How To Write An Email Newsletter For Your Blog

Don’t you dare cheat! I think RSS newsletters are for wimps.

Okay… that may be a bit harsh. I agree that RSS blog newsletters can be an easy way to keep your subscribers up to date. I offer it here because I know that is exactly how a reader might want to keep up to date.

I also know that many internet marketers use the blog post to email option in their email service providers.

I’ve learned over the years that writing email newsletters to my niche “list” is the best way to keep in touch. And… the more personal I make it – the better.

I was taught by my coaches to give something so that you will get an email address.

• Give a free report.
• Give free tips and/or lessons
• Give special (unadvertised) bonus reports.
• Every thing has a “call to action”.  (You want the reader to click or buy).

My “Non-Internet Marketing” niche is related to home decorating and design. I have a very successful email newsletter list that hears from me at least once a week.

The newsletter did NOT start out with a plan or a purpose. I worked up the current level. At first – I sent an email when I remembered.

I wrote on my blog often enough… but I never thought of sending emails related to blog posts. Duh.

Now – subscribers receive 2 special reports and 7 lessons over a 3 week span. Plus I send out a regular email on Monday morning and an extra email on Thursday every other week (ish).

I have a loyal “list”… and they do respond to my emails.  In fact I often get replies as if I wrote to them exclusively.

It still astonishes me that some subscribers don’t know they are not being contacted by me one-on-one…. but that is the way it works in a “NON Internet Marketing” niche. :0)

I just finished reading an article by Lynn Terry about Creating Content for Newsletters and I am relieved to see that I am “In”.    Lynn says that “short emails” are in and “long email newsletters” are out.  Of course, some of you may think she is wrong… especially if you are following Jimmy D. Brown’s Affiliatenaire course.  Jimmy advocates a long format email letter with space for advertising and a full article.

I’ve Tried Every Style Of Newsletter!

I’ve tried the HTML version with graphics. I’ve tried writing a 10 page .pdf monthly newsletter. I’ve tried the long format newsletter with advertising and 800 word articles. (Yes – I’ve been at this for several years).

The best response rate with the fewest amount of unsubscribers is the short format text email.

This newsletter starts with a personal greeting… and includes about 4 paragraphs with a link to a blog post.

Easy and quick!  These really are the easiest and quickest emails to write.  Time is money!

Write your emails as if you are writing to your friend. And don’t ever – EVER – start your email with a greeting as if you are talking to a group.  Each email is sent to one person. They don’t know they are part of a group or list.

Create An Email Publishing Schedule

As I said before – my email newsletter started as a hit or miss type schedule. Marketers will often tell you to only send an email to your list when you have something worthwhile to say.

Debra Conrad Has a Theory - If you can’t find something worthwhile to say to your list at list once a week… you are in the wrong business.  Nuff said.

To keep up with my weekly schedule – I’ve had to resort to several things that I never thought I would do.

• I have outsourced the email writing.
• I have started using old content (blog posts).

Gasp! Outsourcing the writing of emails???  Yes. You read it here.  I have hired someone to write the emails that link out to my blog articles.  Here is where it gets good… she is my best friend and she knows everything that is going on in my life (on a minute by minute basis) and can write as if she is talking about my life.

Plus… I earn enough from each email to pay for her time. I might earn a ton more… but I have tested enough to know I’m not loosing money sending out an email every week.

Evergreen Content For Email Newsletters

This is a new concept for me… and I’m excited to try it.  As Jimmy explains it in the Affiliatenaire Course… I can send out an email a week without the worry of writing a new email every week. How? By plugging evergreen emails into my autoresponder email service.

Remember – I said I sent a 7 part email course to my subscribers. Well… why can’t they be getting emails after that in the same way?

In recent months – I’ve sent new email’s out that link to old blog posts.  But… I could make those into part of my auto-responder series instead of broadcasts.

I know you’re saying this… “But the blog articles are old!”  (Did you know I was a mind reader)? I know they are old… but I write a ton of “evergreen” content. The tips and ideas will be “In Fashion” or useful for years to come.  My readers don’t care if I wrote the article a year or two ago.  Most of them have never seen the article. (Or they don’t remember it.)

What I Am Starting To Do With My Newsletter Emails Now

I can take the email I sent last year (because they are all saved in Aweber) … reword it so that it doesn’t have current (holiday’s for instance) content and post it into an autoresponder series.   Eventually I will have hundreds of emails all set up to go out in sequence.

This will save me time and money. I can say “Your Fired” to my friend.  Ha… that just won’t happen. I think I’ll find her another cool job to do.