3 Tips to Supercharge Your Newsletter with Massive Value

You just launched your newsletter. It took 8-10 hours to prepare. It looks so professional, and well put together. But it fails to capture your subscriber’s attention.

So, when you release it out into the universe, crickets…

Next time, you spend more time. Curate better content and expect different results.??

It's insane to do the same thing over and over again and expect different results. Yet we unknowingly fall into this trap.

When you're an over achiever like I am, you cross that line often.

It’s like when you are trying to do something new that’s not working. But you keep repeating the same steps and getting the same results. Here's what I mean…

I was super excited to download my portfolio on a new digital platform for clients to find me. But every time I tried to access and download, nothing happened.?

My computer would show me an image of a folder filled with PDF docs. But when I clicked to open it, my message was: “No item matches your search.”

And no instructions to tell me that my projects needed to be in a JPG or PNG format that to be compatible with this platform.?

Even worse when I converted the format by taking screenshots, it never lined up. There was always some overlap.?

That may be fine for two to three pages. But I had a 20-page sleep guide for new parents with infographics.

By now, it’s late. Something that was supposed to take just 20 minutes is taking hours. And still no progress.

I’m slumped down in my chair, head down resting on my folded arms. Fighting sleep.?

“Hey, you okay, Hon?”?

“Nope!” My desire just fizzled out...

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Do you know what it feels like when you want to give up??

It’s like getting stuck in the rut of your old thinking. You think what you tried before will magically work the 5th, 9th...100th time. But it doesn’t.

Sometimes what keeps you stuck is tunnel vision.

So, what broadens your perspective?

Step back and see the big picture through the lens of a passionately curious journalist.

A journalist digs for the answers. Goes beyond the facts to bring a fresh perspective to her readers. She's a solution creator. Not a problem dweller.

That's how best seller, digital marketer, and content expert Ann Handley was able to single handedly go from 2000 to 42,000 subscribers for her newsletter Total Annarchy in three years (Check out how she weaves in her first name).?

You can check out? AWAI’s President Rebecca Matter’s interview of Handley here: AWAI State of the Industry Summit 2021 - YouTube, when the New York Times revamped their newsletter, then The Morning Brief, they brought in their top journalist David Leonhardt.?

“They wanted the news to come through a human lens," Handley explains. “They wanted to give the readers of the New York Times a relatable person to connect with. The same approach as having an anchor for the news.”

“The most important part of the newsletter is the letter, not the news,” says Handley, in her blog post. ”The fuel for your newsletter is not the technology; it’s the writing that’s entertaining and informative. The reason people will read it, love it, and refer to it...hinges on just one thing: what you say and how you say it.”

When the Training Industry, Inc. launched their newsletter, “The Business of Learning,” the goal says Marketing Director Dennis O’Brien was “to inform, engage, and earn the trust of our audience.?

His editorial team discovered what drives subscriber engagement in the Learning and Development market. It's having a deep understanding of corporate learning leaders, coupled with how trends will impact them. And then providing in the newsletter options with multiple entry points for them to get ahead of the curve.

The key O’Brien says is "to present high-value, very relevant content with the editor’s perspective. This gives the newsletter a voice, flavor, and personality. It helps the readers to connect with an individual who gets them and wants to help solve their most pressing problems."

To create newsletters that have massive value, you need to think like a curious journalist.?

*****

When I stepped back to see the BIG picture, I had a fresh perspective. So, I was able to easily add four marketing projects.?

I put on my journalist hat and considered what I already knew. I approached my challenge with passionate curiosity. All options were on the table.

This led to three new options--Find a screen capture app compatible with Microsoft One Drive that would do a full multipage shot, use Adobe to convert PDFs to Jpegs for a fee, or reach out to a team member.??

The full-page screen shot looked like a strand of DNA when I downloaded to the platform. My second choice would be too costly. So, I called my go-to guru.?

Sometimes you need to set aside your ego and find someone or a brand who has figured it out. And it changes your perspective and sharpens your focus.

But the biggest mistake newsletter creators make is they put all their time, effort, and passion into the news and trends. And then pay little attention to the most important thing: the letter. It's the glue that builds trust and nurtures relationships.

So, their results don't change--until they consider this: A newsletter is really a letter from you to one person. The secret is knowing your subscriber so well that you could read her or his mind: “Wow, I felt like you were talking to me.”?

Today I share how to create newsletters that build trust, nurture relationships, and provide massive value.

Use examples below from top leadership companies to increase opens, reads, and customer engagement. Turn your busy C-suites into your best customers and biggest fans. Your newsletter then become a lead-generation machine.

#1: Grab your reader's attention with rich RAS trigger words

RAS” stands for “Reticular Activating System.” It’s a portion of your brain that identifies things that are important to you. And it filters out what to ignore.

RAS Triggers are the thoughts, images and words that are important to your reader. They automatically trigger a strong emotional response. This is where you should begin the conversation. ?

Remember, your reader is a human being, just like you. They have hopes, dreams, passions, fears, hunger, disappointments and other human emotions and experiences common to us all.

It is most effective to think of one single person when writing your subject, preview text, and from lines.?

?Examples below:

Mike Allen, Associate Editor of The Business of Learning at Training Industry, Inc.

?From: Mike at Training Industry

Subject: Training Industry Weekly Recap (calendar emoji) August 8, 2021

Preview: at Training Industry we’re focusing on the subject of employee wellness …(The copy that’s pulled into the subject line)

?Notice it includes the company name and the associate editor’s first name. They also rotate editors to incorporate other points of view. They refer to the Business of Learning newsletter as the Training Industry Weekly Recap with a calendar emoji to grab your attention. That made it super easy to find in my inbox.?

?Hot tip: In "6 Tricks to Turn Your Email Newsletter into a Lead-Generation Machine," Mitch Transue says, "“56 percent of brands that used emojis in their subject line saw improvements to their open rates.

?Training Industry takes full advantage of the preview text app tool to add context to their message. The learning professional knows what it is, who it’s from, and why it matters.

?#2: Test drive headlines and leads?

When your headline speaks to your audience of one person, then you can speak to her? heart and help her feel significant and connected.?

First example: Mike Allen, Associate Editor of The Business of Learning at Training Industry, Inc.

HD: The Business of Learning

Lead: Learning and development professionals (L& D) must serve not only organizations, but also individual learners. In this moment especially, successful L& D initiatives will be the ones that are designed with the mental and physical health of their learners firmly in mind.?

Notice it’s specific, actionable, and sparks curiosity. Before reading the article you know who it’s for and what you are going to discover. Using words like “successful L & D initiatives designed with the individual learner’s mental and physical? health in mind” and “especially now” implies a sense of urgency. Reading between the lines: Learning leaders need to design L & D programs with the individual’s mental and physical health needs? in mind, or they will fail.

S-Specific: 5

A-Actionable: 5

U-Urgent: 4 (timely, could be costly mistake, impact team and company morale, lose out to better prepared workforces)

C-Clear: 5

E-Emotional: 4 (leading successful teams vs. unsuccessful teams and failed initiatives, wasted time and effort)

Total score: 23/5= 4.6

Second example: Kevin Brody, VP of Global Marketing at the Center for Creative Leadership, CCL

HD: Become an Agile Leader

Lead: As organizations transition back to in-person work and the “new normal”, leaders must adapt by learning from experience and applying it in new ways.

Once again, it’s specific, actionable, and sparks curiosity. But it has a shorter headline and on ramp with just enough information for the decision makers. Before reading the article you know who it’s for and what you are going to discover. Using words like “leaders must adapt and apply in new ways” add urgency. Reading between the lines: Becoming an agile leader will help you and your company to adapt and thrive in the new normal workplace.?

S-Be Specific:? 5

A-Actionable. Give your reader a quick win: 5

U-Create a sense of Urgency. ?Turn Evergreen to Urgent: 4

C-Be Clear. Boil it down. Confusion leads to inaction: 5

E-Emotionally compelling: 4 (sparks curiosity, must adapt and learn to apply)

23/5= 4.6

Third example: Stephanie Hincks, Marketing Communications Director, Ignite! Newsletter at The Ken Blanchard Companies

In the newsletter Ignite! the meme is at the top, so it pulls you into the article. And when you click on the meme, or the tab, it takes you to the article as seen below. So, the meme does triple duty: lead, compelling quote, and headline.

HD: Succeeding in a COVID-Disrupted Work Environment

Meme: “Resetting and resecuring your relationship with your people is the first order of business.”?

-SCOTT BLANCHARD, PRESIDENT

THE KEN BLANCHARD COMPANIES

It’s specific, actionable, and sparks curiosity. It’s a perfect marriage of image, headline, and lead rolled into one. That’s the power of the meme. Before reading the article you know who it’s for and what you are going to discover. Using words like “resetting and resecuring your relationship with your people” and “first order of business” coming from the company president shows a sense of urgency. Reading between the lines: The most important thing you must do now is rebuild your relationships at work. you want to know more.

S-Be Specific:? 5

A-Actionable: 5

U-Urgent: 4 (timely, for CEOs, could be costly mistake, impact team and company morale and growth, lose out to better prepared workforce)

C-Clear: 5

E-Emotional: 4 (first order of business, disrupted work environment, your people, resecuring your relationship)

Total score: 23/5= 4.6

If you are going to disrupt your readers crazy, busy life, then give her a good reason to stop to open and read your newsletter. That means you have to hit her pain point. Consider what headache could be resolved today.?

Be clear, compelling, and conversational. Focus on one big promise that targets one specific type of individual.

#3: Effective Call to Action (CTA)?

CTAs tell your reader what to do next. They also inspire her to take the next step of her journey with your company. When you provide value, your subscriber wants to grab more tips and tools.?

The Ken Blanchard Companies offer multiple entry points, topics, and formats to choose from---including blogs, podcast, webinars, case studies. Each one over delivers value. They weave into the content the next step for the reader to take.?

They provide a great example of a soft call to action. When you click on the meme or the tab “READ ARTICLE” it takes you to the full, high-value article that is packed with Blanchard’s expert’s actionable tips in an easy to skim, scan, and read format. It has reference links to their other resources.

Check out how seamlessly they weave the soft CTA into the article under the last tip High Involvement that leads to the author's bio:

"Ready to build..."

When you over deliver value to your newsletter subscribers, you cut through the noise and their overflowing inbox. So, your letter gets more opens, reads, engagements, and shares.

But the biggest mistake newsletter creators make is to put all their time and effort into curating the news. And pay scant attention to the most important thing: the letter.

I provide examples of how top leadership companies use their newsletter headlines, leads, and CTAs to build trust, grow lasting relationships, and turn your busy C-suites into your best customers and biggest fans. So, you can create a lead-generation machine.

Need help amplifying your brand and turning your newsletters into a lead-generation machine?? I’d like to partner with you. Please email at [email protected] or let’s connect on Lynda R Dell? on LinkedIn.

?If you missed the first article in the series about how to create a great, first lasting impression, click on this link: How to Instantly Turn Subscribers Into Fans

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Lynda Dell is a freelance copywriter and marketing specialist in the Health & Wellbeing, Personal and Leadership Market. She provides fresh, targeted, engaging content to build your authority, attract dream clients, and grow your business.

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