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Newsletters

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Associations

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BETTER

May

21,

2010 Melynn SightMelynn Sight

PresidentPresidentMelynn SightMelynn Sight

PresidentPresident

Association Newsletters nSightsAssociation Newsletters nSights““Wastebasket Avoidance”Wastebasket Avoidance”

Fine Tune or MakeoverFine Tune or Makeover

1. Be reader centered

2. Fast read

3. Easy on the eyes

3

AgendaAgenda

1. Focus on your reader (benefit to them)

2. Make it a fast read

3. Make it easy on the eyes

4. When to send it

5. Examples

1. Focus on Your Reader1. Focus on Your Reader

Relevant Conversational Service-centric

2. Make It a Fast Read2. Make It a Fast Read

1-3 items for average readers, up to 5 items for highly engaged members

Don’t make them scroll (no more than one time)- Create a Table of contents or

headlines that are all visible above the line

Can You Segment?Can You Segment?

Tenure of your member Interests/Programs Age

Newbies Fence-Sitters Old Pros

Teaser or the Whole Article?

Teaser or the Whole Article?

Either approach is fine, unless it breaks the scrolling rule – my preference is teasers.

A fast read is the goal

Focus on Your “Micro Content”

Focus on Your “Micro Content”

The little things are important: “Subject” line “From” line Subheadings Bolded text Calls to action Linked text

“Five times as many people read the headline as the body copy. When you’ve written your

headline, you’ve spent 80 cents of your dollar.”

David Ogilvy, “the father of advertising”

3. Is It Easy on the Eyes?3. Is It Easy on the Eyes?

Clear, concise and simple is the goal Dark text on light colors Use images to break up text Has to read okay with no images

1. Focus on sentence structure.

No > than 14 words (average) No > than 5 characters (average) No > than 2 sentences per paragraph

that will make for easy reading

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Write for the reader

Lead with the Benefit

No > than 14 words (average)

No > than 5 characters (average)

No > than 2 sentences per paragraph

1. Focus on sentence structure.

2. Limit colors.

that will make for easy reading

1. Focus on sentence structure.

2. Limit colors.

3. Avoid or limit scrolling.

If you can’t link to a longer article, cut down what you say.

that will make for easy reading

1. Focus on sentence structure.

2. Limit colors.

3. Avoid or limit scrolling.

4. Call to action? Limit your articles.

that will make for easy reading

Examples of Calls to Action

Examples of Calls to Action

Read more Learn more Register Volunteer Sign up Donate

1. Focus on sentence structure.

2. Limit colors.

3. Avoid or limit scrolling.

4. Call to action? Limit your articles.

5. Websites and newsletters are not the same.

Website – for looking around Newsletter – for reading

that will make for easy reading

1. Focus on sentence structure.

2. Limit colors.

3. Avoid or limit scrolling.

4. Call to action? Limit your articles.

5. Websites and newsletters are not the same.

ExamplesExamples Screen captures when

received in gmail with images turned off

What your member sees without any scrolling (the most important part...the top!)

Focus on “hot spots” Reader-centered Fast read Easy on the eyes

Association ExamplesAssociation Examples What one thing would you

change to give this newsletter a makeover

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Before we go further...

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IL Chiro Newsletter

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Best Time to Send a Newsletter

Best Time to Send a Newsletter

11am - 3pm Tuesday to Thursday)(Constant Contact)

6:30am weekdays(Dr. Frank Luntz “What Americans really want...Really”)

If your information is relevant, members know who it’s coming from, it really doesn’t matter

Fine Tune or MakeoverFine Tune or Makeover

1. Be reader centered

2. Fast read

3. Easy on the eyes

What Will You Work on?What Will You Work on?

“The basics are what most organizations are missing. Obsessing about this is far

more effective than managing the latest fad.”

Seth Godin

Melynn@nSightMarketing.comwww.nSightMarketing.com MARKETINGnSights.blogspot.com