For your WAHM business, a regular newsletter can be one of your most valuable marketing tools. Your newsletter gives you a way to keep in touch with people who are interested in your services or products, but are not yet ready to become a customer. And for current customers or clients, your newsletter gives you an easy and affordable way to keep them updated with your business news and sell them even more products or services.
For my own WAHM websites, regular newsletters have been invaluable for educating my members, building relationships with potential clients, and even making sales from affiliate products.
When you’re first setting up your newsletter, there are basically three newsletter formats you can choose from. Here’s a brief summary.
Your WAHM Newsletter – 3 Ways You Can Go
1. An HTML newsletter. These are the pretty newsletters you get that are nicely formatted and include pictures or graphics. They are created in HTML code, but you don’t necessarily need to be a coder to create them. If you want to send out HTML newsletters you can use a newsletter service that offers HTML templates you can customize, like Constant Contact or AWeber. Or you can hire another WAHM to create a template for you to customize for each issue.
2. A text newsletter. These are the newsletters you get that don’t really look like newsletters; they look like regular emails. These are easy to create… all you have to do is type in the text. While text newsletters aren’t as pretty as HTML newsletters, they are easier to read for some people, depending on how they pick up their email. Plus, these look like messages from friends, which could mean more people actually read them.
3. A PDF newsletter. These are created in a Portable Document Format (PDF) and uploaded to your website. Then you send out a link to the newsletter. You will need a program that creates PDF documents to send out your newsletter this way. If you’re graphically inclined, or work with another WAHM who is, you can do a lot of nice formatting with these. Also, it’s one way to send a print newsletter without the cost of printing. Your subscribers can just print it out for themselves.
One thing to remember with PDF newsletters is that it’s nice to include a friendly note in the email you send out to announce your newsletter is ready. An email with just a link saying, “Hi, here’s your newsletter,” could easily be ignored by your subscribers on a busy email day.
Which Newsletter Format is Right for Your WAHM Biz?
For one thing, it depends on which you’re most comfortable using. If you don’t know any HTML and you’re not prepared to hire someone for help, you might not want to start out with an HTML newsletter.
Do a little digging and see what other businesses are sending out to your target market. That will give you some insight into what your subscribers like to get and what they’re used to receiving.
Finally, choose a format you’ll be willing to work with on a regular basis. Can’t stand the monotony of a black and white text email? You probably won’t look forward to putting your newsletter together each month or each week if you don’t like looking at it. Choose a format you will send out regularly so you can stay in touch with your valued subscribers.
Whatever format you choose, remember it’s not set in stone. As your WAHM business grows and your skills develop, it’s natural that your newsletter will evolve too. If you start out with a text newsletter, you can redesign and change to an HTML format when you’re more skilled. Or if you start out with a PDF version and want to simplify later on, you can always revamp and move to a text newsletter.
The most important thing is that you actually do start a newsletter – it’s one of the best business building tools there is. The rest will fall into place over time.
Want more subscribers for your WAHM newsletter? Submit your articles at http://www.WAHM-Articles.com and get free traffic for your work-at-home-mom-website. Subscribe to our newsletter WAHM Tips and get weekly work at home tips from work-at-home-moms who have been there and done that. Denise Willms is a work-at-home-mom of two teens and owner of WAHM-Articles.com.
Author: Denise Willms
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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I was just recently struggling with this idea (among a million others) and think for now I am going to stick with plain text. One because adding more technical tasks for me is not in my interest and two, because when I get the more “fancy’ e-mails the graphics tend to distract me from the message
Anyway, even though I am a work at home dad (and mom!), your site is very consistent with my philosophy.
Keep up the good work!
Mark
Mark Aylward recently posted..Niche Marketing Strategy Secrets Revealed
Thank you Mark for your comment,
One thing we all have to keep in mind to is that people are starting to read their email on their phones. I prefer receiving text emails because I read my emails on my phone too. And it is why I choose this format to send out as well. I only have a image as a header for my newsletters for branding, but the rest is mostly text.
You are right, I didn’t even think about that,as I was on my computer, but I use my I-phone for this all the time and with images I simply discard the message for later.
Fyi, I am going to send both my sisters in-law to your site. Would you recommend anything other than simply linking them to your home page? Do you have an affiliate program?
Cheers
Mark
Mark Aylward recently posted..Niche Marketing Strategy Secrets Revealed
Thank you. I do have an affiliate program. You can find information on it here http://www.marketingforwahm.com/wahm-affiliate.html
Glad you are enjoying my site,
Emily
Hi! Stopping by from MBC. Great blog.
Have a nice day!
I usually use Teaqser copy with a Link back to a nice newsletter or piece of content on my blog.
Thanks for the overview of newsletters. I haven’t started one yet; don’t even have an email list, and certainly didn’t know about the options here. Seems like most people I know use the text option, and it does sound like the easiest, at least for starting. But knowing about the other ways gives me options, future though they may be. Thanks!
Thanks, I’m glad I gave you some more ideas to think about.
I never had an idea in having newsletters and since you posted it I knew then about newsletters and it’s importance. Thanks for this wonderful information, I learn a lot of things here.
Brooklyn Evans recently posted..Cheap Mud Tires
Hands down, Apple’s app shop wins by a mile. It’s a massive assortment of all kinds of apps vs a relatively sad variety of a handful for Zune. Microsoft has ideas, specially in the realm of video games, but I’m not confident I’d want to bet on the long term if this facet is crucial to you. The iPod is a considerably far better selection in that circumstance.