Newsletters don’t merely inform — they’re also effective tools to connect with readers to subtly sell them on a product, a service, or a cause.
To create a great newsletter for business, it helps to know the content to feature in every issue and its length. Consistency is important to build trust and so that readers know where to look for the information they need and want.
Your content should be easy to create to save everyone’s time and be easy to read. Here’s how to create a great newsletter for business.
E-newsletters and e-blasts
An ideal length is 600 words. It’s enough for snippets on one or more topics — the fewer, the better, to keep readers focused, per newsletter studies.
Eblasts are good for short news items and are generally 500 or fewer words. They can feature one or two items with copy that links to more information at a website.
Either way, it’s best to link as much as possible to shorten the copy and make it easier to scan; links help emphasize the text, too.
No matter the content, include the date or the month and year, links to your social media sites and email address, your mailing address, with links to forward the newsletter and to unsubscribe, according to the CAN-SPAM Act (U.S.).
Your most important, eye-catching copy should be at the top to entice people to read more. An engaging subject line can also influence opens.
Essentially, the less said, the better, done in an intriguing style that doesn’t reveal everything all of the time.
Like blog posts, you can include “calls to action” to get leads.
Print Newsletters
These tend to work best at one to four pages long — roughly 2,000 or fewer words, depending on how you format the text. Anything longer than six pages creeps more toward magazine territory, which is fine, if you truly need all of that copy (and design).
For more than a few pages of text, breaking it into columns makes for easier reading. Graphics and photos work well to enhance the text, too. A logo at the top, with a masthead that shows the issue date and how to contact staff, looks professional.
For more advice, read five elements of effective e-newsletters for business.
Need help learning how to create a great newsletter for business? Want some thoughts on yours? Get a free e-news audit today!
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