Monthly eNewsletters – Connecting You to Your Audience
Audible, Twitter, Etsy, Facebook, realclearpolitics, Moore Brothers Wine Company, SoulCycle, and Bed Bath and Beyond. What do all of these companies have in common? They are flooding my inbox with unread and most importantly unnecessary emails, 7,746 to be exact. But besides these 7,746 unnecessary emails, I have several important emails among them that are filled with information I could not do without. One of them being the Media, PA eNewsletter, my hometown newsletter.
How often do you view your inbox and see emailed newsletters that you immediately delete or unsubscribe to? It happens often. Some marketing experts have been signaling the end of the eNewsletter era and have been blogging about new and very creative ways to digitally market in today’s world using new social media platforms and digital tools like videos, gifs and creative photography. However, email marketing still has its place and purpose in conjunction with social media. In fact, according to The Wall Street Journal, in the #deletefacebook era, it’s become a way to fight back against the algorithms that try to dictate what people see. Unlike on Facebook, with emailed newsletters, readers receive everything they signed up to receive, in neat chronological order, alongside missives from friends, family and their various communities.
Email marketing has its perks for sure. An email reader’s ready access to the “unsubscribe” button is largely a good thing for all involved, since it nudges email content creators to produce authentic, high-quality experiences rather than superficially engaging ones, and to connect in ways that are deeper than what advertising-first mediums like Facebook generally allow, says the Wall Street Journal. In addition, Email still has the highest return on investment per marketing dollar spent, according to the Data & Marketing Association. As digital marketers, we love learning about new and creative ways to market for our clients but in some industries, the monthly mailed newsletter is still the king of all digital marketing methods.
Consumer email services have been around for almost three decades, but to hear email’s most ardent fans talk about it now, it’s an undiscovered country too long neglected by those who could benefit from it the most. Municipalities, schools and non profits benefit greatly from emailed newsletters. Why you might ask? Because they all already have an engaged audience! Residents and visitors to municipalities want to know what is going on. Schools can push information out to parents, alumni, and donors who will look forward to learning about what is going on at school. Education World notes how Newsletters are an essential tool for schools as they can inform, educate and promote to your audience and can be a cornerstone strategy for your communication plan. Non-profit organizations, such as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, already have a captive audience with donors. St Jude Children’s Hospital has a consistent newsletter that keeps different constituent groups updated and informed on all of their nonprofit organization’s endeavors, campaigns and volunteer opportunities so it promotes its brand, while supporters feel personally engaged. All of these types of organizations have audiences that are already engaged in one way or another.
Newsletters can ultimately be the most successful communication strategy for your targeted and already engaged audience. BtoB companies and some BtoC organizations might not see it as a crucial piece of their digital marketing in this day and age, but for non profits, schools and municipalities newsletters can be your bread and butter!
