8 tips for producing email newsletters

Catherine Fisher Strategic Learning Initiative, IDS Date: 20 November 2008

8 Tips for producing email newslettersExerted from How we..produce email newsletters guide produced by the IDS Knowledge Services

These tips are for people who, like us, design

and implement research-based information services.

We believe that email based services are an

essential part of any information service intended for a large audience

Definition: periodic publication

delivered by email to an

opt in list of subscribersoften used by owners of a website to

communicate

1. Be sure that an email newsletter is the right tool for

the job

2. Identify your purpose

2.

3.

1.

1. Relationship building

2. Building user base

3. Service delivery

3. Feature the right content

Latest content Best content Topical or Geographical selection Jobs!

Old content Different types of content each week Content from only one source

Newsletter content should showcase the range of content on your main service

4. Ensure maximum accessibility and usability

sorry that was…

4. Ensure maximum accessibility and usability

You have 51 seconds

Attention grabbing: Html vs plaintext = Pretty vs accessible?

BIG DEBATE!

Scannable: divided up, clear headings

Clear: Simple language, consistant format

5. Consider your resources (and design accordingly)

High level of resources allow:

Multiple newsletters High degree of editorialisationMultiple formats Provide support to subscribers

More restricted resources suggest:

One newsletterOne formatHigh degree of automation

Time and money

Combine creatively within your means!

6. Compare software

Ask questions

What delivery options are there?

What design elements can it support?

What are the subscription and

unsubscription processes?

What production processes can it support?

What monitoring does it enable?

7. Identify success factors (and how to measure them)

Receive? Open? Visit? Download?

Read? Apply?What do you need to know about how people use your newsletter?

8.Tell people about it (preferably the right people)

Do:

Go to where your target groups are – virtually and in the real world

Encourage send to a friend

Make it easy to subscribe

Don’t:

Spam people!

Send other content to your list

Sell or give your list to others

The end

These tips are taken from :

“How we… Produce email newsletters”Written by the IDS Knowledge Servicesedited by Catherine Fisher and Yaso Kunaratnam May 2008.

The guide provides practical information and useful ideas on producing email newsletters for people who, like us, design and implement research-based information services.

The guide and this powerpoint presentation were created by Strategic Learning Initiative which is funded by DFID as part of the Mobilising Knowledge for Development programme.