This week, I looked back and saw that I have been sending out my newsletter, Just a Digital Minute, every Wednesday morning since the summer of 2010. I’d say this email newsletter has turned into a long-term relationship!
I am particularly proud that I have not missed a single day. Not when Christmas fell on Wednesday while I was in the mountains in a cabin without Internet. Not even when my dog swallowed a whole pecan and died in surgery. I am diligent about it since I know it would be all too easy for me to come up with great reasons to let things slide.
When I first started New Tricks, I put an opt-in box on the sidebar of my website, but that year I didn’t send out a single newsletter to the 33 people who had subscribed. I knew that was pretty lame so I set up an RSS feed newsletter to send out my posts automatically. It seemed like a great idea until six months later, I got an unsubscribe notice from someone I really respected.
I immediately went to see what they had last received from me that prompted the unsubscribe. It wasn’t horrible but it was clear that I didn’t have the slightest bit of attention on what my readers wanted and needed. I felt bad about that since I finally understood what a privilege it was to be invited into someone’s inbox, and there I was squandering this opportunity to develop a relationship.
I really cared, and still do, about helping my readers with information about WordPress and social media to help them grown their businesses. That was the day, four years ago that I made the commitment to send out a personal message along with a tip that I thought my readers would like to receive.
Over these years, my list has grown as people find me online and share it with each other. I appreciate each of you being here with me, whether you are one of those first thirty, or you just signed up this week.
Even if you don’t read my newsletter every week it is still okay because you have given me a standing invitation to be able to visit your inbox each week, which I take as a huge honor.
Some of you have told me that you save up and read a bunch of the newsletters at one time when you can actually pay attention to the tips. Some of you tell me that you know it is Wednesday because you see the Just a Digital Minute in your inbox.
Many of you write me back and let me know how you are doing and what you are struggling with and also to share your success. And of course, I love it when you tell your friends about New Tricks and the newsletter.
Email Newsletter Tips
You know how when you sign up for a newsletter and you get a message to go check your email to confirm? When you confirm it , you will receive another message thanking you for signing up. Later if you, by chance, unsubscribe to the newsletter you will get yet another email related to that process.
Have you noticed that the majority of these confirmation messages look pretty much the same with no styling and some rather formal language? In fact, they usually have exactly the same wording. That’s not because it has to be that way but it turns out that way since very few people bother editing the form templates that the email service providers create.
If you want to start your email relationship off on a better foot, you can edit these messages with your own words and sentiments. Put some thought into how you want your first email interaction with your new subscriber to go.
When I get a confirm message that feels more personal, I know that the writer cares about what kind of experience I will have, and it starts the whole relationship off to a great start.
If you want to have people look forward to receiving your email newsletters, now you know what to do.
I’ve been working on an e-book to share with you everything I learned while building these long term relationships with my readers who have also become members of the New Tricks team, coaching, and website clients. Purchase your copy of the Epic E-Mail Newsletter E-Book to build an ongoing relationship with your prospects and customers and bring in business.
I’d love to hear what your are doing with your email marketing. Please leave a comment below.
