Newsletter 101: Best Practices to Remember
By Lizzy Vaida, Account Associate
Newsletters (more accurately, e-newsletters, in the modern era) are a popular marketing and communications tactic used across industries. Whether you work in healthcare, hospitality, public works or really any other industry, newsletters are a fantastic public relations move. The repeated, long-form content gives brands and organizations the opportunity to expand their message development and build brand recognition among their target audiences.
I’ve been drafting, laying out and sending Rasor’s Uncut newsletter for about a year now, and I’ve seen my fair share of newsletters from a variety of other organizations. Here are my six key tips to keep in mind for every newsletter you write.
1. Build a Schedule and Stick to It
As you’ll see in my first few tips, consistency is key when it comes to creating a successful newsletter. Step one is establishing a schedule for sending your newsletter and being consistent with that schedule.
Bonus Tip: It’s important to be realistic when setting your schedule. Sending monthly editions of your newsletter is a great plan and a pretty common option, but if you know it’s going to be a struggle to stick to monthly editions, there’s no shame in sending your newsletter every other month, once per quarter or even twice a year. Committing to infrequent editions and staying consistent with that schedule is a much better look than promoting a monthly newsletter and frequently skipping months.
2. Be Consistent with Your Tone
The next element of consistency to keep in mind is the writing style you use for your newsletter. This is a great opportunity to showcase your brand voice through long-form content, so it’s a good idea to lean into it and make the most of it.
3. Utilize Repeat Sections
Establishing content segments that you consistently (there’s that word again) include in every edition of your newsletter gives your readers something to expect and (hopefully) look forward to. Try to include variety in these sections, balancing serious content with fun content if it’s appropriate for your industry.
Bonus Tip: Naming these segments is a great way to keep yourself consistent with writing them and to enhance recognition among your readers. For example, Rasor’s Uncut newsletter always includes the Learning Corner (educational content that’s relevant to our industry) and the Daily Distraction (something fun to share with our readers).
4. Add Visual Elements
Including photos and graphics throughout your newsletter is a great way to supplement your written copy. These elements allow you to share additional information and add visual appeal, keeping your readers engaged.
5. Always Read It One Last Time
We all know proofing is a critical step in any writing process. Once you draft your newsletter, proof it, then send it through more proofing eyeballs, and once it’s approved and ready to go…make sure you read it one last time before you hit send, just to make sure nothing slipped through the cracks. It’s always worth the few extra minutes to calmly read your content once more with fresh eyes. You never know what you’ll catch in the final proof, and it will give you peace of mind when sending.
6. Share It Across Platforms
These days, most newsletters are shared via email, but there’s no reason to limit yourself to one channel. LinkedIn offers its own newsletter feature, which is a great avenue to explore if your brand or organization has a LinkedIn presence. You can build a unique set of subscribers and share your newsletter to all of your LinkedIn followers in an organized format.
Not on LinkedIn? No problem. It’s also effective and wise to share the link to your newsletter across the social media platforms you do utilize. Not on social media at all? We can help with that.
Need some help making your newsletter the best it can be? Rasor is an award-winning marketing agency in Cincinnati, delivering communications, design and public relations strategies to industries including healthcare, municipal and infrastructure and B2B/B2C. Want to learn more about how Rasor can help you level up your public relations efforts? Contact us at info@gorasor.com or 513-793-1234.