Other than your mom, spouse and kids (before they become teenagers), do people really know what makes you special? Do your clients actually understand what you bring to the table? Can they see beyond the obvious to the essential value of what you provide? If not, you may have a problem.
In fact, it is the core of this value that should serve as the foundation for the content of your email newsletters.
When you are deciding what kinds of stories to put in your newsletter, it is easy to get caught up in the bells and whistles of your product or service, or focus on stories that simply convey useful information related to your company. That’s fine as long as your real message does not get lost in the shuffle.
What is it that you really sell? For davemail, it is not email newsletters or dependable delivery or even detailed tracking reports. We help clients develop more meaningful, loyal and profitable relationships with their customers through professionally written, edited and designed newsletters.
If you own a tree service, do you really sell tree trimming or is it safety, increased property value and peace of mind? When you strip away whatever it is you use to deliver your product or service, what is it that instills confidence and trust in you and your company? What unique combination of skills and experiences do you possess that encourages customers to choose you over the competition?
Whatever that is needs to be communicated in every newsletter you create. The message of who you are as a company and what you really provide can never be told enough.
In searching for keywords that people use when seeking information about email newsletters, I made a rather disturbing discovery. The No. 1 term searched for was “email lists.” Apparently, last month more people searched for information on purchasing a list of email addresses than newsletter design, writing, deliverability or email marketing combined. And the news only gets worse. Nine of the top 20 search terms related to email newsletters had the word “list” in them. It became quite obvious to me (I’m quick that way) that some marketers are more interested in getting their message to as many people as possible than crafting whatever the message actually is.
Not to be a negative Nellie, but this is not a good indicator of sound judgment – much less knowledge of spam laws. Sending an email newsletter about your company to clients, (qualified) prospects and other legitimate contacts should be about building relationships with those who have given you permission to communicate with them.
It is about delivering content created specifically for that audience. It is about building loyalty. Sending email newsletters to a list gathered by a third party based on demographics is an absolute waste of time and money. Even if it gets past the spam filters, few recipients welcome unexpected email from someone they don’t know.
That is no way to begin a business relationship. Be patient and gather your email addresses the old-fashioned way. Ask for them. Then you will have a list of recipients who should actually be anxious to hear from you. And that is a good thing.
A client emailed me last week to ask how I decide the right questions to ask when interviewing a subject for a profile piece. She was concerned about focusing too much on his accomplishments at the expense of exploring the more revealing aspects of his life. She rightfully wants her readers to really know the person, not just be familiar with his resume.
People profiles, whether for an email newsletter or academic journal, often are the most difficult stories to write. That’s because an experienced writer is always looking for a good hook that will make the reader care enough to finish the story (or at least read past the headline), and they are not always easy to find. Sometimes, it takes a little digging.
First, get the basic info with a Google search and by simply asking an assistant for a current bio – that way you can skip the questions about their hometown, college and the boards on which they sit. You may want to break the ice with an easy question – maybe about what they are doing now and why they enjoy it. Then, once you have them talking, you can start working on what you are really after.
The goal is to gain insight into what makes the subject tick. In this case, the person is being honored for his leadership activities, so start by asking why he is so committed to his chosen organizations and what he has gained from serving as their leader. Ask what makes a good leader. Ask what he learned from serving others and why he encourages others to do so. Ask what advice he would give younger leaders. Ask how being a leader has changed him over the years. Ask him why he kept saying “yes.”
Of course, you may not need to ask all those questions, but you get the idea. Get them talking about their passions, and the story should write itself. People who love to lead usually love to talk – so let them.
Dave Fiore is founder and CEO of davemail.
