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.
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Follow These Steps to Avoid Key Mistakes
Choosing an advertising agency is more difficult than it used to be. Not too long ago, ad agencies gained virtually all their revenue from designing and placing ads for print media (newspapers, magazines, direct mail, etc.), TV, billboards and radio. The agencies also charged big bucks to develop their ad campaigns and it was a very lucrative business for them. So, if you needed a firm to create an ad campaign, you knew who to contact.
Things are different now …
Times have changed, as much of print media advertising has switched to online, forcing many ad agencies out of business. For professional services firms who need advertising-related services, it can be confusing to figure out not just what you need but who to contact to help you.
How to Get Started
The first step in selecting an advertising agency is to figure out what you really want. If you truly only need assistance in an advertising campaign, then it is easier to figure out which agency will best meet your needs, especially if that agency has expertise in helping professional services firms. On the other hand, if you need a greater depth of marketing services, then contact a full-service marketing firm.
What is the difference between advertising and marketing? Simply put, advertising is a subset of marketing, so advertising is just a small part of what a full-service marketing firm can offer. Not to belittle advertising but it is only a portion of what a can be done to effectively market your firm's services. So, hiring an agency, by its nature, limits your firm's ability to market itself.
Advertising, by definition, is communication aimed at persuading an audience to take action with respect to products, ideas, or services. It is a part of the "marketing communication mix" which also includes public relations, publicity and promotion; these are all subsets of marketing. Advertisements are viewed via various media, including a wide realm of internet-based platforms, as well as print (newspaper, magazines, etc.), television, radio, outdoor advertising, and direct mail.
Most professional services firms need more than just advertising, so knowledgeable professionals seek full-service marketing firms. Since marketing is actually far more in-depth than advertising, a highly-qualified marketing firm will employ professionals with superior credentials and will offer fully-developed capabilities in many aspects of marketing that can help your firm.
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