You’ve heard it before, and chances are, you’ll hear it again: “Email is so last decade.” But wait! Before stepping away from your inbox, take a second to check the numbers.

In a recent study, the Direct Marketing Institute found that 48 percent of consumers prefer to hear from companies on a weekly basis, and that email marketing delivers a whopping 4,300 percent return on investment (ROI).

Sounds pretty good, right? It is. Now how can you capitalize on your email marketing campaigns? One of our favorite ways to stay in touch via email is the simple newsletter. Here’s why:

• A newsletter is an extension of your brand, including your logo, website, social media, and storefront (if you’re brick-and-mortar).
• A daily, weekly, or monthly newsletter creates a consistent dialogue with your customers.
• Once you establish a template or layout that works for your brand, your newsletter becomes “plug-and-play,” making email creation a snap.

We’ve got a whole list of topics to inspire your next newsletter, as well as our favorite tips for designing it.

You are what you read

You want to make sure that when customers sign up to receive your newsletter they’re actually going to open it. Eat24 does a great job with their weekly “Your Weekend Coupon” email that hits the inbox every Friday. You know exactly what you’re going to get when you see the subject line. Don’t forget the importance of headers — this is your opportunity to shine with catchy copy that will entice readers to click your links. Eat24 also stays true to their brand with a friendly, funny voice that keeps subscribers reading, week after week.

Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words

Some businesses and newsletters may benefit from a text-heavy newsletter, while others may rely more on images to get their message across. Be sure to test your templates to determine what your readers are looking for. For McEvoy Ranch, striking images of their farm and products are a great way for out-of-state customers to feel involved in the business, and a great reminder for local customers to stop by for a visit — and a purchase.

You want me to do what?

Now that you’ve got a great subject, header, copy, and images, what do you want to accomplish with your newsletter? Is it informational? Are you driving purchases? Do you want customer feedback? Are you prodding customers to share on social, or visit your blog? Make sure you have a clear call-to-action with each newsletter. You can even have several calls-to-action, as we show in our very own newsletter, VR Buzz!

A successful newsletter reminds your customers why they signed up to hear from your business in the first place. It’s informative, friendly, and sometimes even fun. Don’t be afraid to test times to send, or play around with creative copy.

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