How to Create an Effective Newsletter For Email Distribution

The Most important thing to remember in starting a newsletter is NEVER NEVER NEVER send out spam mail. Always allow your subscribers to subscribe or unsubscribe as they deem necessary. Now, since that is out of the way here's the deal. Newsletters are simple to start and maintain. I have done the research for you and here's a step by step process.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Creative Mind
• Organized Thoughts
• Something To Say That Others Want To Hear

1. Plan out your newsletter. this includes layout, color scheme and title. The more catchy the title the more attention you will attract. Plan out the voice of the newsletter. Who is your target market and what do they really want to know that they are not getting anywhere else? How often do they want to receive this information? What format will you use to distribute the newsletter, will you sue text format or HTML? There are some web sites that will allow you to type it up and then convert the newsletter into both types for you.
2. decide on how you maintain the list of subscribers. Most web sites offer this as a service. However, you can opt to do it manually. Just be prepared to be bombarded after a month or so. I would also advise to get a web-responder that will immediately contact your new subscribers and respond to any questions, comments and concerns promptly. This will buy you a few days to get back to them with a personalized touch. I would even say in the responder that someone will be in contact in x amount of hours/days. Then respond in that time frame.
3. Add sign up forms to your website and email accounts. this gives you more than one way to get new subscriptions. I would even have a link on the newsletter itself to send to a friend . This way their friend will get a complimentary copy from a trusted source and with the link on the newsletter to subscribe can now subscribe if they choose.
4. Now that you have planned out the particulars of the newsletter and have set it up so you can get subscribers. Plan out what you are going to include in the newsletter. What articles, news, clip art, pictures, tips, reader feedback, guest contributors etc. Even think about selling ads and where those ads will be placed. (This is good if your newsletter will be given our for free. This will allow you to continue giving good content without losing money.)
5. Make sure that your newsletter is appealing to the eye. Try it out on some friends and family first. Let them give you candid feedback and make the changes, if needed. The most important thing you should ask is would you pay XX amount of dollars for this newsletter. Keep in mind that people use different email software and what looks good for one will not look the same for another. Some tips would be keep your line length to 65 characters with a hard return at the end of the line. that will keep your newsletter from looking unformatted. Always test your newsletter by sending it to different email accounts or use some friends to make sure that the final copy looks professional in all email software. IF you use a text version make sure you use lines to separate each section.
6. Once you have a good professional looking newsletter and it is appealing in all email formats then make a template of the newsletter to make it easy to swap out the content and replace with new.

Tips & Warnings

• Allow them a way to subscribe and un-subscribe.
• Make the content easy to understand and enjoyable.
• Creativity is the key.
• Welcoming Colors are best.
• Make it a one in a kind newsletter by letting your personality shine through.
• Never spam potential readers.
• Give credit to credit is due.