E-Newsle
tters are inexpensive to produce, reach a large audience, and are easy for clients to forward. However, if your e-newsletter is not written to get results - - inexpensive and easy are moot points!
It is important to remember that the rules for an e-newsletter are not the same rules you learned for writing print media. An e-newsletter will be skimmed, not read. Writing something to send electronically requires restraint – brevity is key.
Studies in the use of e-newsletters conducted by the Nielson and Norman Group showed that users spend about 51 seconds scanning an e-newsletter. In order for you to capture the attention of your client or prospective client in those 51 seconds, the following tips are helpful:
- Put an eye-catching message at the top left portion of the e-newsletter. Some readers check their emails in a preview pane and will only open the e-newsletter if that first portion catches their interest.
- Use an easy-to- scan layout and colors. It is best to use the same layout for each e-newsletter so that readers become familiar with your arrangement of information.
- Keep the e-newsletter short – maybe 3-5 articles. Rather than writing paragraphs about a subject, write in 150 word tidbits.
- Test your e-newsletter by checking it in different email boxes. Make sure your format looks the way you expect it to in Outlook, Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, etc.
- Send your e-newsletter on Tuesday or Wednesday. You want to avoid the Monday rush of emails and the Friday “early weekend” mindset.
Now that you have managed to capture the attention of your readers for 51 seconds, make sure that you have an e-newsletter that provides benefits to your reader and brings results to you. The Nielson and Norman Group study showed that users considered e-newsletters to be more personal than websites. E-newsletters had more of a social aspect. You can expand on this social aspect by including your photo in your e-newsletter and writing in a conversational tone.
Make a commitment to send your e-newsletters on a regular basis. Because readers consider e-newsletters as having a more personal connection than your website, they will expect your e-newsletters to arrive on schedule. Long gaps of time without the receipt of your e-newsletter may be perceived as a lack of attention to clients.
Include fresh information in your e-newsletter and keep the news of value. For instance you may include local events or the opening of a new restaurant. You want to become known as a local expert in your market so news about current housing markets or trends is helpful. Readers appreciate tips and how-to advice as well as your personal anecdotes or reviews of books or websites.
Make good use of links in your e-newsletter. Remember that one of the great advantages of sending e-newsletters is that readers can click directly to your website. When you want to give readers more information than what is practical to include in the e-newsletter, just put a sentence or two in the e-newsletter with a link to more details on your website. You may also include links to videos, featured listings, or social media such as Facebook.
Encourage readers to pass your e-newsletter along to friends and family. Include an easy subscription form in the e-newsletter. Basically you need just a name and email address. Include a privacy statement to reassure subscribers that emails are not shared with other parties.
There is just one DON’T to be highlighted here. It is the same common sense “don’t” that applies to any email. Do not ever put anything in your e-newsletter that you would not want posted on a huge billboard. Remember it is easy to pass along an e-newsletter and once it is out in cyberspace, there is no “recall” button.
The advantages of using e-newsletters are many, the costs are low, and with using the tips above, your e-newsletters will be an effective marketing tool. If finding the time and inspiration to write a regular e-newsletter is a challenge, there is an easy solution at Best Agent Business. Schedule a free call with Steve Kantor, the president of Best Agent Business today, to discuss all the options available to real estate professionals.
Blog submitted by Beverly – Associate, Best Agent Business
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