Effective customer newsletters find the right mix of promotional and 'real' content to maximize readership.
It's that time of year when the old college roommate sends 'round his or her annual holiday newsletter. Admit it, you're happy to hear from them, but it's usually too long and it's all "me, me, me."
The same is true about too many customer newsletters - printed or electronic. In the audiobook, "Sound Advice on Publishing E-Newsletters," author Michael Katz says one of the biggest mistakes made by company newsletters is that the focus is mostly on the company doing the writing. It's all right to include announcements of recent awards, new employees, and new customer wins, he says, just don't lead with it.
Instead, lead with and focus on what is useful, interesting, and relevant to the audience - information that helps customers do their jobs successfully or live their lives better. When it comes to writing a customer newsletter, Katz says, "Remember the 80-20 rule. 80% of your newsletter should be focused on helping the reader; 20% should be about you."
Richard Cunningham is a principal of What's Working in Biz, http://www.whatsworking.biz, a publisher of business audiobooks and online audio programs on marketing, sales, and small business strategies.
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