THE POWER OF NEWSLETTERS

Manilka Ediriweera explains why emails are still a strategic marketing tool

It’s easy to feel that email marketing is outdated and ineffective, particularly because social media has stolen the spotlight. But it seems that newsletters are still the real minimum viable product (MVP) of digital communications because people are growing increasingly weary of doomscrolling and information overload.

The refreshing alternative that news bulletins offer to the chaotic social media landscape is a fine blend of personal connection and trust with your audience. And with the right strategy, newsletters can deliver a stable ROI, generate consistent results and build a loyal customer base.

In essence, a newsletter is a tool to share relevant and valuable information with your existing customers – and even potential buyers. Not only can you share updates and insights with your audience, you can also promote new products, announce sales, share helpful tips, celebrate holidays, communicate industry news and more.

Whether you want to grow your customer base, boost sales or garner more clicks, news bulletins are easy to create, cost effective and simple to measure in terms of what’s working.

So overall, they’re a great way to connect with your audience without appearing too pushy.

Why do newsletters deserve a dedicated spot in your marketing agenda?

Newsletters aren’t simply emails. They’re similar to having a backstage pass to your audience’s inbox. When people sign up for your news bulletin, they are most likely already familiar with and like your brand.

Bulletins offer a great opportunity to stay on people’s minds, build trust and turn them into loyal customers. They do this by creating one-on-one conversations with the audience by landing directly in their inboxes.

And they have great potential for personalisation: by diving deep into your audience’s inte­rests, lifestyle and preferences, you can create content that reso­nates on a whole new level.

Newsletters can also cut through the noise on social media platforms. They are more personal than social media and people tend to pay attention to them. Because of this personalised and private nature, these tools have an impressive ROI compared to other marketing channels.

Furthermore, they enable you to share your expertise, achievements, new offerings, successful partnerships and more, and paint you as an authority in your field. You aren’t simply telling people about your business; you’re showing them without pushing sales.

While communicating, you’re also accumulating a large number of email addresses, which is valuable for marketing efforts. This data can be used to track customer behaviour, tailor your messages and improve conversions. News bulletins are also a great way to tie your marketing efforts across multiple channels.

They boost engagement on social media and drive traffic to your website, promote brand awareness and help improve the customer experience. All you have to do is add engaging calls to action (CTAs) that lead customers to your other marketing channels while engaging with your brand.

In addition to being cost effective, newsletters can also nurture prospective customers. Therefore, they essentially offer a golden ticket to building deeper connections and growing your business. It’s all about clever marketing rolled into a neat digital package and delivered to your prospects’ inboxes.

Nevertheless, it’s not always a walk in the park.

With just about everyone jumping on the email marketing bandwagon, your audience’s inbox can be a crowded place. When messages flow in, standing out can be tough.

So developing a newsletter that cuts through the digital noise takes effort, strategy and a dash of creativity. And its success hangs in the balance of each and every element that goes into the newsletter.

All the components of your news bulletin – headers, visuals, content, call to action buttons and footers – play a crucial role in delivering a clear message, inspiring action and engaging the audience. That’s why it is important to understand each of these elements, and how they come together to create an effective and engaging newsletter.

In a world dominated by social media and fleeting trends, it’s easy to overlook the power of newsletters. But the truth is that they make for a reliable and successful marketing strategy.

While social media may grab your audience’s attention, news bulletins can help you retain it. And with 99 percent of email users checking their inboxes once or many times a day, the potential reach and impact of email marketing is undeniable.

So whether you own a small, e-commerce or service based business, or are a content creator or an artist, a well-crafted newsletter can help you build relationships with your audience, increase customer engagement and drive sales.