Newsletters are not the most popular kid on the block. They’re more like the new kid whose mom pays you to hang out with him on Saturdays. Unfortunate, but true, and yet it doesn’t mean that newsletters are dead for inbound marketing. That kid just needs a chance to show what he’s made of so people can see why he’s worth hanging out with, just like your newsletter needs to be elevated beyond its intimate association with a spam filter in order for you to start building a customer list with it, and you’re going to give your newsletter that chance by following the tips we’ve listed below.
Customer List – The VIP Treatment
This is not only a great way to get people interested in your newsletter but also a fantastic opportunity to communicate with your customers on a personal level. Incentives are a great tool when trying to get subscribers, but sometimes offering early access to exclusive content can be even more effective. This is especially true if you provide a design-based service/product with a large fan base. For example, by saying that those signed up for the newsletter will have “first eyes” on a new design or a sneak peek at a work-in-progress you offer an incentive that no one else on the market can offer, and that kind of exposure gives you huge points in the PR department. Customers are loyal and they will reward you if you reward them, and a great step in building your customer list.
Take a Horse to Water…
…But don’t shove its nose into the river. The same should apply to herding your potential newsletter subscribers towards your registration links, because people don’t like being told what to do. Unfortunately, newsletters are a source of water that has been laid low by stigmas and spam affiliations, but that’s why you get to toot your own horn a bit. Be very concise about it, but let them know what they stand to gain by signing up for your newsletter and how you’re going to keep your newsletter from becoming just another email destined for the spam folder. When building a customer list, sometimes you’ve got to strut your stuff.
Don’t Make it a Hassle
The last thing people want when signing up for something is for it to be difficult, especially when all they’re looking for is a little information. They want to spend time reading about the things that interest them, not look up how to get to where the information is so make the link to your newsletter registration page as easy to spot as you can. Put it in your email signatures, your author bios, even headers on your website. If you can pull it off, incorporate your Facebook page into the mix, too. The easier you make registration accessible the more people will sign-up for it, we guarantee it.
In the end, people like things easy and people like things rewarding. By making your newsletter a combination of informative, uniquely beneficial to the reader, and just a little self-serving you’ll be building a customer list through your readership in no time, and that customer base will be personally invested in what you have to say and what you have in the works. Follow the tips we’ve given you and you’ll get there eventually.
