I am constantly surprised by how much people avoid and procrastinate starting, or continuing, to write a newsletter. I know that they know they “should” do it, but I think most people are missing one of the most important reasons to do it.
Let me be clear, I get the reasons not to do it. I thought my heart was going to stop the first time I pressed “send” on mine! It takes courage to put your point of view into the world. And I know many people worry about the time commitment.
But let’s look at some of the obvious, and the not-so-obvious, reasons to do it.
1. Maximize Your Networking
If you are networking and meeting people and not following up to make the sale, and you’ve got no systemized way to keep in touch with them, you are missing a tremendous opportunity. I have new clients all the time that I’ve met in person at some point and suddenly a newsletter message resonates with them and spurs them into action. Had I not given them the option to sign up for my newsletter, they would have forgotten I could help them.
2. Be There When They Need You
If someone isn’t at a place to need what you offer when you meet them, being in their inbox regularly allows you to be in front of them at the time they need you most.
3. Let People Get to Know You
Regular communication allows you to develop the “know, like and trust” factor. Your personality can come through, and you can establish your personal expertise.
4. Offer Your Services and Predict Results
When you are engaging people with valuable free content 90% of the time, you can also make offers for your services on a consistent basis as well. And because everything is measurable (if you’re using the right system – I use Infusionsoft, many of my clients start with 1 Shopping Cart), you can predict the results you will get from your actions.
Start a Love Affair
But the less obvious reasons to write your newsletter that I believe can compel newer business owners to get started, and is the reason I still love my newsletter, are these:
A. Clarify Your Message
B. Keep Pulse on your Clients Needs
A. Clarify Your Message
When you are new in business and it feels as if everything is in flux – you are trying to establish your brand, your ideal client, your point of view, and the main benefits of working with you – and also put systems and structures in place for HOW you work, I believe your newsletter is one of the best places to work that stuff out.
As my clients are “figuring out” their brand, I often give them an assignment to first get really clear about who they would write to, and then write 3-5 articles about topics they would want to express to that ideal client. It is often in this process that their unique brand and point of view emerges.
As an established business, your newsletter “keeps you honest.” By that I mean, when you know that you are going to need something to share each week with your followers, you’ll be thinking about who you are and what you have to say. It let’s you explore different aspects of your point of view, and forces you to become aware of times when your point of view is changing.
I knew it was time to rebrand my business when I noticed that the things I was wanting to write about no longer fit under my old umbrella. Wherever you are in your business, the mere process of writing your newsletter will give you an opportunity to grow. Every time we have to put our thoughts into writing, we gain clarity.
B. Keep Pulse on Your Client’s Needs
Knowing I am going to write every week causes me to pay attention in a different way to what is going on with myself in my own world, and with my clients. I look for trends in the conversations I have throughout the week, which then inspire my article for the week.
Some of my best ideas for programs and offerings are a result of this attention. Of course I always listen to what my individual clients need, but taking the time each week to look for trends allows me to make my program offerings more effective.
Now, get writing! (And remember you could choose to deliver your message in video or even audio too!)