you wax lyrical about how opt-in you are (like a lot of spammers do). Since you're sending legitimate email messages based on direct and genuine permission, you don't have to "worry" quite so much about being accused of spam.
Third, and most important of all, the top of your newsletter is the most valuable space you've got. It plays a major role in getting the recipient to actually read your email. Why waste that space on administrative information?
6. the Recipient's Email Address
Most list hosts and software have mail merge features which should let you append the subscribed email address to the end of each issue you send out.
It's a convenience for those readers who use lots of different addresses online. They can see which address they used for your newsletter, if it's not obvious from the inbox display (don't expect people to be familiar with the idea of viewing hidden headers).
Equally, it will save you a lot of time and trouble with those subscribers who are not familiar with email headers, subscription processes or even web browsers. They'll often have no idea how to tell which email address they're subscribed under. And they'll often choose to manage their subscriptions simply by emailing your contact address.
As long as they're able to forward the text of your issue, you can easily discover the email address they're subscribed under, and make the appropriate changes to your address list or database.
7. Forwarding Information
You're probably encouraging people to forward a copy of your newsletter to their friends and colleagues. When they do, you need to make sure that the recipients can easily understand what your newsletter is all about and sign-up themselves.
So somewhere in each issue, provide a very brief summary of your scope, an indication of your publishing frequency, and instructions on how to subscribe (a link to a subscription page or email address, for example).
8. Administrative Blurb
There's a range of administrative blurbs you can add to help people feel comfortable with your publication and find their way around more easily. In addition to the points already made above, it's helpful to include (usually down at the bottom of each mailing)...
* a copyright statement
* a privacy statement (or a link to one)
* other relevant website links:
- to sibling sites and publications, for example
- to archives, FAQs, and subscription management pages
- to media kits and advertising information (where relevant)
Not all of these eight elements are "obligatory," but each can contribute in its own way to your newsletter's success. So while content really is king, you now at least have a better feel for some of the other royal courtiers.
