Gain Subscribers to Your Newsletter
by Beth Mende Conny
The content of this article may be forwarded in full without special permission, provided it is used for nonprofit purposes and full attribution and copyright notice are given. For other purposes, contact Beth Mende Conny at Beth@WriteDirections.com.
Attribution: © 2002-2009 Beth Mende Conny. Beth Mende Conny is the founder of WriteDirections.com and the author of more than four dozen books and collections.
Newsletters have great appeal—to a limited number of subscribers. But that's okay. A limited number can be substantial; it can even run into the millions. To gain subscribers, you must focus on their wants and needs. Follow these five steps.
1. Narrow your scope
Newsletters differ from mass market magazines and newspapers in that
they appeal to a very specific, narrowly targeted audience. The
narrower your focus, the greater your depth. That's because you
provide the specialized information your targeted readers want, need
and simply can't get elsewhere.
2. Create a reader profile
No major magazine gets launched without first creating a profile of
its readers, and neither should yours. The reason is obvious: You
can't determine content, attract advertisers or even
determine your format (particularly if yours is an off-line
publication) without knowing whom your publication appeals to.
Accordingly, identify your readers' gender, age, income/educational
level, beliefs, etc.
3. Align your content and language with your readers
Once you've created a reader profile, you can create or fine-tune
your editorial content.
Make a list of all of the topics/issues your readers would be
interested in. Choose articles that would appeal to the greatest
number of subscribers. Write tight, light and bright, using the
everyday language of your readers. Be inclusive, not exclusive.
Choose words that all readers understand.
4. Be consistent
Newsletter consistency not only means distributing your publication
when you say you will (e.g., the first Friday of the month; every
Tuesday) but using words, formatting, and content that's consistent
with the "founding mission" of your publication. It's this mission
that made your readers want to subscribe in the first place.
Consistency gives a publication staying power, credibility and
professionalism.
5. Choose the right length
Choose a newsletter length that truly meets the needs of your readers
and is workable for you. Newsletters, after all, take a lot of time
and energy to produce. A general rule: The longer a newsletter, the
less frequently it should be published; the shorter, the more
frequently.
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Beth Mende Conny is the founder and president of WriteDirections.com. She has published more than four dozen books and collections, and helps individuals and businesses bring their projects to publication. She can be contacted at Beth@WriteDirections.com.