How to create a newsletter in 5 steps?
Do you already have a community around your blog or social media profiles on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram? It's time to establish a closer relationship with them.
Remember, these companies can cut your reach at any time, or you can lose access to your social media account in many different ways. What then? If you don't have an email list of your fans, your business will suffer.
Why do you need a newsletter?
If someone reads a valuable article on your website, there's a good chance they won't come back without establishing a relationship. A newsletter facilitates this kind of relationship.
Moreover, not only websites are at risk of being forgotten in the noise of information. Despite subscribing, liking, and "following" your content may disappear in the midst of other accounts that your potential subscriber is observing.
A newsletter will help you establish a closer relationship, gain direct feedback from actual readers, and provide the opportunity to sell a course or any other product.
5 steps to creating your own newsletter
Step 1: Choose a newsletter platform
Start by choosing a platform for sending newsletters. If you've thought about sending newsletters via a mail program, abandon that idea immediately. Those are not programs designed for such tasks. The platform sends emails in batches and has the appropriate mechanisms to minimize the likelihood of your message being treated as spam.
I recommend two platforms to choose from. The first is MailerLite, which has a free pool of 1000 subscribers. The second option is a more advanced and paid platform called GetResponse. If you just want to send a newsletter, choose the first one. GetResponse also offers organizing webinars and has a more advanced automation system.
Step 2: Place the form on the website
Each platform offering the possibility of signing up for a newsletter has a tool for creating sign-up forms. After logging in, go to the appropriate tab, choose which fields the subscriber should fill in, and get the code to paste into the page (ask the website creator if you don't know how to do it).
If you use the WordPress platform, there is likely a plugin available that integrates the site with the platform.
The location where you place the newsletter sign-up form also plays a significant role. It can be: a separate subpage, the footer of the page, a side column, a separate place below the blog article, or a pop-up window. Use the last option with caution. No one likes something that suddenly pops up after a few seconds of browsing.
Also, remember to label the form appropriately with a consent clause for sending the newsletter and a link to the privacy policy. We are all subject to the GDPR.
Step 3: Inform your community
Go to your social media profile and announce to everyone that you are launching a newsletter sign-up. However, that's not all. To increase the effectiveness of your message, provide some information. People need to know what will be in this newsletter, why they should sign up, and where the idea came from.
At this point, you can also consider offering something in return. It can be an e-book, a discount on your services, or even free access to a course. After all, the person on the other side will have to provide you with their email address, which they usually guard against spam.
Step 4: Creating the first campaign
In newsletter delivery tools, you will encounter the term "campaign." It's the name of the entire message that you send to your subscribers. The first campaign is crucial because it's the first impression that will stick with your subscribers. It's good to include information about who you are, what you do, and what topics the newsletter will cover. Additionally, you can also include a welcome gift, such as a discount on your products or services, to thank the subscriber for signing up.
Step 5: Draw conclusions and make recommendations
After analyzing the data, you should be able to draw conclusions about the research question or problem you were investigating. These conclusions should be based on the evidence you collected and the analysis you conducted. You should also be able to make recommendations for future action based on your conclusions.
When drawing conclusions, it is important to be objective and avoid making assumptions that are not supported by the data. You should also consider any limitations of the study, such as the sample size, the representativeness of the sample, and the validity and reliability of the measures used.
When making recommendations, you should think about how your findings can be applied in practice. This might involve suggesting changes to policies or practices, or identifying areas where further research is needed.
Overall, the goal of data analysis is to use data to gain insights and inform decision-making. By following these five steps, you can ensure that your data analysis is thorough, accurate, and useful.
Ready to create your first newsletter?
If you're looking for an email marketing service to start your own newsletter, both GetResponse and MailerLite are excellent options to consider. GetResponse offers a wide range of features, including landing page creation and webinar hosting, while MailerLite focuses on simplicity and ease of use. Both services offer affordable pricing plans and a free trial period, so you can try them out before committing. Ultimately, the choice between the two will depend on your specific needs and preferences, but either one can be a great choice for creating and managing your own newsletter.