By Kara M. Zone
You’ve probably heard a lot about email and newsletter marketing, but you may not realize how powerful it can be. For some businesses struggling to get the word out about their products and services, this type of marketing can be an excellent way to go.
However, if you’re new to email and newsletter marketing, you likely have some questions:
- What the heck is email and newsletter marketing?
- Why should I invest my time in it?
- I don’t open random emails, so why would I send emails and newsletters to others?
The answer?
Exposure.
It takes an average of seeing an image eleven or more times before it begins to register in the brain., including such things as logos, business names, etc. Only after that will they begin to associate with the image, recognizing your name, services, and (although I hate to say the word) your brand.
Email Marketing Is…
A marketing technique that enables readers, customers, and clients to see what your company is about. You can tell them about discounts, new products, and events around your organization. It’s a way to inform readers about the value you can bring to their lives or livelihood.
And, of course, it can be fun!
When you use email marketing, you’re displaying a strong knowledge of best practices in the new digital realm. Direct marking (paper, in-person techniques, etc.) no longer carries the same weight it once did.
What’s more, anyone can engage in email marketing. You don’t need a lot of money, and all it takes is some time and a little human power to get started.
Newsletter Marketing Is…
Oddly enough, in the digital world, newsletter marketing is technically email marketing, but you provide your readers with different kinds of information.
Writing a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly newsletter takes planning but in a pretty fun way. Newsletters can give your readers updates, focus on products, tell stories, announce contests, share exciting news, and more.
While newsletters can tell your client about a sale you are having, direct emails are better for that. Newsletters are a great place to showcase and spotlight your ideas and establish your authority in the marketplace. When you send newsletters consistently, you keep your name at the top of your reader’s mind.
It’s an excellent strategy.
If You Are in a Creative Industry…
If you are in a creative industry like writing, editing, visual design, and others, you will want to keep your name, product, and brand as fresh as possible. As someone who uses their artistic abilities to express themselves and make a living, it’s important to remember that you’ll always be creating something new.
Think about a publishing house, they plaster new releases all over the place, and when Stephen King writes a new book—if you like King—you’re getting that new book. Maybe you’ll like the writing in it, perhaps you won’t, but since you know the name Stephen King, you’re more apt to be familiar with his work, making you want to buy his new book as opposed to someone you’ve never heard of, like me—do you even remember my name?
That is exactly my point.
Emails and newsletters in the creative field will keep you writing. It will help you come up with new ideas, and it might even help you learn how to organize your thoughts in a streamlined way to help you plan out the next newsletter, the next, and so on.
Email and Newsletter Marketing Benefits
Email and Newsletter Marketing is big—the more you update your website and social media with newsletter information and email notifications, the higher your foot traffic will be, which means you’ll appear higher in search results for keywords your target audience use.
Building foot traffic and SEO status take a little time, but it’s worth it. The more people see your stuff, the more they will remember you. And being remembered often brings leads to awesome benefits, such as increased sales.
Conclusion
Email and newsletter marketing are amazing tools for anyone, whether you are just beginning your journey or have been going at it hard for some time. With these tools in your pocket, you’ll build an audience, have more foot traffic, and see incredible results.
Now that you’re familiar with the advantages of email and newsletter marketing, our next article will cover the disadvantages and how to work with the negative side of virtual marketing.