webredesigns guide to enewsletters

WebreDesigns Guide to

eNewsletters

series 1, vol. 2Lourdes Marie Del ValleSenior Consultant, Digital

Strategies

Copyright © 2013 delvalle3d.com All rights reserved.

WebreDesigns Guide to eNewsletters

Welcome

The purpose of this

WebreDesigns guide to

eNewsletters is to

stimulate thoughts,

exchange ideas and

engage in a lively dialogue

on how to create

extraordinary user

experiences with

eNewsletters.

Table of Contents

State of newsletters Anatomy of an online

newsletter A plan of action

Content Design Technology Project Planning

Contact us

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The state of newsletters

The rumored demise of newsletters has been

greatly exaggerated.

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"The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.“

~ Mark Twain


Alive & Well

Despite those who see publishing a newsletter as an old-fashioned, inefficient way to communicate with their desired audience, Newsletters are thriving in the digital world because…they work!

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"To be, or not to be: that is the question".

Hamlet (Act III, Scene I) ~ William Shakespeare


Well-crafted newsletters work

i. Builds trust with clients, customers and employees

ii. Boosts your brand exposure

iii. Showcases your expertise with quality content

iv. Drives web site trafficv. Improves reputation as

thought leader5


Anatomy of an online newsletter

Branding (logo + tagline)

Headlines + subject lines

Images Content Link back to

your web site Useful 3rd party

links Calls to action

(big + bold) Encourage

sharing (forwards)

Links to other content

Unsubscribe link (opt-outs)

Footer (contact us)

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Content is the foundation

• Newsletters can include a wide variety of content types.

• Examples include:– Stories– Case studies– Testimonials– Interviews– Project news– Announcement

s– Third-party

articles– Careers

information– New resources

and data– News links– Fundraising– Instructional– Thought

leadership– Rewards +

incentives

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Design and format sets the tone

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Fill your blank canvas…

Technology fine-tunes the approach

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Gather your technology

requirements for newsletter

creation (list volume, mail

frequency, localizations)

Choose the right technology

platform to suit your newsletter

needs

Demo product thoroughly

Ramp up on the platform’s features

and functions (basic and advanced)

If there is a ‘match’, you’re ready

to walk down the aisle!

Other considerations

• Set goals• Define success• Identify topics• Select resources• Determine sender

+ newsletter frequency

• Create Mailing list• Develop content

calendar• Brand guidelines• Test & target• Ensure quality

control (content, production, consistency)

• Solicit reader feedback

• Track + report on key metrics

• Commit to continuous improvement

• Iterate as needed

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From white boarding to project plan

• Project plan includes: task, duration, start/finish dates & resources

• Sample task categories: i. Develop

newsletter strategy

ii. Create contentiii. Design &

format elements

iv. Choose technology

v. Edit & test content

vi. QA test deliveryvii. Release

newsletter & localizations

viii. Cross-promote newsletter

ix. Measure newsletter effectiveness

x. Develop future newsletter ideas

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Sample project plan*

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Task Duration Start Finish Resources

1.1 Develop eNewsletter Strategy 30 days Mon 4/1/13 Tues 4/30/13

1.1.1 Identify project objectives and goals for project plan

5 days Mon 4/1/13 Fri 4/5/13 Marketing lead, marketing team, project owner/sponsor

1.1.2. Review project plan for budget 3 days Mon 4/8/13 Wed 4/10/13 Marketing lead, project owner/sponsor

1.1.3. Select project team 3 days Thurs 4/11/13 Mon 4/15/13 Marketing lead, project owner/sponsor

1.1.4. Analyze audience 2 days Tues 4/16/13 Wed 4/17/13 Marketing lead, Market research

1.1.5. Outline requirements for newsletter creation (theme, content, design)

3 days Tues 4/16/13 Thurs 4/18/13 Marketing lead, Marketing team

1.1.6. Identify localization requirements 2 days Tues 4/16/13 Wed 4/17/13 Marketing lead, Regional reps

1.1.7. Gather content (stories, case studies, interviews, etc.)

5 days Fri 4/19/13 Thurs 4/25/13 Marketing team

1.1.8. Define success criteria 1 day Fri 4/26/13 Fri 4/26/13 Marketing lead, Regional reps

1.1.9. Review and select technology platform for newsletter creation

3 days Fri 4/26/13 Tues 4/30/13 Marketing lead, Procurement, Vendor

1.1.10. Outline newsletter stylebook guidelines 3 days Fri 4/26/13 Tues 4/30/13 Marketing lead, Regional reps, Creative

*For illustrative purposes only.

End goal: happy, loyal, engaged subscribers

o At the end of the day, your goal is to maximize ‘subscribes’ (registrations) and minimize ‘unsubscribes’ (opt-outs).

o To do so, Keep content relevant, useful + engaging, Listen to reader feedback, Observe the competition, Measure and report effectiveness to your

internal newsletter project team, and Adapt to suit changing subscriber needs.

o Look at a well-crafted eNewsletter program as a way to stay customer-focused + cultivate relationships to grow your business.

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Thanks for reading this guide. We hope you found it

useful.

While WebreDesigns is in business to create unique and memorable online

experiences for our clients that connect brands and people, we’re also committed

to exchanging ideas with fellow web enthusiasts and participating in lively

dialogues with the digital community.

To this end, we have created a series of free guides to best practices covering

various aspects of digital marketing.

Enjoy, pass it forward, and give a holler if there’s a topic worth featuring in

a future guide.


WebreDesigns Guide to eNewsletters

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For more information, contact:

Lourdes Marie Del Valle, Senior Consultant, Digital Strategies• 516) 652-5104 • [email protected]

WebreDesigns, is a marketing services consortium

webredesigns guide to enewsletters

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