1. Get More
Out of Company eNewsletters Defined
eNewsletters Like their paper predecessors, eNewsletters, or
electronic newsletters, are delivered to a select
group of current and prospective clients and
partners on a predetermined basis, and they
present a slew of benefits if a strategic plan is in
place. Unlike their paper counterparts, however,
eNewsletters are delivered to e-mail inboxes.
Visit any major company’s website and
somewhere on the homepage, you’re
bound to find an invitation to subscribe to
its eNewsletter. Why is this a web staple?
Because businesses, especially those involved
in e-commerce, find that eNewsletters are
an effective means of driving traffic to their
websites, engaging and informing their core
audiences and identifying the needs of
customers using built-in interactive features.
Companies outside of the e-commerce circle
have caught on, realizing that any effective
e-marketing plan should include eNewsletters
because they offer measurable gains much
like those found in e-commerce environments.
Four key eNewsletter
components
With a growing number of businesses Audience
Consider these when sending
e-communications in the form of increasing their e-mail marketing Message
eNewsletters: budgets in 2009, marketers must be Format
•• Audience aware of the components that make Frequency
•• Message up a successful e-campaign. This
•• Format white paper identifies four key areas Within each area, essential elements
•• Frequency companies should consider when are addressed to provide an
sending e-communications in the form understanding of eNewsletters and their
of eNewsletters: capabilities in a marketing plan.

2. Why Do Companies Need eNewsletters?
Customers Use E-mail Customer Retention
Clearly. A Pew Internet and American Life Project study found A regular eNewsletter is a great vehicle for keeping customers
that nearly half of U.S. adults send or read e-mails each day. in the know about what’s happening in your company. Because
With those stats, why would a company not want to make eNewsletters feature worthwhile content, your value among
eNewsletters part of their marketing strategy? your clients will translate into an enhanced reputation that
can promote loyalty and new business. Also, if you use your
Low Cost eNewsletters to inform your clients about new products and
There’s no cost for printing, paper, ink or postage. The cost of services, your clients will be the ones initiating dialogue with
sending an eNewsletter is virtually negligible. your company instead of sales reps making cold calls from a list.
Revenue Generation Measurable Outcomes
The electronic nature of eNewsletters turns traditional word- Whether an eNewsletter recipient clicks directly to your website
of-mouth into “word of mouse.” Chances are that your e-mail or clicks around your eNewsletter, you’ll be able to track his or
is being sent to someone who has a pretty good existing her activity by using analysis tools provided by companies like
relationship with your company. Because they believe in your your ESP (e-mail service provider), Omniture or Google Analytics.
brand, they may forward your message to a friend, colleague Using this behavioral data, you’ll be better able to assess the
or family member, thus gaining you new business prospects. If needs of any given customer, which can lead to future group-
you’re really serious about generating a revenue stream from specific eNewsletters or a just-in-time phone call to a customer
your eNewsletters, there are a host of ways to monetize your about a need you identified during data analysis.
digital publication which include:
In order to enjoy the many benefits of an eNewsletter, your
Placing partner ads in eNewsletters
company should be aware of some basic elements and best
Requiring a subscription fee for premium content
practices that can go a long way to ensuring the success of
Offering co-branded eNewsletters with your
marketing efforts with this tool.
business partners
Four eNewsletter Essentials
Audience format? Will you generate an in-house list or purchase a list from
a recognized ESP? Remember that opt-in subscribers are more
You know that two types of audiences exist in business: B2B and likely to open your e-mail. If your company decides to send to
B2C. Your audience, of course, will dictate your message, but everyone on every list (relationship or not), remember to include
there’s more to your audience than simply choosing to whom you an unsubscribe link so you don’t turn clients off.
want to speak.
Customer Service
Relevant Message Don’t overlook personalizing your eNewsletter greeting with the
Beyond thinking about the purpose of your eNewsletter, you have client’s name. Something like “Dear Client” can come off as
to continually address relevancy: Why will your recipients want unfriendly, and you don’t want your recipients to feel as if they
read your eNewsletter, and why will they continue reading it? are nameless in your database. Also, how will you deal with
recipients who no longer wish to receive communications from
Subscriber List your company? How will you welcome new subscribers? Where
Another issue related to your audience is how will you acquire will you store audience demographics and behavioral data, and
the names and e-mail addresses of your potential recipients. Will how will you use this information to shape future messages?
you transition your existing print newsletter subscribers to e-mail

3. Message deploying a control version of your eNewsletter to a select
group and, at the same time, sending other versions with
Multiple messages can be included in an eNewsletter, but all modifications in layout, text, subject lines, graphics and
those messages must relate to the business at hand. colors to other groups. Depending on the response rate, your
marketing team will determine which layout the company
Subject Line should employ for future deployments.
This will be the first interaction between your recipient and
your brand. Because of this, you have to make sure that White Space
your subject line is compelling, specific and short. In writing Another formatting issue that must be considered is white
these, you have to keep in mind that your subject line will be space. Ensure that you provide ample textless breathing room
displayed in multiple formats given the number of available so that your readers don’t feel overloaded with copy.
e-mail providers and inbox viewing options. Creating a short,
E-mail Delivery Format
telling (not selling) summary sentence and eliminating
Determine how your eNewsletter e-mail will be delivered. Are
insignificant words is a good way to accomplish this in seven
you using HTML, text-only or a PDF link? Or will you simply
or fewer words.
send an alert e-mail about a new eNewsletter stored on your
Is It Scannable website?
Because most people scan electronic copy, ensure that your
Mobile Optimization
message is, well, scannable. That means highlighting subtitles,
With more and more people receiving e-mails on their
bulleting lists of three or more and carefully placing teases
smart phones, mobile optimization becomes yet another
like “read more” links that will direct your reader to another,
consideration when creating electronic communications for
more comprehensive page.
your company.
Consistency and Flexibility
Determine what features you will always include in your
eNewsletter and which features will be floaters. Remember,
Frequency
you must always be on message if you want to maintain your To maintain brand credibility, you must have a set schedule
audience or gain a new following. In the same thread, key for your eNewsletter deilvery. Whether you send daily, weekly,
components, like the eNewsletter title, contact us section bi-weekly, monthly or bi-monthly issues, you have to remain
and others that directly relate to your brand should remain consistent lest your company is perceived as disorganized,
consistent. inoperative or ingratiating, especially if the content of the
eNewsletter is wholly company-focused.
Format List Management
Establishing a layout for your eNewsletter can mean one of To ensure that your message gets to its destination on time
two things: choosing what is easiest for your company or every time, you should look into an ESP that specializes in
choosing what is best for your audience. Both options are sending mass e-mails to 50 or more recipients so that your
justifiable, so your company must decide which one is most send list doesn’t get a spammy label. An ESP that manages
advantageous with regard to ROI. e-mail bounces, provides comprehensive data and offers
automated features like a preferred send time would be a
Design Layout good option.
When developing a layout, understand that you will have to
Avoiding Spam
stick with your basic design elements to establish a certain
While you have taken the requisite steps to avoid being
amount of predictability among your readers. This is important
labeled a spammer (avoiding exclamation points, caps,
because if one section floats around with every issue, readers
common ad lines, incorrect HTML codes), you may run the
will be less likely to click through your e-mail to search for a
risk of recipients forgetting about you and labeling you as a
favorite section.
spammer if you don’t keep in touch with them.
Choosing What Works
As previously discussed, your company can create a template For more information, contact Rick Gramatges,
and drop content in or conduct multivariate testing to see director of information services, at 305-350-5730.
which layout works best for your audience. This involves