A portrait of Pete Heslop
08 Aug, 2022 6 min read

Why Email Newsletters Are a Great Opportunity for Small Business Owners

Are you looking for a way to connect with your customers and grow your business?
Why Email Newsletters Are a Great Opportunity for Small Business Owners

As a business owner, I am sure you are always looking for new opportunities.

Email newsletters are a great way to connect with customers and grow your business. I will share why starting an email newsletter is an excellent opportunity for small business owners.

What is an email newsletter?

An email newsletter is a type of email that is sent to a list of subscribers regularly. Email newsletters usually contain articles, tips, or information about the business or industry. Some businesses also use email newsletters to promote sales or special offers.

You can set up the email newsletter so it is sent out automatically on a schedule, or you can send it manually when you have new content to share. Either way, email newsletters are a great way to keep your customers and prospects up-to-date on what is going on with your business.

Why start an email newsletter?

An email newsletter is a great way to connect with your customers regularly. It allows you to stay in touch with them and keep them up-to-date on what is happening with your business. A well-designed newsletter can also help you promote your products and services to a wider audience.

There are many benefits of starting an email newsletter for your small business. Here are just a few:

  • It helps you stay in touch with your customers and build relationships.

  • It keeps your customers up-to-date on what is happening with your business.

  • It allows you to promote your products and services to a wider audience.

  • It is a great way to connect with new prospects.

  • It is easy to set up and can be done relatively cheaply. 

With all these great benefits, starting an email newsletter is a no-brainer for small business owners. If you are not already using this type of marketing, I encourage you to start today. You will be glad you did!

How to get started

Now that you know all the benefits of starting an email newsletter, you may wonder how to get started. Fortunately, setting up an email newsletter for your business is relatively easy. There are a few things you will need to do:

1) Decide on what content you will include in your newsletter.

To start, you will need to decide on the content you want to include in your newsletter. Will it be all articles, or will you also include tips, product recommendations, or special offers?

The content you include will depend on your business and your goals for the newsletter. For example, if you are in the florist business, you may want to have articles about care and tips for arranging flowers. You may also want to include recommendations for vases or special offers for Mother’s Day arrangements. On the other hand, if you own a bakery, your newsletter might consist of recipes, baking tips, or special offers for birthdays and holidays. The sky is the limit, so be creative!

2) Choose an email platform.

There are many different email platforms you can use to send your newsletter. Some popular options include MailChimp, Constant Contact, and AWeber.

Each platform has features and price points, so choosing the right one for your business is essential. For example, MailChimp may be your best option if you are on a tight budget. If you want more features and are willing to pay a bit more, Constant Contact or AWeber may be better choices. Once you have chosen an email platform, setting up your newsletter will be quick and easy. Most platforms have templates you can use to create a professional-looking newsletter with minimal effort.

3) Pick a suitable theme for your newsletter.

Your email platform will likely have a variety of themes (or templates) you can choose from to create your newsletter. When picking a theme, consider the overall look you want for your newsletter and how easy it will be to use. For example, if you want a straightforward design, you may want to choose a one-column theme. You may prefer a multi-column theme if you want something with a bit more flair.

Once you have chosen a theme, you can customise it to match your brand by adding your logo, choosing your colours, and picking fonts that reflect your business’s personality.

4) Write your content and add images.

Now it’s time to write your content and add images. If you include articles, proofread them carefully before adding them to your newsletter. You will also want to add a featured image for each article. This can be a photo or graphic that represents the article’s topic.

If you include tips, product recommendations, or special offers, include all the relevant details such as prices, expiration dates, and links. Adding images for these items is also a good idea.

5) Promote your newsletter.

The final step is to promote your newsletter. You will want to let your existing customers and followers know that you have started an email newsletter and how they can sign up.

You can promote your newsletter on social media, website, or in-store. You may even want to run a promotional campaign to encourage people to sign up. For example, you could offer a discount to customers who sign up for your newsletter.

Woman writing on a notebook

Consistency is key!

Now that you know how to start an email newsletter for your business, it’s important to be consistent. Sending out a newsletter sporadically will not help you achieve your goals. Aim to send out a new edition of your newsletter regularly, whether weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.

If you are consistent with your email newsletter, you will start to see results in the form of increased traffic to your website, more engagement on social media, and higher sales. 

Final thoughts

Sending out your first newsletter can be exciting (and a bit nerve-wracking)! Just remember to proofread everything carefully before hitting send. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be churning out great content in no time.

Email newsletters are a great opportunity for small business owners! By taking the time to create a quality newsletter, you can develop relationships with your customers, promote your products or services, and build brand loyalty. Plus, it’s a cost-effective way to reach your target audience. So what are you waiting for? Start planning your email newsletter today!

 

Marketing