
“I’m still all hung up about starting a newsletter.” One of my networking connections recently expressed her hesitation about starting a newsletter.
If we’re honest most of us feel that way. We’re all wrapped up in fear and doubt: What if I can’t keep up the momentum? What if no one reads it? How will I come up with regular content? Who has time to create a newsletter?
Those questions plagued me the first time my mentor insisted a newsletter was a vital part of starting and growing a business, but here I am, over 2 years later, still publishing a bi-weekly newsletter without fail.
Here are 7 tips to get you started on your newsletter:
- Keep it Simple Silly (KISS): You’re not writing a novel; it’s a simple article with useful information for your tribe. Write about problems you solve, give tips for prevention, or tips saving time and hassle. For me, it was helping people with newsletters, managing their email and setting up other behind-the-scenes systems to keep them organized.
- Keep it Short and Powerful: Identify who your ideal client is and give an answer to something specifically geared toward them, for example: 5 tips to sell your home for top dollar, 10 simple ways to eliminate debt, 3 ways to keep bugs out of your house, etc.
- Have fun: One of my clients (A pest control company) adds little jokes and includes pictures of herself dressed up like a giant roach to show people her fun side!
- Provide consistent value: Interview potential clients and find out what keeps them up at night and write about that. A book to give you insights on this is They Ask You Answer by Marcus Sheridan.
- Add a Personal Flavor: You can use AI to help, but using personal experiences and stories shows your tribe who you are. People resonate with vulnerability and if you’re sharing generic information they can get from anywhere, you’ll end up in the trash folder.
- Choose a simple email platform to get started for free: Mailchimp, Mailerlite and Zoho Campaigns all offer free platforms with easy drag and drop formats that can get you started.
- Delegate if you can: If writing a newsletter isn’t your thing, think about delegating this task to someone who enjoys and knows how to do it. This will free you up to do the things you’re good at.
In conclusion, start simple and expand as you go. When you learned how to walk, it looked kind of messy. Learning to write and publish a newsletter is at its core, the same type of thing. You might have a shaky start, but if you continue to press in, learn as you go and be consistent, you’ll be surprised at the results.
I want to hear from you! What’s holding you back from publishing a newsletter? Hit reply and share your struggles, I’d be happy to give you some tips!