How to write a newsletter

Newsletters can come in a variety of styles, subjects, formats and layouts, but following the steps below on how to write a newsletter correctly should give you the starting ammunition you will need to pull the trigger and get your newsletter to hit its target. This is how to write a newsletter perfectly:

 

1. Your first point is crucial

Get your most compelling point across succinctly in the first sentence.

2. Be an expert

Write about what you know, or what your company excels in.

3. Make it interesting

The main deciding factor in the success or failure of a newsletter campaign is the written content itself. It just isn’t enough to use proper English grammar and an extensive vocabulary. The newsletter needs to be easy to read, interesting, relatable and relevant to what’s going on in today’s society.

 

4. Short and sweet

If your newsletter articles tend to be overwritten and long, the reader won’t hesitate to put them down and brush them aside. Smart, witty and intelligent shorter articles will draw the reader in and make them more likely to pick up your newsletters a second time.

5. Personalize your content

When making email newsletters you usually have the advantage of knowing the reader’s name, as well as other identifying information and even their interests. ActivePersonalization from ActiveTrail email newsletter software utilizes this information to allow you to personalize both text and images, making your newsletter more personal to each reader.

6. Think about your aesthetic design

Our species as a whole is a very visual breed of animal. When designing your newsletter format, keep in mind that you must attract the reader at first with the initial look. It is said to not judge a book by its cover, yet we do this on a daily basis. ActiveTrail’s user-friendly newsletter editor has this covered. If an eye-catching picture or font attracts the reader right away then they’ll pick it up to see what content it has to offer inside.

 

7. Use bullet points

Get your point across quickly and succinctly. Studies show that users only fully read an average of 19% of the text in newsletters, and 35% of the time only scan a newsletter for the salient points. Bullet points are also the perfect format for any data or surveys that you want to include.

8. Stick to the topic

Many people who begin writing a newsletter tend to not have an exact direction in mind of where they’re going, and the end product is a jumbled up mess of a read. If it’s a newsletter in regards to a new business you’re promoting, make sure that all topics inside are relatable to the business.

9. Proofread

Proofread and then proofread again. Silly overlooked mistakes can cause a newsletter to seem unprofessional and just downright amateur.

10. Enjoy your writing

Finally, when asking yourself how to write a newsletter, remember the steps above – but have fun creating it. The amount of effort and energy that’s put into the project will definitely shine through. Be creative, be thoughtful and a little humor never hurts.

Think you have what it takes to write a successful newsletter? Try all 10 steps in your next newsletter!