Now that you know who you’re talking to, you can outline the overarching purpose of your email marketing. Your purpose is the reason you’re sending people email communication at all.

The purpose of your email marketing campaign can be answered with the following questions:

• Why does this audience want to hear from me?
• What useful information can I provide to this audience?
• What do I want to accomplish with my email marketing?

Defining the reason you’re sending email communications will guide you in outlining the content for your emails. When you’re not sure if you should include something in your e-newsletter, recall the overarching purpose of your communication to this audience. If it helps accomplish that purpose, add it.

Back to our case study from the previous article in this series:

The purpose of MMP’s email communications is to gather and report the latest marketing-industry news, trends and research.

The purpose of Just Bulbs’ email communications is primarily to sell light bulbs. They’ll also share information about their products (light bulbs) and reward their readers with special offers and sales.

Tips for creating and gathering content for your email marketing campaign:

Your content is the most important part of your email newsletters. Here are some content-related tips:

Give your readers the VIP treatment

The people who subscribe to your email list are so interested in you and your business that they have asked you to reach out to them directly (by signing up for your newsletter). Honor this group of dedicated customers and fans. Let them be the first to know about any important or interesting news (such as sales, new products, business changes, etc.). Give them access to special benefits as subscribers. Maybe even give them special insight into your company so they feel like they are getting to know you on a personal level.

Keep It Useful

Think about how you decide which emails you want to open and which ones you delete right away. You don’t open an email that doesn’t benefit you in some way. Make sure the content you fill your newsletter with benefits your subscribers. Some common things to include in an e-newsletter are:

• Industry news and information
• Useful tips and tricks
• Surveys and polls
• Special offers and exclusive coupons
• Q&As
• Promotional material
• Photos of staff around your office

Keep It Short

Most people are bombarded with tons of emails each day. Keep your newsletter short and easy to digest. If you’re including a long interview, story or article, just feature the headline and first paragraph (or a short summary) in your newsletter and provide a link to the full piece on your website. This allows your readers to decide what they want to read quickly and bypass the information they’re not interested in.

Show Some Personality

No one wants to read a dry and boring newsletter—put some personality into it. The email newsletter format is less formal than a print article or brochure. Try to write the way you might speak to one of your subscribers if you were discussing the same information. Find your voice.

Learn More About Email Marketing:

• Webinar: Introduction to Email Marketing with MailChimp
• Email Marketing Series: Create a Timeline
• Email Marketing Series: Determine Your Frequency
• Email Marketing Series: Outline Your Goals
• Email Marketing Series: Define Your Purpose