8 tips for producing email newsletters
DESCRIPTION
8 Tips on producing email newsletters. Intended for people who design and implement research based information services. Tips are extracted from a "How we..." guide produced by the Knowlege Services at the Institute of Development Studies accessible at http://www.ids.ac.uk/UserFiles/File/knowledge_services/how_we_produce_email_newsletters.pdfTRANSCRIPT
Catherine Fisher Strategic Learning Initiative, IDS Date: 20 November 2008
8 Tips for producing email newslettersExerted from How we..produce email newsletters guide produced by the IDS Knowledge Services
These tips are for people who, like us, design
and implement research-based information services.
We believe that email based services are an
essential part of any information service intended for a large audience
Definition: periodic publication
delivered by email to an
opt in list of subscribersoften used by owners of a website to
communicate
1. Be sure that an email newsletter is the right tool for
the job
2. Identify your purpose
2.
3.
1.
1. Relationship building
2. Building user base
3. Service delivery
3. Feature the right content
Latest content Best content Topical or Geographical selection Jobs!
Old content Different types of content each week Content from only one source
Newsletter content should showcase the range of content on your main service
4. Ensure maximum accessibility and usability
sorry that was…
4. Ensure maximum accessibility and usability
You have 51 seconds
Attention grabbing: Html vs plaintext = Pretty vs accessible?
BIG DEBATE!
Scannable: divided up, clear headings
Clear: Simple language, consistant format
5. Consider your resources (and design accordingly)
High level of resources allow:
Multiple newsletters High degree of editorialisationMultiple formats Provide support to subscribers
More restricted resources suggest:
One newsletterOne formatHigh degree of automation
Time and money
Combine creatively within your means!
6. Compare software
Ask questions
What delivery options are there?
What design elements can it support?
What are the subscription and
unsubscription processes?
What production processes can it support?
What monitoring does it enable?
7. Identify success factors (and how to measure them)
Receive? Open? Visit? Download?
Read? Apply?What do you need to know about how people use your newsletter?
8.Tell people about it (preferably the right people)
Do:
Go to where your target groups are – virtually and in the real world
Encourage send to a friend
Make it easy to subscribe
Don’t:
Spam people!
Send other content to your list
Sell or give your list to others
The end
These tips are taken from :
“How we… Produce email newsletters”Written by the IDS Knowledge Servicesedited by Catherine Fisher and Yaso Kunaratnam May 2008.
The guide provides practical information and useful ideas on producing email newsletters for people who, like us, design and implement research-based information services.
The guide and this powerpoint presentation were created by Strategic Learning Initiative which is funded by DFID as part of the Mobilising Knowledge for Development programme.