Casual Friday? Hey, Make Your eNewsletter Informal

speaks with Meryl K. Evans, InternetVIZ 

For years, corporate communications had no personality, tone, or voice. It wasn't a bad thing, but rather the thinking of the times when companies had to present themselves in a professional manner. How times have changed. Since many companies changed their dress code from suits and dresses to business casual, they also have allowed their corporate personalities to creep into their messages.

Communications grew beyond the brochure, stockholder letters, and bulk mailings. It added Web sites, emails, e-newsletters, and banners to the mix. They've inundated readers with more information than they can handle. Without personality, tone, or voice, how can anyone grab the reader's attention in the tiny window of opportunity when reading the first line? It's the ultimate challenge.

eNJ: What is your definition of an e-newsletter?

Debbie Weil: It must contain useful, interesting content whose aim is to impart information first, and make a sale second. If the only reason for the e-communication is to make a direct sale, then it's a promotion and not a newsletter.

eNJ: What differences exist between a B2B vs. a B2C e-newsletter?

Debbie: B2C newsletters tend to be more product and sales-oriented. LLBean has a newsletter for example. But it's a thinly veiled promotional message (although nicely done) with a seasonal theme. Palm, Inc. also has a newsletter but again it's pretty obvious that they're telling you about the newest, coolest. B2B newsletters, by definition, are about more complex products and services. Since the sales cycle for such products is longer and involves more people, it's natural for an e-newsletter to address multiple topics. These can range from industry, policy or regulatory issues to "tips on how to use" the product.

eNJ: How are e-newsletters effective for marketing a business?

Debbie: They give you a built-in excuse for repeated regular communication with your target audience - what marketers call "relationship building." What more could you ask? That opportunity also presents a real challenge, however. You have to have a long-term plan for what you will communicate to your audience -- and how.

eNJ: What value do e-newsletters bring to readers?

Debbie: If they're intelligently edited, if the information is packaged in a digestible form, and if the information is pertinent and up-to-date, they are a quick and useful way to stay on top of a trend, topic, product category or industry niche.

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eNJ: How do e-newsletters help develop trust with prospects and clients?

Debbie: If the newsletter is delivered on a consistent, predictable schedule and contains useful, well-written information, it's pretty easy to develop trust as well as respect.

eNJ: What are some tactics used for getting and keeping readers' attention?

Debbie: Offering interactive content. Instant polls, surveys, Q & A with readers, free giveaways... all are tried and true methods of capturing readers' interest.

eNJ: What role does an e-newsletter play in an overall marketing plan?

Debbie: It's an essential piece of an online marketing plan which, in turn, should be part of a broader marketing strategy incorporating both on and offline tactics.

eNJ: What interesting fact or tidbit do you have about a response to or outcome from an e-newsletter?

Debbie: Recently, I played an April Fool's joke of sorts on readers of my e-newsletter, WordBiz Report. The lead article was on the topic of "how to write an article teaser." I wrote a teaser or blurb for the article promising tips and examples. When the reader clicked through, the jump page said "Gotcha! April Fool's! There's no article; just the teaser." I quickly explained it was just a joke and I would post the full article later. Out of 12,000 subscribers, about three were incensed that I would "fool them." "How could you?!" they wrote. They were so upset they said they were unsubscribing. Moral of this story: 1) you can't please everyone and 2) a little humor is fine but be careful of abusing your readers’ trust.

eNJ: What are the top three reasons to use e-newsletters for marketing?

Debbie: There are so many reasons but here are the top three :

1. Cost efficiency

2. Effectiveness as a communications and relationship-building tool

3. Ability to track and analyze response over time

eNJ: Any final comments?

Debbie: A successful e-newsletter must have a distinctive voice. It doesn't matter whether the company is selling widgets or high-end software, readers respond to a tone, an attitude and a point of view.

Notice the recurring theme of building relationships and using a distinctive voice. It may not mean overnight sales with the first or even fourth e-newsletter that goes out. A long-term friendship is more satisfying than a quick run-in. E-newsletters help build value, trust, and stability.

Companies who use e-newsletters also gain marketing information, which help them adjust their e-newsletters to fit the readers' needs. Though companies may offer a survey for reader input, it doesn't always bring in the number of responses they'd like. Instead, companies can understand reader response by tracking and analyzing the e-newsletter metrics. The metrics tell a story on what articles are popular and less popular, click-through rates, and what's working or not. To see the e-newsletter's ROI, companies must take metrics seriously.

Debbie Weil, CEO / Publisher of WordBiz Report, is a former newspaper reporter and editor. In addition to publishing award-winning WordBiz Report, she offers B2B clients e-newsletter audits, help in evaluating an email vendor and tune-ups of the copy & content formula on their site or email program. She was previously Web Content Marketing Manager for Network Solutions, Inc. (now part of Verisign). Debbie is also a widely-read columnist for ClickZ who launched B2B Email Marketing and E-newsletter Strategies.

Meryl K. Evans is an editor, wordsmith, and writer for InternetVIZ and other resources. The content maven is available for editing, writing, and pepping articles and copy. InternetVIZ is a custom publisher for companies wishing to find, acquire, and retain customers through Internet newsletters.