OneApp vs the E-Newsletter

I’ve long posed the question of why businesses still send out pdf or html newsletters by email.

Open and click through rates are relatively low which, I think, is symptomatic of a time where there is probably too much communication out there.

I was with a client the other day and he shared with me stats from their e-newsletters.

Of the 6,500 fortnightly subscribers, less than half actually open the email. And, of those, only a maximum of 7% actually click through to the topic.

By contrast, over 1,300 from their community have their App downloaded .. and it is being used on average over 6,000 times per month.

So, email suggests a relatively low contact rate, the App engagement rate suggests 5 contact points per month. And, to be fair, there is quite a lot more that could be presented through their App.

Newsletters are sent out as a means for the organisation to keep their customers and contacts informed of items and events from within the industry in which they share an interest.

If you are in Financial Services, for instance, it is good to be kept up to speed on what is happening within the world of finance. The more that I, the customer, know about a range of topics, the better the opportunity to have a conversation about a) whether or not I need it and b) if so, how to go about putting it in place.

But I think it is fair to question whether email is still an effective delivery channel.  

When you receive an email newsletter during the day, do you immediately read it … or flag it for later? And, if you do intend to return to it later, do you get the opportunity or does it get forgotten?

My view is that creating a newsletter returns to becoming a meaningful exercise when delivered though OneApp because of its direct yet passive nature.

An indication that the newsletter has been delivered pops up on the phone or tablet to let you know that it is there … for quick and easy access whenever and wherever required.

The user then simply taps into it when they are able – if not now then maybe later … if not later than maybe tomorrow … etc.

The content is always there ready to access at some point during their schedule. They may have arrived ten minutes early for a meeting. Or perhaps their train is delayed … or they otherwise have some time.

My view is that it is more engaging to simply tap the OneApp icon on one’s phone to go directly to the content than it is to scroll one’s way through emails until it is found, then to open the document and try to navigate one’s way around the presentation format.

There is one other aspect of sending the newsletter through OneApp that is perhaps the most important … the ability to archive.

Newsletters are sent out because the organisation wants to share news and information of common interest with their clients, contacts, members, stakeholders, communities, etc.

While some information may be of a timely nature, much will not … it will be equally relevant months in the future as it is today when sent.

But, if we read something months ago are we going to remember where it is located should we wish or need to return to read it again?

The OneApp presentational infrastructure means that years’ worth of material can always be quickly and easily referenced whenever and wherever required … if you saw an article from November 2015, it can be found within a couple quick taps.

To me, that is a powerful example of engagement – not so much the here and now but the ability to return to the content in the future.

One thing further … I am not suggesting that OneApp replace email for the delivery of newsletters but rather that it sits alongside. Continue to send out the emails but also present through OneApp. And then assess after a period of time.

I developed OneApp to enable quick and easy access to information whenever and wherever it may be required – to help improve communications and engagement for small business and organisations.

It could be said that it is perfect for newsletters.

Michael Shuster

OneApp