Newsletters are a great way to connect with people, if done the right way.
1. Start with your inner circle. I began with my gracious friends and family. But still, in my anxiety, I sent short, apologetic newsletters. Then the subscriptions opened to the public through my website, and my angst grew. My missives got shorter.
2. Avoid schtick. To build engagement, I tried common advice like “offer surveys” or “ask people what they like to read,” but what was once innovative is now schtickland. Besides, who wants an email that requires work? Not me, anyway.
3. Study other people’s newsletters. I noticed the newsletters I looked forward to receiving weren’t super short (or rambly) and contained any combination of useful, interesting, funny, and honest content. So, plugging along like the little-anxious-train-that-could, I dug a little deeper and was rewarded with higher open rates and fewer unsubscribes.
4. Avoid posing. The Big Shift happened when I stopped posturing as if I knew what I was doing and decided to have fun, even if it cost me some subscribers. To my surprise, instead of subscriptions dropping like flies, recipients engaged more. Win/win.
Find your win/win.
BONUS:
- Avoid spammy words. Here’s one of my subject lines, a dubious attempt to avoid spam hell: “How to succ**d?” (Spoiler answer: “Beats me.”)
- Limit the # of images and if possible use low-res, so your emails don’t get clipped.
- Learn your newsletter’s system. I once announced my debut launch by email to everyone I knew, then found all their addresses hunkered into my subscriber list. Signing up someone without his/her permission is illegal in Canada. Such a mess.
- Learn the laws. At this time, the US requires opt-out options, whereas Canada (and Europe, Australia, Brazil, India) require explicit opt-in consent. Newsletter services provide those options, but if getting a service seems daunting, don’t worry. Most offer free accounts, like mine which currently allows up to 1,000 subscribers at no cost.
Conclusion: I finally gained a little confidence with newsletters (me, the introvert at home in her flannel pyjamas, who suddenly had an audience), enough to risk swinging toward verbosity. But thankfully I know no one cares to hear that much from me. I’m in this for the long haul and will respect my subscribers’ time. So, apart from occasional author events, like launches and parties, a brisk email once a month is plenty.