Dr. Loudon’s Checklist To Creating a High-Quality Newsletter
Your Essential Guide to Crafting a Newsletter That Engages, Converts, and Builds Loyalty!
What Exactly Is A Newsletter?
An email newsletter is a periodic email sent to subscribers, offering updates and news about your brand or product. It’s a tool for your business to stay in touch with customers, promote products, and build brand awareness. Newsletters can be weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, and typically feature content like company announcements, industry trends, expert articles/blog links, promotions, and customer and/or company stories.
They are a great way to nurture customer relationships, keep your audience engaged, generate leads, and drive sales.
#1
Define Your Newsletter’s Purpose
If you have been in my circle for a while you know I always advocate starting every project with intention. Begin each newsletter creation by defining your intention such as fostering connection, driving traffic, or sharing valuable insights. It may be all three. Next, define the target audience and understand what matters most to them. This approach ensures that your content aligns with both your goals and the audience's interests.
#2
Plan Your Content
Create a consistent schedule for your newsletters, whether it’s weekly, bi-weekly or monthly (best practice is weekly). Brainstorm topics that are relevant and valuable, aligning them with your business goals. To save time and maintain consistency, batch-create multiple newsletters in advance.
#3
Craft a Compelling Subject Line
It’s important to craft subject lines that are intriguing and attention-grabbing to encourage opens. Keep them short and to the point, ensuring they’re concise yet impactful. Ways to increase open rates with subject lines:
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Including the recipient’s name in your subject line can increase open rate by up to 18.30%.
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Adding a sense of urgency or exclusivity, like "Limited Time Offer" or "Only for You," can also increase open rates.
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By using action verbs in your subject lines, you can make them more enticing and clickable.
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Asking a question is one of the best ways to hook the readers with your subject line. It triggers their curiosity and makes them more likely to open the email.
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Promise a Specific Benefit; Clearly communicate what the email offers in a way that’s directly applicable to their needs.
For example:
Better: "3 Simple Strategies to Boost Your Dog Training Business"
Worse: "Unleash Your Business Potential Today!" -
The better example provides specific value and sets clear expectations, making it more likely to catch the recipient’s attention and encourage them to open the email
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Using numbers provides clear, measurable value, which makes your subject line more compelling and actionable
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Using subject lines with all CAPITAL LETTERS or a lot of exclamation points!!!! is the best way to get your subject lines ignored. So, don’t do that…
The subject line should also accurately reflect the content of the newsletter to build trust and deliver on the reader's expectations. Chat GPT can be a useful tool to help you generate subject lines.
#4
Write an Engaging First Paragraph
To start a newsletter with an opening paragraph that encourages connection, begin by addressing the reader directly and acknowledging their interests or concerns. Share a personal story or relatable experience that ties into the newsletter's theme, making it clear that you understand their needs. This approach not only builds rapport but also invites the reader to engage with the content on a more personal level.
#5
Structure Your Newsletter: Use A Range Of Ideas To Keep It Interesting
I like to have 3-4 segments in each newsletter. Segments to consider include;
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Personal Story/Update: Share a recent experience from your life or work, such as a success story or case study.
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Relevant News: Include news stories related to your topic that your audience will find valuable.
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Upcoming Events: Highlight any upcoming events that readers might be interested in.
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Product Offers: Promote any special offers or new products.
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New Content: Direct readers to fresh content, like blog posts, videos, or podcasts, with clear links.
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Teasers/Previews: Provide a sneak peek of upcoming content to build anticipation and engagement.
Try to keep at least one of the categories consistent so your subscribers have something to look forward to.
#6
Make Your Design Visually Appealing
Everyone loves pictures and appreciates pretty design. Use images to catch the eye and spark interest. Throw in a pic of you and the fam or your dog to create interest and connection. Incorporate illustrations, photos, or videos to make the content more dynamic and engaging. Whatever elements you choose, ensure your newsletter design is distinctive and stands out. And, of course, stays on brand.
#7
Include Clear CTAs
Include multiple call-to-action (CTA) buttons or links throughout the newsletter to guide readers toward desired actions. Ensure each CTA is clear, compelling, and directly aligned with your overall objectives. This approach helps drive engagement and achieves your newsletter’s goals.
#8
Proofread and Edit
Check for grammatical errors, typos, and overall readability. Take it from someone who was born without the spelling part of her brain—ChatGPT’s spell check keeps me in business! However, don’t rely on ChatGPT to write your copy entirely, as it will lack your unique voice and style.
#9
Test Before Sending
Before sending your newsletter, always send a test email to yourself for a fresh perspective. I almost always end up changing at least one thing after reviewing my test email. Check for formatting issues, broken links, and overall appearance. Most importantly, ensure every link works correctly and directs to the intended page—there’s nothing more embarrassing than a broken link.
#10
Monitor and Analyze Performance
If you’re not measuring, you’re not managing. And although us creatives hate to measure, it is an absolute must for success. Track key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversions to evaluate your newsletter's performance. Analyze this data to understand what resonates with your audience. Use these insights to refine and improve future newsletters for better engagement.
#11
Follow-Up
Consider creating follow-up sequences based on how readers interact with your newsletter. Engage specifically with those who click on CTAs or respond to the content. This targeted approach helps build stronger relationships and increases engagement.
Your Path to Engaging and Effective Newsletters
This checklist will help ensure that your newsletters are well-planned, engaging, and effective in achieving your goals. And help reveal your awesomeness to the world 🤗. Your newsletter is an opportunity to connect, share, and provide value to your audience. Focus on the impact you’re making rather than the pressure to be perfect. Experiment, have fun with your content, and embrace your unique voice—because when you enjoy the process, your audience will feel it too!
