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Creating an Effective Newsletter Article
You know a lot about your industry
that others would find interesting. You also have your own
experiences and stories that bring personality to your
knowledge. This is the foundation for creating a newsletter
article.
You
may find it hard to start with a blank screen or piece
paper. That whiteness is intimidating and many people
never get past it. But writing an article is an inexpensive
and great way to not only stay in contact with your clients, but
also to create clients out of contacts.
Coming
Up With A Topic - A great place to start is to address some of
those frequently asked questions. When you talk about your
industry or are at a sales meeting, what questions are you often asked? What tips or
advice can you share with people? Create a case study of a
business that was having an issue that you helped with.
What information you provide will depend on what your industry is
and what you want to accomplish. A car dealer might write about
tips to buying a used car, a jeweler may tell people how to care
for their fine jewelry, a mortgage broker might list 10 mistakes
people make when shopping for a mortgage, or a marketing company
may give you hints on writing a newsletter article. Don't
worry about telling people stuff you think they already know. They
may not, or maybe they could use a refresher. How often have
you heard that you should change your smoke detector batteries
when Daylight Savings Time changes? (which by the way is
October 30)
Involved
Your Readers - Have a way for readers to suggest a
topic or ask a question. This not only involves them, but also helps to give you material for
future articles.
Don't Worry About Giving Too Much Away - Often when I suggest clients write articles
for their website or newsletters, they worry about giving away too
much information. Sometimes you have to give people a
"taste" of what you can offer them before they will
buy. Krispy Kreme has a big red light telling people that
they have hot donuts ready to try. Jimmy John's
subs has a sign in their window that says "free
smells". In both cases, their sales techniques are
unique and memorable... and they work. Some companies, like insurance
brokers, realtors, or consultants, don't always have a product
they can give away. What they can do is educate people
on what sort of coverage they should have, or what to look for
when buying a house. Of course, don't give away trade secrets... but
you do want to offer enough information to be helpful, that will position
you as an
expert, and leave them wanting
more.
Don't
Write A Book - People are busy and don't have time to sit and read
a 2 page article on sharpening knives, no matter how interesting
you make it. Keep it short and easy to remember, or break it into
two articles.
Be
Yourself - Don't write a technical manual. Keep it
simple, fun, and interesting. Look back at articles you have
enjoyed reading. Why did you like them? Pretend you
are talking to someone on the phone or at a sales meeting.
How you would explain the topic to them?
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