Successful E-Newsletter Formats

Successful e-newsletters urge readers to do three things: 1) open the e-newsletter, 2) read it and 3) act upon it. This was my conclusion in a previous post about e-newsletter content. But format, in many respects, is just as important as content. Format brands your message and creates a bond with the reader. It provides a platform to communicate value and offer your products and services.

To ensure that you consistently brand your e-newsletter and communicate maximum value, ensure that your e-newsletter format accomplishes these three things:

1) Consistency: readers don’t want to play guessing games. Select a format and stick with it. You can update your format as you find what works, but don’t deviate too far from one consistent format. If you decide to change your format, let your readers now. This can be an additional marketing touch point that won’t seem intrusive.

2) Easy-to-Follow: let the reader skim content quickly. Use headlines, bullet points and bold text to highlight key points. These call outs should be simple and highly visible as they contain your key communication points. Stick to three or maybe four sections in total. Your e-newsletter can be lengthy if you continue to provide valuable content, but break it up into a few sections to make it easy-to-follow.

3) Seamless Click-thrus: your e-newsletter should provide a platform for readers to find out more. Reference websites and links within the format and content of your website, but double check to make sure that all references seamlessly link to the intended websites. This sounds obvious, but I've seen too many e-newsletters that frustrate readers with links to nonexistent sites. Ideally, you want readers to spend more time on your site, so think where people would go from one link to another and where you want to drive them.

Ultimately an e-newsletter must both inform and sell. Content should communicate value and the format should build a relationship with readers. There are several reasons why you need an e-newsletter to market your business. Among other things, they are an economical way to market your products and services and they should be a part of your marketing plan.