Website Newsletter!!!
I was reading a blog post today from where some of you were discussing newsletter memberships for customers who want to return and keep updated, and I have always felt that it would be a good idea and wanted to set one up but what I am wondering is, do you have to send out a monthly newsletter, and if you do what if you don’t have much new happening each month or how do you make your newsletter interesting in you are not, say a clothing store where you will always have new stock to talk about, how do you make it worthwhile for people to sign up and stay with you. Is it a good idea on a site like mine www.scrapart.com.au where it is more a service/personalised product. I would love to know what other’s think as this is a subject I have been mulling over for months and after reading the post that says people will often visit up to 7 times before comitting I am realising that maybe I need to add one and find a way to make an interesting newsletter!! Any suggestions???
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Hi There! Of course you culd have a newsletter. You could have specials or a competition. Mostly you could introduce tips and ideas on how to scrapbook, how to layout the photos, which colours work best together, etc. Once you get started I bet you think of loads of different bits and bobs to include. Just try and pace it over several months. Your web designer may have a newsletter they do. I use www.mantismail.com, they have templates and are very reasonably priced. I try to do my newsletter monthly, but I am never on time - oops! You can have a look at my site and see how it is set up for people to sign up if you like - www.groovygromets.com.au or on the mantismail website they have a trial you can play with. It is by all accounts almost an essential marketing tool. Good Luck!!
Thanks for your comment groovy, I decided to bite the bullet and put a newsletter sign up on my website, after all I have more than a month to create a newsletter and after I though hard about it and did a bit of research I realised that there are probably lots of things I could write about and do mini articles on to keep members interested, so here hoping that I get someone to sign up now.
Another question for you Groovy, or anyone for that matter, if I do start a newsletter, is it acceptable to also send it out to anyone who has queried about products in the past, for example, if I have emails from people who were interested in products but did not go anywhere, is it OK to add them to my newsletter list in case they could be interested in specials and new products, sort of a ‘warm’ lead really, they showed interest and might be inclined to buy if the right special came along, or is it considered bad form when they have not specifically signed up for the newsletter!!!!
What would everyone else do.
You can send your newsletter to anyone that you have on your database. It doesn’t matter that they haven’t bought. Make sure you have subscribe (to update their details) and unsubscrbe (if they don’t want your newsletter) that way you will know if they are interested or not. And another thing you don’t have to have a newsletter every month (if that worries you), make it every three months (seasonal). You have some great products, like Groovy said give them ideas about scrapbooking (for winter; summer; spring; autumn) then also for Xmas and Easter. There are so many options. All the best!!!
Chriss
hey I agree with groovy - a newsletter is a fantastic way to market to your customers.
Groovy is right - competitions, specials, but most importantly I think is the different ideas that you could put in there. As well as excite and inspire your customers, it also puts you across as he expert in the industry, so if people want something done, or some advice, who else would they ask!
With your list, you have to be very careful because there are laws with spam. I think that it is ok to send to querying customers, as long as you make it clear that that is why you are sending it to them and give them an automatic opt out option. Maybe do a search on the spam laws and see what they cover.
As for programs, mumspace uses Constant Contact for it’s fortnightly newsletter - www.constantcontact.com - it is great and handles all your email lists for you etc.
Good luck with it all - and let us know how you go!
Thanks so much for your comments and help, I am a little inspired by all the ideas and realise the scope available to me thanks to the great help of all the wonderful mumspace members who have responded, its nice to have somewhere for a sounding board.
No problems at all.
Let us know how you go - always happy to help with advice!
Hi ScrapArt, All I can do is agree with both Groovy (Hi K) and madmadmummy (Hi C), the program that Groovy uses is the one from the company that I work for so you could ring us and actually talk to me about it, and constantcontact.com seems to be used by lots of people also and seems to work well.
Scrapbookers always like hints and tips (I should know - I am one) and people can always unsubscribe if they don’t want the newsletter.