# Newsletters!



## Jasonda (Aug 16, 2006)

A couple of months ago, I signed on for a few newsletters from various t-shirt websites who were just starting out (but were open and ready for business). So far (after 3 months), I have only received a few random emails from them.

If your newsletter campaign sounds similar, here's a few thoughts on newsletters, from the customer's point of view.

If you are just using your newsletter to collect email addresses and thinking to yourself, "Well, that's great, I have all these people signed up in case I ever have anything to email to them in the future", you are on the wrong track. By the time you think of something to send, those customers have already forgotten why they signed up for your newsletter in the first place. Actually, I can't even remember the names of the websites I signed up at!

A better thing to do would be to constantly keep in touch with your customers. That way, your name will be the first thing that pops into their head when they think "I need a t-shirt".

Please note that "keeping in touch" is not the same thing as spamming them. This is common sense, but you should never give away or sell the email addresses you collect, and you shouldn't send your subscribers emails about things that are completely unrelated to what they signed up for. You should also have a privacy policy available for your customers to read, and a way to "unsubscribe" from your newsletter if they don't like it.

My personal definition of "spam" is an email which contains no useful information. Content is key. If you send me one that is nothing but a hard-sell sales pitch, I am probably going to read it once and delete it. If you send me an email with a general update of "What's going on", with an invitation to visit your website, I'll read it and I might visit your website. But, if you send me an email that is full of useful, interesting, or entertaining content, not only am I going to read it, I am going to look forward to the next one!

If you don't have any good content, create some.
Have a 10% off sale just for the people on your mailing list. That's useful, and makes me feel special.
If you are an expert on something, send out a list of helpful tips and advice. Also very useful.
Spotlight a particular design and tell me what inspired you to make it. That's interesting.
Sponsor a great event and tell me about it, and invite me to see some pictures of it on your website. That's entertaining.
Have a contest of some kind, and invite me to participate. That's exciting.
Are you getting the picture? Any kind of content is good, but the more helpful and relevant it is to my life, the better. Don't worry about crafting a perfectly worded email, either - sometimes just reminding your customers that you still exist will be enough to generate a few sales.

If you are wondering why you should do all this work, remember that it is 10 times harder to attract a new customer than it is to hold on to the one you already have. 

Since this is all from the customer's point of view, I'd like to hear from those of you who use newsletters in your marketing campaign. I am sure you have some useful information for those who are considering starting one up for themselves.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

Whoa Jasonda, that is some good stuff!

Really hit home for me, since I have 2 newsletters that I really need to send out soon but have been putting it off.

Thanks for sharing the info from a customer's prospective. Any other input from members is appreciated as well


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## Comin'OutSwingin (Oct 28, 2005)

Yeah, me too!

I've got lots of people signed up for my newsletter, but it's been a while since I've sent one out because I've been so busy.

Thanks for the reminder!

Also, my apologies if mine is one of the ones you signed up for!


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## Jasonda (Aug 16, 2006)

Comin'OutSwingin said:


> Also, my apologies if mine is one of the ones you signed up for!


No worries! 

Just to clarify, the newsletters I am talking about were for sites I found before I joined the forums, and unfortunately I don't think those folks are members here.


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## dc gal (Sep 3, 2005)

Great thread. Lots of food for thought. Wish I hadn't just sent our a newsletter yesterday. Will use some of your ideas for next month.

Thanks!!


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## quiteshirty (Sep 23, 2006)

hello everyone, im new as you can see,
i was wandering what do you use to send out your newsletter emails
please bare in mind im in the uk and on a relatively tight budget

thankyou
joe


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## MrApolloBu (Sep 2, 2006)

good thread  
yes i need to know how to make a news letter


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## quiteshirty (Sep 23, 2006)

i think you make a newsletter in a html editor such as dreamweaver, then upload it to a email newsletter sender website, but i dont know which is cheapest when you are on a low budget?

thanks
joe


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## Designashirt (Sep 2, 2006)

What a great post! Just yesterday we were discussing newsletters here at our office. Do any of you use a service, or do you create them from scratch?

I remember a very long time ago getting an email from a company that would produce them for you (for the promotional products industry) and you could put your own info on it and send it out. It seemed pretty reasonable but we weren't ready then. Anyone know of a company like this?


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## Jasonda (Aug 16, 2006)

Designashirt said:


> What a great post! Just yesterday we were discussing newsletters here at our office. Do any of you use a service, or do you create them from scratch?


If you do a search here on the forums for "newsletters" or "email marketing" you will come up with some opinions on different companies that offer that kind of service.


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