Writing a Newsletter This Christmas? This Checklist Will Help You Get Started
It probably sits on your ‘to-do’ list…..send an email out to clients to wrap up the year, thank them and share some of the year’s milestones.
And, with everything else that this time of year throws at you, the chances are that your Christmas Newsletter is still waiting to be written. So here’s a quick guide to help you achieve it.
Who Are You Sending It To?
Before you start, consider your audience. Talk to them directly, as you would if you saw them in person. Your clients work with you because they trust you and you understand them. So be human in your marketing and communications with them. The content you create will not only be more engaging, but you are also more likely to send them something that is ‘them focussed’ not ‘you focussed’.
Subject Line
This is the first thing your recipient will see, so make sure you are inviting them to open your email. Try to stay away from obvious titles such as ‘Christmas Newsletter’. In fact, emails including the word ‘newsletter’ in the subject line may be less likely to be opened. In an email marketing study by Adestra, that compared open rates based on the subject line, the emails headed ‘Newsletter’ saw a 40% decrease in click rate.
Other studies have shown that 35% of email recipients open emails based on the subject line alone. Try a more engaging heading or be clear about the benefits you offer in the email.
TIP: Write your subject line at the end, you’ll find it easier to create a title that sums up the content you have written and focuses on the most important point. For example, replace ‘Christmas Newsletter’ with ‘Worried about cashflow over the holiday period? Read on for tips and more’
Preview
Most inboxes are set up to preview the content of the email. If you add nothing here, your recipients will see the top couple of lines of copy and this may not make sense. Using digital marketing software like BOMA will automatically produce or allow you to write up a short preview that your readers will see first. It only needs to be a couple of lines but it gives them a teaser and should convince them to open your email.
The Body Copy
Break it down into scannable sections. You will find it easier to write and your audience can zero in on the information they are most interested in.
Once you have decided on your topics, these could form the basis of your next email communication. In fact, it will give you a template for your ongoing email marketing to make the whole process much easier.
TIP – BOMA’s content library has new articles every week covering general business & financial advice, compliance, tax, management and news. Simply choose an article, customise it, and deliver it. You can build a newsletter in minutes using articles from the BOMA Content Library and simply adding your own personal touches.
Here are some ideas to include in your end-of-year newsletter:
- An introduction – Open the newsletter in a personal way. Keep it short and sweet and don’t be afraid to be different, such as starting with a question or a strong statement that demonstrates your understanding of the issues or opportunities faced by your clients.
- Stories from your staff – Tell them about an event you attended, profile one of your partners or introduce a new member to the team – and remember to focus on what this means for your reader (more support, more expertise, more insights).
- Tips for businesses at this time of year – Whether that’s compliance dates or how to manage temporary shut-downs.
- Client success stories – By showcasing the achievements of one of your clients, you are supporting and sharing in their success.
- Highlight on your Practice – Use this section to share something of value such as expert opinions, industry news advice on changes in an industry. This could be an opportunity to briefly talk about a service your firm offers that some of your clients may not be aware of.
- Lifestyle – A great book you recommend your clients read on holiday or some advice in their planning for next year,
- Important Information – At this time of year you could let your clients know when the office is closed over the holiday period.
Design and Images
Bring your company branding to the fore by including your logo and background colours. BOMA makes email design easy by pulling through your brand colours and providing a choice of templates. The software ensures your newsletter is formatted for whatever device it is read on. For longer-form content, add a ‘Read More’ button or use a URL link, that directs readers back to a blog or News page on your website.
Your email is not the same as a print brochure but images do sell. Including images will make your email more engaging to the reader. BOMA gives you access to over 600,000 free images to use in your emails. Don’t overdo it, but use a couple to break up the text.
What differentiates your firm from others is your people and the personal connection you have with your clients so don’t be afraid to use photos of the team, either a staff shot or photos you took at a recent event.
Follow the Rules
If you are sending a large group of contacts make sure you have your contacts’ permission to email them. Include an unsubscribe link at the bottom of each email and it’s a good idea to tell them why they are receiving it.
Send a Test
Finally, before you send it out to your clients and prospects, send a test to yourself and someone in the office. Do a final read through to check for grammar and spelling and you are ready to go.
TIP: In BOMA you can add your completed newsletter to social media channels to further broaden your reach with clients and prospects.
Well done. There is one less thing on your Christmas ‘To-do’ list!
ABOUT BOMA
BOMA is the digital marketing toolkit and content library specifically for accountants and bookkeepers.
Choose from hundreds of customisable business advisory articles in BOMA’s content library and share them via email, social media channels, and your website. Content is specific to your region. Plus free images, lead capture, and custom website build service.
BOMA saves you time and expense and makes engaging with your clients or prospecting for new leads very simple and easy!
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