Are you feeling overwhelmed by your newsletter for your therapy or coaching website? This post is for you! We have 10 quick tips and helpful reminders to make the most of your newsletter.
Not just a promotional tool, your newsletter is a priceless opportunity to connect with the people on your email list – the people who are already interested in what you do and what you have to offer. Your newsletter is your chance to share valuable information more directly than just on your blog, and build solid relationships with readers that could become future clients.
Tip #1: Use Your Name Instead of Your Business Name in the “From” Field
Have you ever received an email from a company and without a second thought, your finger goes straight for the delete button, as if it were a natural reflex?
We have too.
Here’s the thing — seeing a person’s name pop up in your inbox is much friendlier than seeing a business name. Why? We automatically feel personally connected to a person more than a company.
Even if you have a sweet business name, we recommend including your name in the “From” section of your email newsletters. It makes it feel more like an email from a trusted friend instead of sales push. Also, and perhaps more importantly, your email is less likely to end up in someone’s Spam folder or Promotions folder (if they use Gmail) because you used a “real” name in the “From” field.
Depending on the email provider you use, this might be set-up when you create the specific list you’re mailing to or you may be able to adjust it with each email you send. Check your autoresponder settings, and reach out if you have any difficulty.
Tip #2: Limit the Number of Images You Use in Your Newsletter
Everyone loves a good visual element, but too many pretty photos or graphics can have a number of drawbacks for your newsletter.
Why? Well, first off, newsletters with more than one or two images often end up in a reader’s Spam folder or Promotions folder (if they use Gmail), which means they’re less likely to open and read the wisdom you have to offer.
Second, more than half of people today read their email on their smartphones, and if your newsletter has a lot of images in it, it can take a long time to load on that tiny screen. Slow loading emails usually lead to one simple action: delete.
Tip #3: Include a Link to Your Website in the Footer/Bottom of Every Email
This can be a very simple addition. Most email newsletter providers allow you to customize a template that you can use for all the newsletters you send. In that template, include a link to your website in the footer (aka the bottom) of your template so it will show up in each newsletter you send.
Why? As a business owner, your goal is to make it as easy as possible for potential clients to find out more about you and get in touch with you. Always make your website, your home on the internet, easy to find.
Tip #4: Add Links to Your Social Media Profiles in Your Footer Too
While we’re on the subject of creating a template for your newsletter, definitely include links to any social media profiles you actively use for your business.
If you’re not currently using social media like Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, or LinkedIn for your business, that’s totally cool – you can skip this step!
Why? Not everyone on your list has time to read every newsletter you send. As with your website, make sure it’s easy for your readers and potential clients to find your social media profiles so they can follow and interact with you in a place that is super convenient for them.
Also, the more they see you and interact with you, the more likely they are to become your client – this is often called being pleasantly persistent.
Tip #5: Include Your Reader’s Name at the Beginning of Each Newsletter (by Using an Email Tag)
This is another template tip, and the “tag” you need to use will depend up your email newsletter provider.
Why? By including a tag that “pulls” the reader’s first name from the info you collected from them, your emails appear much friendlier. This also creates a great sense of connection with your reader and newsletters that include a person’s name are opened more than twice as often.
Tip #6: Keep your Newsletter Visually Simple
One last mention about your newsletter template, and it’s a simple one (pun intended). Much like our earlier tip about using only one or two images in each newsletter, keep your overall newsletter template very simple: include your logo at the top, one column of info/text with an image, and that’s it.
Why? We’re all bombarded with media these days, including the newsletters in our inbox. Assuming that your readers are like most people, they’ll receive 10-20 different newsletters each day (if not more!). If your email is simple and straightforward, they’ll be more likely to take the time to read and enjoy it. If there’s too much content, they’ll be overwhelmed and delete it.
Tip #7: Keep it Simple for Content Too – 1 Subject, 1 Focus, 1 Call to Action
This tip is what to keep at the front of your mind each time to sit down to write a newsletter to send to your readers. Focus on just 1 subject or 1 blog post and provide a clear call to action at the end of each newsletter (do you want them to go to your site to read the blog post? or share it on social media? … etc.)
Why? Therapy and coaching is already a touchy, difficult subject for anyone. If you have a newsletter that is overflowing with content, readers may quickly feel scared or overwhelmed and they’ll delete it (or even unsubscribe).
When in doubt, keep it simple.
Tip #8: Write as Though You’re Talking to One Person
Give this person a name, if you need to. While you’re writing, imagine you’re writing to that one person who you know needs the information you have to offer. Write to that person like a mature friend, being as helpful as possible. (Your website and social media links are already in your template’s footer, so your promotional angle is already included – focus on helping).
Why? When you have one person in mind while you’re writing (even if they don’t actually exist), the words you choose will naturally be friendlier and more supportive. Your readers will find it even easier to connect with you as they read your newsletter, making it even more likely that they’ll become your client or seek out help in their local area.
Tip #9: Be Specific – Write About the Topic Your Readers Signed Up For
Chances are, you have multiple specialties on your therapy or coaching website. If you have a different free offering (like a free report or download) on each of your specialty pages, then you only want to send people on that list content about that specific specialty.
For example, let’s say you have a Couples Counseling page and an Anxiety Treatment page, each of which have corresponding free reports to download. Each time someone downloads your free report from your couples counseling page, they are added to your couples counseling list (if you have it set up that way). Therefore, you only want to send people on your couples counseling email list information related to couples counseling.
Why? Remember, you are using your newsletter to connect with your readers. If you send someone who is interested in Couples Counseling information about anxiety symptoms, for example, they will likely unsubscribe from your list.
Tip #10: Check the Statistics for the Emails you Send, But Don’t Obsess Over the Numbers
All email newsletter providers collect information on each newsletter you send – how many people open it, who opens it multiple times, are they on a phone or a computer when they open it … etc.
You can easily access these reports by logging into your newsletter provider and looking at the past newsletters you’ve sent. We recommend waiting at least 3-5 days after you’ve sent a newsletter before you check the report, giving people time to get through their emails.
Why? Knowing if your emails are being read is important – it can give you an idea if the content is resonating with your readers or if your subject lines are grabbing their attention.
That being said, there’s only so much you can gleam from those email reports. You have no idea if someone simply didn’t have time to read it this week, or their mom is sick, or they’re on vacation … etc. Review the stats, but don’t obsess about them.
Want to make sure you never forget one of our tips above when writing your newsletter? Download our 10 step newsletter checklist today!
