I’m pleased to introduce guest writer Katja Bartholmess, a copywriter and marketing consultant with offices in New York and Berlin. Today Katja shares her expertise regarding how to create an effective newsletter for your home business.
For those of us running businesses out of our spare rooms and garages, it’s vitally important to use advertising methods that make every penny count – methods that really connect with potential customers and let them know why they should do business with you, not the next one down the line who happens to offer the same (or very similar) products and services as you.
If you want to turn skeptical consumers into loyal customers, you’ve got to go the extra mile and offer them something above and beyond whatever products and services you’re selling. But don’t worry: that extra something need not cost you anything. You already have an unlimited supply, because that extra something is your expertise.
Let me tell you how you can take the knowledge and opinions of your industry that you’ve accumulated over the years and pass them on to your potential customers, creating trust and interest in your business:
Write an engaging, helpful and – most important – persuasive newsletter. No matter how many people receive it; your newsletter can personally address the desires and concerns of every recipient while convincing them that you have the solutions they’re looking for. Newsletters are proven to work – whether you’re a business/life coach, a landscaper, an artist, or a purveyor of the world’s best kitty litter!
If you have the free time and a knack for writing, then your own newsletter is well within your reach. Just follow the eleven steps listed below and before you know it, you’ll have a finished product that will help you drum up more business. [Ed. note: we recommend using Aweber for collecting subscriber email addresses and sending out newsletters] And now? Roll your sleeves up and let’s get started on your newsletter.
1. Find a focus: Regardless of the product or service you’re selling, your business has a primary theme. Ask yourself: what philosophy or attitude defines your offer or you as an entrepreneur? Make sure your answer is broad enough to use issue after issue. Think of a simple metaphor that will make your newsletter instantly recognizable.
2. Name it: Think of a simple metaphor that will make your newsletter instantly recognizable. Say you’re a personal coach whose focus is creativity: your newsletter’s title and headlines (and graphics, if you choose to have them) could reference canvasses, landscapes and the great painters. Have fun with this one.
3. Brainstorm topics: Buy a small notebook and keep it handy at all times. Jot down ideas as they occur to you. As you go, keep in mind that each issue of your newsletter should contain at least three articles. But don’t worry about structure yet – just let the ideas flow. This notebook will be invaluable when your newsletter deadline’s looming and you still haven’t typed anything into your computer!
4. Select formats: Take your ideas from step two and start shaping them into articles. There are dozens of formats to choose from: feature stories, news items, personal essays and reviews are just a few examples. Virtually all articles offer some sort of advice, so why not make one of yours an advice column? Since each format has rules to guide you along, this step can be very helpful against writer’s block. Also consider soliciting a brief article from one of your clients, and let readers know that you welcome ideas for future articles. – That makes your work a lot easier.
5. Write it! This might sound easy, but actually penning your newsletter – and getting the voice right – will take some practice. A friendly, informal tone will bring you and your ideas closer to your readers. Write as you speak. Imagine that you’re sitting face-to-face with an individual reader over coffee. Think of what you want to tell that person and lay it out plain and simple. Don’t ramble: give your broadest points some breathing room, but keep the tangents brief.
6. Edit it: Once you’ve written your main articles, leave them for a day. Come back with fresh eyes and revise them. Now it’s time to enlist the help of a trusted friend or colleague who is willing to critique your work. They’ll let you know if any of your writing is clunky, confusing, long-winded, etc. Write another draft with their comments in mind.
7. Bring it all together: With your main articles written and edited, add a few more touches to make the newsletter a coherent whole. Write an intro welcoming readers into your mind and giving them a sneak peek at the newsletter’s contents. Select a few quotes (try www.aphorisms-galore.info) and slip them in between articles. Dedicate a page to recommended books, websites, magazines etc. And consider adding a small headshot of yourself – after all, people like to do business with other people, not with faceless corporations.
8. Advertise your products and services: Reserve a column to make special offers: a sale, a new product, a free trial. Throughout the newsletter, let readers know what’s new with your company. Most importantly, let them know that you’re open for business. Add your contact info at least once, if not a few times. Only three more steps to go!
9. Set a publishing schedule: Figure out how often you can send out your newsletter and stick to it, rain or shine. Just take care not to overspeculate: it won’t look good to readers if your frequency slips from monthly to seasonal.
10. Get it out: Compile a list of your existing customer e-mails. Add as many friends, colleagues and business partners as you can think of. Even if some of them aren’t potential customers, they might just want to pass your newsletter on to people who are. If your list seems small, don’t worry. Word-of-mouth will bring a handful of new names with every issue. Word to the wise: before you circulate your first issue, send out a round of e-mails asking permission so your helpful newsletter won’t be perceived as unwelcome spam.
11. Be patient, or get help: Truth be told, for someone who isn’t a professional writer, writing a newsletter takes time – time that you’d probably rather spend running your business. If you’re serious about reaching out to new clients, you can hire a professional. A copywriter can help you turn your ideas into riveting articles.
Bottom line: newsletters are powerful advertisements for your business, served up on a cushion of free advice. They can spread your expertise and create the trust that makes people want to do business with you. And they work wonders to encourage existing clients and customers to recommend you to their friends.
So why not give it a shot? You have nothing to lose, and a whole lot of new business to gain.
© Katja Bartholmess is a copywriter and marketing consultant with offices in New York and Berlin. In business since 2002, Katja connects products and services with the people who buy them by way of sales letters, web copy, promotions, newsletters, and much more. Find out more at www.copygold.com.
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