7 Profit-Building Opportunities You’re Losing if You Don't Have a Newsletter

If you’re like me, when it comes to increasing your sales, you’re continuously on the lookout for three items: ideas for growing your business, secret bargains and free publicity. In this report, I’m going to tell you about one easy-to-create, low-cost marketing tool that meets these three criteria -- a newsletter.

Not only is a newsletter the perfect forum for displaying your own writing, it can also help you build a targeted subscriber list for sending special offers. As for the content, you’ll want to cover topics of interest to your industry and distribute your news on a regular basis. Whether you send the newsletter through e-mail or snail mail is your choice. I prefer a text e-mail (instead of HTML) -- it’s easier to create, more convenient to read and less costly than a visit to the post office.

Newsletter Benefit #1: You can promote your business as much as you want … within reason. Why spend money on costly advertising when your target audience is as close and accessible as an e-mail? By sending a newsletter, you control what’s being said about your company (unlike when you appear in the media -- where you have limited control). Also, you’re not limited by space constraints and hefty advertising rates. However, when you’re writing your newsletter, avoid the urge to over-promote. You want to still offer your readers enough information so they see their subscription as valuable and not as a blatant selling forum for your company.

Newsletter Benefit #2: You now have a way to pitch your products and increase sales without the need for cold-calling. I understand cold-calling is an effective technique for some businesses. And that there are plenty of people who enjoy calling people at random, but I’m not one of them. I don’t know about you, but I hate being on the receiving end of telemarketers’ calls. I know they’re only doing their job, but rarely is there ever a convenient time to hear a sales pitch. So instead of wasting your breath talking on the phone, try sending that idea to a collection of people who have agreed to receive your pitch.

Newsletter Benefit #3: You can build loyalty with readers. When you have a subscriber list and use it frequently, you are -- in a way -- “educating” your current and prospective clients about your services every time you e-mail something out. Why is this important? Because, in studies, this type of instruction has been shown to increase purchase rates, while turning hesitant prospects into enthusiastic customers. Because of loyalty, your subscribers will be more likely to buy from you than someone offering a similar product or service -- even if your purchase price is higher.

Newsletter Benefit #4: You encourage repeat customers. Keeping people updated about your services or products is a great way to ensure repeat purchases. If people don’t know what you have to offer, they have no reason to buy. As a bonus, because repeat customers are satisfied customers, they’re likely to tell someone else about your company. This process can repeat itself a virtually unlimited number of times. Aren’t referrals great?

Newsletter Benefit #5: You can easily fill “down time.” It’s a fact: Every company goes through periods when business slows. During those times when the cash register isn’t ringing as much as you want it to, why not offer a special deal or discounted rate to your subscribers? If your readers view the bargain as valuable, you’re certain to fill your down time with billable hours. The larger your list, the more likely the chances for added profits.

Newsletter Benefit #6: You’ll create “personal” connections with people you may have never seen or talk to. Yes, eventually, people will feel like they know you when they receive information from you on a frequent basis. I know it seems crazy, but the more people who see your name and associate it with a specific subject, the more they feel like they have a personal connection with you. And that’s great! After all, people like to buy from people they know, right?

Newsletter Benefit #7: You can promote other businesses. The more people get to know you, the more they start trusting you. (As a side note, please do not take advantage of this privilege.) Use your newsletter as an opportunity to promote businesses that complement your services. After all, if people are looking for the product or service you provide, it’s likely they’ll also need corresponding offerings. The situation is a win-win-win for every party involved. Your current or prospective clients learn about another qualified company that can meet their needs; the other business has an opportunity to collect another client; and you now have at least two additional people who will remember you because of the connection you created. The more often you refer business, the more likely people are to return the favor.

So now that you know why you need a newsletter, how do you get people to sign up on your mailing list?

Well, you never know until you ask. If you don’t already have a mailing list, then every client you have represents a potential name on your subscriber list. Ask each person if you can add them to your mailing list so they can take advantage of exclusive offers, while receiving the latest industry news.

Furthermore, how many new people do you meet every week? Think about it … I’m willing to bet each of you meet one or two new people -- at a minimum -- each week through work, friends or family. Why not ask new acquaintances for their permission to add them to your list? It’s a great way to introduce yourself and your business.

Be prepared, though, as you may have to offer some kind of gift in return. Sometimes it can be difficult for someone to submit their e-mail to a stranger, so it might take a little coaxing. I recommend taking advantage of the one word that is guaranteed to attract interest and new clients, regardless of the type of sales literature you use it in -- FREE. You can create a sign-in page for your newsletter on your Web site. In return, offer a article similar to this one.

To conclude this piece, I want to give you one warning: If someone asks to be taken off your list, make sure it happens. You don’t want to jeopardize your credibility by not following through on a simple request from a subscriber.

Why Your Prospects Make Purchases

I frequently remind clients and groups I speak to that a consumer makes purchases based on emotional -- not rational -- reasons. Many times writers marketing a product have no problem explaining its technical details, but they have difficulty describing the psychological experience that makes their gadgets great.

By visualizing your prospects’ desired state of emotion, you can tailor your text to meet their needs. Then, once you’ve “sold” them on your product or service using emotional reasoning, you can support your claims with logical explanations that demonstrate why the purchase was necessary.

In his latest book, Buying Trances, Joe Vitale (a favorite copywriter of mine) lists the following 26 reasons why people buy anything. By appealing to one of more of the following motives in your marketing literature, your chances of seeing a sale will improve dramatically:

1. To make money.
2. To save money.
3. To save time.
4. To avoid effort.
5. To get more comfort.
6. To achieve greater cleanliness.
7. To attain better health.
8. To escape physical pain.
9. To gain praise.
10. To be popular.
11. To attract the opposite sex.
12. To conserve possessions.
13. To increase enjoyment.
14. To gratify curiosity.
15. To protect family.
16. To be in style.
17. To have or hold beautiful possessions.
18. To satisfy appetite.
19. To emulate others.
20. To avoid trouble.
21. To avoid criticism.
22. To be individual.
23. To protect reputation.
24. To take advantage of opportunities.
25. To have safety.
26. To make work easier.

Jelly Belly’s Secret

Because I make a fair share of online purchases, I find myself on the receiving end of many companies’ e-mail blasts, and I’m always amazed at the writing techniques (or lack thereof) businesses use to get me to open their messages.

No, I’m not referring to the writing found in spam e-mails -- which obviously require no writing skills whatsoever -- I’m talking about the e-mails from reputable retailers offering various products and services. Rarely will I open these e-mails for one of two reasons: either the writing provided no incentive or it wasn't strong enough to appeal to my curiosity.

However, this morning was different. After going through the usual deleting process, I came across an e-mail that sparked my interest. It was sent by one of corporate America’s most highly respected executives, Mr. Jelly Belly.

The subject read “Shhh...Jelly Belly has a secret Belly Flops event!”

Immediately, my imagination went to work. I envisioned a large man dressed up as a Jelly Belly jelly bean, flopping himself into a crystal-clear pool surrounded by cheering fans.

I wondered, is some kind of belly-flop event coming to Phoenix? The thought was too much to ignore, so I opened the e-mail and saw this …

To the right of the picture I noticed a large block of text that seemed too lengthy to read, especially at 6 a.m. However, since the text in the subject line created such a vivid image, I forced myself to scan Mr. Jelly Belly’s message. After all, I was curious.

As it turns out, Belly Flops are the “Jelly Belly jelly beans that are a little less perfect … or the ones that somehow escaped the Jelly Belly logo stamper.” Mr. Jelly Belly’s e-mail offered these beans at a discounted price. Although I didn’t buy any beans, his proposition grabbed my interest because it used five effective copywriting techniques that many companies overlook.

(I must stress that by no means was Mr. Jelly Belly’s e-mail a written work of art, but the content quality was well beyond what normally shows up in my inbox.)

1. Mr. Jelly Belly crafted words that helped create a visual image. Sure, the picture in my head was probably different than what Mr. Jelly Belly intended, but that’s not as important as the fact I opened the e-mail.

2. Mr. Jelly Belly used humor. Although it wasn’t fall-on-the-ground funny, the image of a jelly bean dressed in a swim cap and goggles was at least fun.

3. Mr. Jelly Belly set a deadline. The $8 price for two pounds of Belly Flops (which apparently have been sought after for many years) is only valid until Easter Sunday. Mr. Jelly Belly’s deadline encourages a fast response.

4. Mr. Jelly Belly stressed exclusivity. Only “friends” on the Jelly Belly mailing list have access to his offer and the “hidden” Belly Flops page for ordering.

5. Mr. Jelly Belly tied his offer into a holiday. Jelly Belly jelly beans and Easter are a well-known combination. The days prior to Easter are when the Easter Bunny is looking for items to fill baskets.

The next time you decide to offer your product or service through e-mail, try some of Mr. Jelly Belly’s techniques to increase your response rate. One warning, though, you may have to include some of your own techniques as well. After all, the pitch wasn't strong enough to generate the ultimate response from me -- the purchase.

By the way, if you want access to the “hidden” page for ordering Belly Flops, you can view it here.