Why a newsletter might be the most effective marketing tool a commercial surveyor has. And 11 ways to create one that works.
When the number of available marketing channels seems to increase by the month, how do you know which ones to focus on? Is social media as effective as everyone says? Should you be investing in Virtual Reality?
Well, maybe. But all the stats show that the returns on a newsletter are still higher than almost any other marketing method. And definitely higher than social media.
Newsletters are especially effective in industries where it’s important to build strong relationships with clients, but we don’t see or contact them very often. Like commercial property.
And yet, most companies don’t do it. Or if they do, it’s a Friday job for the intern. But there’s so much more that can be done.
We’ve been looking into this a lot recently. Mostly because want to make the Bird Dog one of the absolute must reads in your inbox. So we thought we’d share a little of what we’ve learned along the way.
Here are 11 best practice tips for a great newsletter:
1 – Give value
Your clients are busy people. So your newsletter has to be worth their time. To make sure it is, give them something worth reading. Insights into your area of expertise. Great articles they might not have otherwise discovered. Opinion pieces that widen their perspectives. And what ever you do, make sure that you…
2 – Don’t be boring
So many companies fail to get the most from their newsletter because they fill it with articles about themselves. Sales they’ve made. New divisions they’ve opened in the South-West. Or even worse, thinly disguised sales pitches of the kind you might get at a networking event. It’s the equivalent of a one-way conversation. After one or two of these, most readers are going to lose interest. The solution is actually quite simple (and fun)…
3 – Create your newsletter for the person, not the client
Your relationship with your clients is based on commercial real estate. But beyond their interest in real estate, there’s a complete, rounded person who enjoys – quite possibly – golf, great restaurants, holidays abroad… extreme sports?
Use your knowledge of your clients’ interests to create something rounded that they’ll enjoy. Don’t ignore your major common interest, but do acknowledge that they (and you) exist beyond this niche world.
If all this is sounding a bit overwhelming don’t worry. You haven’t got to create everything yourself. You can…
4 – Curate
This take some time. Quite a lot of time. But it’s worth it, because time is exactly what your client doesn’t have much of. If you are able to deliver interesting, valuable, relevant information on a regular basis then the trust this builds will pay dividends over time. So keep a folder where you collect all the interesting things you find over the course of the month. Pocket or Evernote are great tools for this. Look in places others might not go. Also, don’t forget…
5 – You are an expert
Make the content you do write the most valuable part of your newsletter. You can do this because you know the kind of questions your clients ask you, the kind of problems they have. There’s plenty you’ll know that they don’t. Write pieces that help them out. Explain terminology. Forecast trends. Give tips. But remember – always give value. Another way you can do this is…
6 – Make it look great
Design matters. How your newsletter looks communicates a lot about your company. Mailchimp has some great and customizable templates. If you can get a designer to help, even better. It’s worth it. A couple of good questions to ask yourself as a design brief are: How do I want my readers to feel? What do I want to say about who we are as a company? Once you’re happy with how it looks and the content…
7 – Test everything
Before you send, test that it looks good on every single platform going. Most people are going to read this on their phones. Check that it reads well on yours. And most importantly…
8 – Test subject lines
So many people spend a lot of time on a newsletter then rush a subject line at the last minute. But if you haven’t got a line that makes people want to click, all that effort has gone to waste. Many direct mail providers allow you to A/B test subject lines, then automatically send to the most effective one. There are whole books on what makes a great subject line, but testing your own is the most sure-fire way to learn what works for your audience. Just as important is to…
9 – Test timings
When are your audience most likely to have the time read your newsletter? 5.30 on a Wednesday? Almost certainly not. Think about their schedules. Do they check mail at weekends? Can you hit their downtime? Trial a few different times to see when gets the best results. When you’ve figured out what, how and when to send, remember one golden rule…
10 – Don’t bombard
We get so much spam these days. The easiest way to get on your customers nerves is to send too often. Once a month is fine. But once you’ve decided on a timeframe, stick to it. People appreciate consistency. Which is why…
11. Don’t give in at the first hurdle
You might not hear back straight away from your readers. And you might not get direct sales the first few times. But if you do it, and do it well, people will notice. Over time, it will be worth it.
One last thing. Sometimes it pays to get a little help putting your newsletter together. We get ours from Ben at Word Butler Copywriting. Give him a shout at ben@wordbutler.co.uk.