Comments on: What's right and wrong about newsletters

By: Throwing Sheep In The Boardroom | AccMan

Throwing Sheep In The Boardroom | AccMan — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:34:53 +0000

[...] What’s right and wrong about newsletters (accmanpro.com) [...]

By: Adrian Pearson

Adrian Pearson — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:57:25 +0000

Thanks for the input chaps, much appreciated! I am about to launch a social networking site for our customers to use to interact with each other and with our team. I have used the Ning service see http://www.pearsonslive.ning.com. Once it's up and running I may come back for more sage advice. Cheers,

By: Pearsons goes social | AccMan

Pearsons goes social | AccMan — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:17:53 +0000

[...] while back I asked the question: What’s right and wrong about newsletters? To his credit, Adrian Pearson popped his head above the parapet and pointed to his latest [...]

By: Frank Scavo

Frank Scavo — Fri, 29 May 2009 20:14:25 +0000

Looks like he's got calls to action all over the place. I especially like the call to play golf.

By: ed

ed — Fri, 29 May 2009 20:13:05 +0000

Hi Adrian,

Nicely designed newsletter…Dennis is right though…no call to action – what do you want the recipients to do with the newsletter?

For instance…you mention Xero, but don't include a link to a page on your site talking about it…or you request that people "please call us on the normal number" but don't include the number.

1. A picture speaks a thousand words (although you do need words cos a lot of people have images turned off by default in their email client!).

So…if you are offering peace of mind…can you get an image that shows that? If you are selling a product or a service that provides peace of mind, then an image.

Similarly, an image to accompany the golf day.

And…since you are personalising it and signing it off "Adrian" why not include a picture of your grinning mug too!

2. There isn't any mention of the fact that you are a firm of accountants . That may not matter so much if the recipient definitely knows….but if they refer it to a friend, how would they know?

3. Text layout…..one sentence per paragraph. Makes it easier to skim the content.

4. The titles "Latest News" and "Bright Ideas" are really hidden under the image – and you just assume that there isn't any real demarcation of the sections.

If you increased the font sized and put the titles above the image – and possibly included some faint horizontal lines, it would help to divide the newsletter into sections.

Hope this helps.

By: Dennis Howlett

Dennis Howlett — Fri, 29 May 2009 19:42:32 +0000

Nice one Adrian: I'll give it a 7/10: so where's the call to action?

By: Adrian Pearson

Adrian Pearson — Fri, 29 May 2009 19:17:36 +0000

Ok, wiling to put my head above the parapet ... I read this post just as I was drafting our newsletter. I think it takes into account the comments made here but I am happy to receive feedback from the great and the good! The newsletter can be viewed at: https://app.e2ma.net/app/view:CampaignPublic/id:8... We use the Emma email service at www.myemma.com.

By: ed

ed — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:10:22 +0000

We do monthly newsletters and I've been doing them for about 9 years now.

There should always be some call to action – I got a newsletter the other day from an events company advising us of a show we were actually interested in attending…..

…but they forgot to put in a link to their website or the date of the show.

If they had remembered the above….and put in say a 5% discount for booking this month, I'd definitely have checked it out.

Every newsletter needs a hook, promise or something to get people interested, otherwise you feel like you are just receiving standard sales blurb or a potted press release – and that's a real turn-off.

The other cardinal sin….getting the work experience guy or girl to design it. Newsletters are so crucial to your brand image that sending out an amateur effort is worse than sending out nothing.

By: Frank Scavo

Frank Scavo — Tue, 19 May 2009 16:37:45 +0000

The problem with some newsletters is not that they are newsletters but that they are self-centered. That can be, and is, the case also for blogs, twitter accounts, or any other form of business communication, whether Web 2.0 or old school. If you focus on yourself, or your company, no one will care.

By: Blanko - Newsletter: Gute Beispiele

Blanko - Newsletter: Gute Beispiele — Tue, 19 May 2009 16:24:22 +0000

[...] Es ist eine Kunst, richtig gute Newsletter zu schreiben. Der britische Berater und Autor AccMan erklärt, worauf es ankommt: Inhalte, die ankommen. [...]