Keeping In Touch
The importance of newsletters
Once you’ve been in business for a length of time, there are certain things that you look back on and wish you would have done sooner. Lessons, tips, and ideas are learned along the way. Trial and error to find out what works and does not work is all part of growing professionally.
After being in business for 15 years there has been a lot I’ve learned over that time. One of the most important things I’ve implemented, took me up until a few years ago to start doing. I’m not sure why it took me so long. But it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made for my business.
Since we started doing our quarterly newsletter, our client retention has climbed by 5% to an all-time high. It has deepened the relationships with our existing clients. We receive feedback, questions and schedule appointments from them.
I had received newsletters from others for as long as I can remember. They’ve come by both email and mail. Some were worth reading, but most were not. I kept the ones I found myself reading to refer back to for topics and layout ideas for when I eventually started one.
Newsletters allow you to get important information out. It can be customized and personalized to what you want to say. You can speak directly to your audience. If there is a message that you want to get out, this is an excellent way to do so. You get to create your message.
A few things you should consider that made our newsletter successful.
Keep it clean and clear. The only noise and fluff that sprouts in a newsletter is up to you. Don’t make it a sales flyer. You’re not trying to sell them something through a newsletter. Inform, educate and create value for the reader. Otherwise, it will be deleted and ignored. When they see it come in the future their opinion has already been made up. They will push delete.
Quick and easy to read. You need to make sure it’s rather quick and easy to read. Nobody wants to read a newspaper. Newsletters are not sent to be read as books. Keep every sentence worthwhile.
Our newsletter only has five topics. The first three are always non-insurance related. The last two are regarding insurance. We made sure we keep each entry only to a few sentences. The goal was to be able to read the entire newsletter in under a minute without clicking on any of the links.
Make it about more than just your product or service. Don’t make your newsletter all about your business, product or service. How are you going to keep the reader’s attention? What topic will you tie in so that anyone can relate to it? Tie in something unique that everyone can relate to. Make the content engaging and relatable to all current and/or prospective clients.
For instance, will you have a cooking recipe in each newsletter. Will there be an eating or workout tip? Will you discuss or review books, movies, games, trivia, tea, coffee, bourbon, grilling, cooking, traveling, local events etc. Discuss something interesting. Be different. Create intrigue and anticipation.
Discussing your business, product or service as the expert. What value will you present about your business, product or service that makes the newsletter important content for them? Will I give them one or two tips each month on how to improve this or that? Is there something that they should know? Give links to what you are reviewing or communicating.
Make sure you put your newsletter together so that you come across as the expert and advisor. You want to be viewed as the expert on whatever industry, product or service that you’re relaying. You’re the expert, so sound like it.
Don’t send it too often. When I first put our newsletter together, I wanted to send it monthly. The more you email people the better, I thought. But I realized the time it would take to put out quality content would be too tough. So, we decided to do it quarterly. Keep each newsletter new and fresh.
Ask for feedback and questions. We welcome our clients to contact us. It creates conversation and dialogue. Now most of our topics grow from conversations with our readers.
The key was we didn’t set out for it to be a traditional newsletter. We set out to make it a way to communicate with clients and prospective clients on various topics and ideas that would be interesting and create intrigue. It was going to be about insurance but much more than that.
Clients will comment and ask when the next one will come out. It has turned into something that people look forward to getting. Who would ever have thought that a newsletter from your insurance agency would be something you couldn’t wait to get? I sure never thought that.
Always ask yourself, would you read this? Is this relevant or interesting? Give them a reason to read it. Even better, a reason to make them click forward and send it to their friends or family.
How are you creating conversation and ongoing dialogue with your current and prospective clients? Present yourself and your team as the experts. Create content that they find useful and enjoyable to read. Make your opinions, ideas and tips as must-read content. Explore your creativity.
The Coffee Table ☕
Continuing with the theme of writing and creating, I just finished a helpful and easy to read book on writing called, Several Short Sentences About Writing by Verlyn Klinkenborg. This book would be beneficial in writing a newsletter.
Tony Isola wrote a nice post on his birthday about 41 Quick Tips For Health, Happiness and Wealth. He shares some good worthwhile life advice in it.
Monevator had an interesting post entitled, Pros and cons of being wealthy. It summarizes a wide ranging topic into the most important points to consider.
Jack Raines had a thought provoking post called, On Meaningless Careers. He shares thoughts on the pointlessness of so many jobs today.
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