Email Newsletter Set-Up Tips

For those new to email marketing and email newsletters, signing up for a free trial with a service like Constant Contact or MailChimp can be the perfect way to get your feet wet. Email marketing software is easy to use, with customization options built in, and ready-made templates so you don’t have to be a designer to make it look good.

Don’t worry about perfection just yet. Getting started should be your top priority for now, and beginning with a weekly or monthly newsletter is a quick win that can help you build momentum for future campaigns.

You Need an Email Newsletter—Here’s How to Do It With 6 Tips For Success

After you set up your account with an email service provider, you will want to set up and send an email newsletter to your email list.

#1 – Start With a Template That Has a Clean Design

Look at the email templates available, and choose one that you like. Most email software provides hundreds of templates to choose from, so that you can easily have a professional-looking email newsletter in HTML format.

Be sure you use a clean design or template that matches the fonts and colors on your website (to maintain your brand but opt for designs that focus on headlines not graphics). Keep in mind the average preview pane size is around 638×86 pixels, so most people won’t even see beyond the first 100 pixels of your email!

Make sure that you have your value proposition and calls to action within the first 100 pixels.Large header graphics can cause real issues, so keep it simple at the top of the email. And make sure to create a text-only version as well.

You can always your own newsletter template or edit an existing one if you don’t like the pre-designed templates. Designing your own template requires no HTML knowledge, as the programs usually have a drag-and-drop interface for creating email templates.

#2 – Nail the Subject Line

Write an enticing and informative subject line. It needs to be enticing to give readers a reason to open it up and read it.

At the same time, you will want to be informative enough so that the recipients know who and where this email is coming from. They decided to opt-in to your newsletter, so the subject line must communicate that this is coming from you or your company.

#3 – Ensure Recipients Know Who the Emails Are “From”

Set up the “from” name on your emails as well. This also will help your readers know where the email is coming from and ensure their comfort in opening it.

Look at this example above. The “from” line is “Amanda at Clearscope” (even though the address itself is from a generic company company email).

Once your template and “from” line are saved into the software program you’ve chosen, you’ll find that sending weekly or monthly emails is as easy as thinking up ideas (as you won’t have to deal with this every time).

#4 – Be Consistent With Your Branding Strategy

Add your company logo to the template you’ve selected, choosing colors and fonts that will match the message you are trying to communicate. The “mood” of your company needs to be conveyed in this design, whether it is formal and professional, or loose and fun.

Integrate your social networks. Most email software allows you to include icons that will link to your Facebook page, Twitter profile, or LinkedIn page. This can widely expand your exposure to the reader. Social media sharing buttons can make your email marketing go viral. Experiment with taking the icons out as well, to see if they help or hurt conversion rates.

#5 – Prioritize Personalization and Segment Your Lists

 Personalize the email to address the recipient directly using the ESP’s tools for doing so. This allows you to make the newsletter feel a bit more personalized instead of having a “mass email” feel. According to HubSpot, their customers see much greater open rates when they use the person’s first name in the subject line.

Import an existing email list from many different common databases for the software to address. Once this is done, you can group or segment subscribers into different categories to send separate and focused emails to each of them.

#6 – Always Test Before Sending

Once your newsletter is ready, preview it to make sure that everything is formatted and designed correctly. You also have the ability to test-send it to be sure that it is not blocked by spam filters.

You can then either send it right away or schedule it to be sent at a later time. Don’t obsess over the best time to send it, as you will hear conflicting recommendations. I personally like sending newsletters out on Tuesdays at 11 a.m., but I have heard some super-gurus say they get the best results on weekends when other people are afraid to send email newsletters. Test various times and days to see what actually works best for your customers. If you find more people opening and clicking links in your newsletter when they’re sent on Fridays than on Tuesdays, then go with Fridays, since that’s what works for your market.

Email marketing and lead nurturing are connected at the hip, and email can be used to nudge people through the stages of the buying cycle.