A lot of companies like to use e-newsletters to communicate with their current, former and potential clients. In addition to being better for the environment than a hard newsletter (less paper to print out), it is usually much more cost-effective and better at driving website traffic. Here are step-by-step instructions for creating an effective e-newsletter for your business:

1. Choose a service. Although you could create an e-newsletter using your email client, we recommend using a specific e-newsletter service for a variety of reasons, including: 1) It takes less time, 2) It provides measurable results, and 3) It allows for easy customization. At Three Girls, we usually recommend Constant Contact, although that isn’t the only reputable service out there. Feel free to shop around to figure out which company is best for your business.
2. Design a template. It’s usually best to have a default template designed that you use for most (if not all) e-newsletters you send out. This can be a great way to reinforce your brand very easily. Use the same colors and photos that are on your site, and make sure your logo and a link to your website is included somewhere near the top.
3. Create a schedule. Decide how often you’ll send out your e-newsletter and create a schedule. You don’t want to send it out too frequently, although you do want it to be distributed to readers regularly. At Three Girls, we’ve found one to two distributions every month is plenty for keeping customers up-to-date. I always recommend setting up reminders on your calendar or phone so you stay on track with your schedule, too.
4. Write the content. This is probably the hardest part of an effective e-newsletter. You want to include information that will be interesting to those reading the newsletter that is also self-promotional, but doesn’t read too much like an ad. Another key is to keep each article short. Whether you have 2, 3, 4 or more articles, keep the copy to 2-3 paragraphs. This will make it easier to skim. If you really want to write more than 2-3 paragraphs, write the full article as a blog post. Then include a small portion of it in the e-newsletter with a link to the full article.
5. Format the e-newsletter. Add a few pictures and bold/underline headlines as appropriate. This will help break the copy up a bit to make it easier to skim.
6. Proofread and send. Send yourself a preview of the e-newsletter so you can make sure it looks clean and professional in an email inbox, then schedule the distribution!

For examples of past Three Girls distributions, visit our archive. What additional suggestions do you have for creating an effective e-newsletter?

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