7 Key Factors
Many firms publish e-newsletters and e-blasts, distributing them to a network of clients, prospects, referral sources, etc. You might wonder whether it is worthwhile for you to do so as well. Here are seven key factors to consider in developing a newsletter:
- Make it part of your firm’s overall marketing strategy – A newsletter should be part of the marketing plan, not all of it. For example, it could complement targeted marketing programs, involvement in organizations, advertising, etc.
- Establish goals from the outset – All too often, professionals launch a marketing campaign without first developing objectives. This can result in poor results and disillusionment. Some potential goals include: build name and practice area awareness; position your firm in targeted markets; and create new business opportunities.
- Graphic design – Due to their visual and textual impact, newsletters can hurt your firm’s image if poorly designed and produced. So make it look professional, not home-spun. Follow “Brown’s Rule of Image Building” which is “Always maintain the same high quality in your image materials as is in your firm’s rendering of services.” Some vendors such as “Constant Contact” might suffice for designing and distributing the newsletter. For branding purposes, however, it can be difficult to develop a design that meshes well with your website and other marketing materials. In this case, a custom-designed newsletter is appropriate.
- Content is king! – Make it informative, not a sales pitch. Write what your readers want to read, not what you want them to know. They won’t read anything else. Also, many firms have difficulty developing content on a regular basis. If this is your situation, hire a professional services marketer to research and write the content for you (with your final approval, of course).
- Build and use a worthwhile database –Your database is critical to the success of your newsletter. It will take time to build it, so start working on it early in the process. Your marketing consultant can make sure that you comply with anti-spam legal requirements.
- Get professional help – In the interest of thinking they will “save money,” some firms try to handle the entire process themselves. Unfortunately, the normal result is a lack of progress and lots of billable time wasted. When looking outside for help, it is generally best to hire a firm that specializes in serving professional services firms because they will understand what you do and how to market your firm. They should be able to help with content development and editing, design, distribution and internet marketing.
- Commit to doing it regularly – Your newsletter should be distributed at least four times a year. Don’t make the all-too-often mistake of sending the one-time “quarterly” newsletter.
NEED HELP?
Our goal is to make the process easy for you! We help to develop content and handle all aspects of design and distribution. This level of service is crucial if you are to publish the newsletter on a frequent basis, while limiting your time involvement. Contact us to discuss your needs and for an estimate.