Elements of eNewsletter Success [Infographic]


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Old Tech for New Content Ideas

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File cards - yup, I've been walking around with a few in my purse, wrapped in an elastic band. File cards are fantastic for catching your great content ideas , and here's why: Small size - less space than a notebook and no bigger than a cell phone Entertainment - can keep you occupied while on the bus or waiting at a coffee shop Transportable - featherweight, fits in your back pocket Skins/cases are cheap - you can change the colour of the elastic band whenever you want Expandable - easy to add notes or do a quick outline Customizable - different colours, lined or unlined, different sizes, add star stickers to your best ideas Recyclable Plus they enable creativity . When you're frustrated, throw them up in the air. Examine how they land to see unexpected connections. This is a tactic of Sue Grafton's private detective Kinsey Millhone ... and it works for content, too. Click to Tweet this Article
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The Speed of eMail

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When I sent out my last newsletter, almost 400 people opened it in the first 2 hours. If you need to reach a lot of people fast and at the same time, email is definitely the medium of choice. For one thing, sending an email is faster and easier than phoning 400 people. (My jaw just clenched in horror!) And broadcasting a tweet or Facebook post is not the same as putting a message in someone’s inbox; it’s hit or miss. Direct mail is costly and the results are minimal. Some say the ROI on email marketing is over $40 for every $1 spent. I haven’t gotten those results for myself (yet) but I have seen some very quantifiable successes . For example, it’s easy to calculate your ROI when selling event tickets. Let's say you spend $300 to sell $6000 worth of tickets, which is a pretty darn good return. More to the point, consider if - and how - you’ll sell all those tickets if not by email. One of the big benefits of email over other options - the phone, social media, snail ...
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One Word for 2019

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Reflecting back on this past year, the first thing I realized is that I didn't define a 'One Word' for 2018. That's because, as 2017 was rolling over to 2018, I was busy building a website and working hard with colleagues to launch Social Media Day Halifax 2018 . The word I feel like I used the most in 2018 was SMDH - the acronym and hashtag for the conference. It was a year of teaching, learning, brainstorming, strategizing, planning, collaborating and designing. Some highlights: Taught an 11-week program for small business owners funded through Labour and Advanced Education Nova Scotia. Starting January 2019 I'll be teaching another similar program. Collaborated to successfully launch the Social Media Day Halifax Conference, an annual learning experience for anyone working in a marketing role. Created and launched the 100 Days of Marketing online program. Enhancements and more versions are planned for 2019. Started exciting project work with the GreyLit....
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eMail Productivity: Automate Course Certificates

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If you're a teacher or trainer, you've likely struggled with the process of providing Certificates of Completion (or Certificates of Attendance and such) to your workshop attendees. Using a Word template, your process might be something like this: prepare your spreadsheet for a mail merge, complete the merge, convert each .doc to .pdf, print, fold, mail merge the envelope addresses, print labels, affix to envelopes, stuff envelopes, lick stamps, run to the post office. Even if you're paying someone to do this for you, it's pretty labour intensive and prone to error. Add the cost of printing and postage, and providing certificates isn't cheap. Consider using your bulk email application , such as iContact , to automate this process. There is a little set up involved but, once it's done, it's quick and easy to use. How to set-up your certificates: First design a certificate template in your email application. You can do this in much the same way as you...
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Great Learning Option from Your Local Library

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Have you ever searched for a course on a specific subject online? How do you know which course is better than another? It can be hard to choose and expensive to find out you were wrong. I was asking a WordPress consultant what she recommends for WordPress training and I found out something even better. Apparently lynda.com is the best place to go for just about any technical training. This is because of the way they rigorously curate their content. Good to know. Even better, though, was finding out that I can access lynda.com for free because I have a library card. Just log into your local library's website and you should find access to lynda.com in the learning section. (Here in Halifax, check this link .) Click to Tweet this Article
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The Best Reading of 2013

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The best reading from our newsletter contributors during 2013... Does your writing pass the $1-a-word Test? by Neil Everton, Podium Media & Communications Coaching If you are looking for a quick and certain way of giving your words more impact, look no further than your purse or wallet. Take a look at the last thing you wrote. It doesn't matter if it's a letter, email, report, newsletter, web content or promo script... read more Marketing to Your Tribe by Stephanie Holmes-Winton, The Money Finder This just in: some people don’t like what I have to say. They might unsubscribe from my newsletter, or they might make a snide comment on social media... read more Anyone Can Find Business on Twitter by Anita Hovey, Twirp Communications That’s right... ANYONE. The next time someone says “Twitter is just a bunch of nonsense” I want you to share a link to this post... read more 6 Ways to Become Part of Your Customer's Story by Bernadette Jiwa, The Story of Tell...
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Ideas for Your Holiday Email Campaign

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It’s that time of year when our email boxes quickly fill up each day with special promotions – Black Friday will kick it all off. Depending on your type of business and target market, you may be (should be?) considering doing some extra promotional emails leading up to the holidays. This is something you need to plan now and start executing very soon. I'm not encouraging you to start blasting your subscribers with advertising. I am suggesting that a well-planned email campaign can be very effective at this time of year. To get you going, here are some ideas to work into your plan: If you sell gift certificates , you'll definitely want to promote them. Recommend who they will be suitable for. Insert Buy Now buttons directly into your newsletter with an immediate call to action. Do a holiday countdown with the number of shopping days left and something special for each day. Create special offers or promotions only for your email subscribers . This can also help to get new subscr...
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Re-opt-in: a Messy Word for a Messy Process

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It's a word that didn't exist a few years ago... and maybe still doesn't? For those of you still on the fence about whether to ask your current mailing list to re-opt-in before July 1st, here is some information copied exactly from the Government of Canada website: Under section 66, consent to send commercial electronic messages (CEMs) is implied for a period of 36 months beginning July 1, 2014, where there is an existing business or non-business relationship that includes the communication of CEMs. Note however, that this three-year period of implied consent will end if the recipient indicates that they no longer consent to receiving CEMs. During the transitional period, the definitions of existing business and non-business relationships are not subject to the limitation periods that would otherwise be applicable under section 10 of CASL. Businesses and people may take advantage of this transitional period to seek express consent for the continued sending of CEMs. You...
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Keeping in Touch

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Photo:  Wim Mulder One of the most common reasons for starting a newsletter is to keep in touch with clients, past clients, prospects, colleagues, suppliers and other contacts with the purpose of staying top of mind . I have said that this shouldn't be your only reason for having a newsletter but, in fact, sometimes that’s just what it is. "I'm just writing to say hello..." Here are some questions to consider: Do you still have to give value to succeed at keeping in touch? Do you even need your readers to open your email to achieve that? If you’re not giving value , what reason do you have for emailing? How often do you need to email your contacts to stay top of mind? This might be a factor of how often your readers would need/want your product or service. Remember, if you want someone to know you're thinking about them , a card by snail mail is more appropriate. Click to Tweet this Article
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Building your Reputation

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You don’t build a reputation by churning out facts or putting on a suit. A reputation is built through walking the talk. The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear. - Socrates If building your reputation is one of your goals for your newsletter (blog, social media), here are some suggestions for content that will achieve that. Share success stories Use narratives, graphics, photos, videos. Give your readers a taste of what success feels like. Create showcases and galleries. Summarize case studies and research. Tell about lessons learned. Solve problems Apply your skill and experience to help people solve real problems. Give time-saving tips. Create how-to instructions and checklists. Answer questions. Give insight into your area of expertise Stay current with trends, news, and innovations. Curate and summarize information appropriately for your readers. Share your opinions. Get interviewed and republish the resulting article...
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