Writing valuable newsletter copy can be time-consuming if you craft them yourself or expensive if you hire help with your content strategy. This may make you wonder if it is really worth the time and effort when social media offers a more instant, editable mode of public communication that could possibly reach more people. Is email just dead? We get so many spam emails. Surely no one is reading marketing newsletters anymore. Wrong!
The truth is email marketing is still the most viable portal for making sales. It is the #1 marketing investment you can make to grow your sales. Think about it. Your clients may take breaks from social media but they probably still check their emails. Here are some other key reasons why you should keep communication flowing through your business newsletter.
You own your list
It may not be a large list, but it is yours. If Twitter collapses, do you still have a way to reach your target audience for free? Building a following on your social accounts is great but an email list that won’t disappear when platforms become irrelevant is better. A quality list is essential. Don’t have one yet? We can help you build your list from scratch.
Social media platforms change their rules and algorithms
You can follow the rules and still get banned without a clear reason or fair appeal process. You can post consistent, quality content and still get shadow banned. At the end of the day, these platforms are not worried about your reach and are prioritizing their own profits. Relying only on social media to reach your audience is like building your house on rented land.
People need to be reminded of a product three times before they buy
Maybe they first see it on Facebook, then in your newsletter, and finally they see it again in a blog post you linked…through your newsletter! This may feel spammy when you’re writing content for these different channels but it isn’t. Not all of your audience will see every post or read every newsletter. Your email marketing efforts offer another place to remind them of the exciting new product you’re offering.
Feedback from your mailing list may inspire new product ideas
Adding valuable content is important for keeping your readers engaged. An unexpected benefit of engaging content through email is this allows your subscribers to reach out to you by replying. They may give you free feedback you’d otherwise have to pay for. This feedback could inspire you to create your next best seller.
You can cultivate genuine relationships with your clients
Connection with your clients builds trust. You don’t need to send out emails addressing the whole world, you need to write to the person reading it only. Email provides a more intimate setting for communication that feels like talking one-on-one. Clients are more likely to make purchases when they trust the seller. Maybe that sale won’t come this week but in a year when their financial circumstances change. Of course, you want to make sales but adding value to your newsletter beyond paid services is what keeps your subscribers engaged.
Source: Marketing Made Simple podcast