Electronic newsletters are one of the most effective marketing channels available, allowing businesses to communicate with customers, build rapport, drive traffic, and direct customers to key content.  If you’re not sending e-newsletters, you’re missing a great opportunity to connect with your customers and prospects.  Here are a few reasons why electronic newsletters are ideal:

They are more cost-effective than print newsletters
Because of the significant savings in time, printing, and mailing costs; an e-newsletter is much more cost effective than a printed newsletter. Most email services are available for a minimal monthly fee based on the number of email addresses in your contact list, and offer an assortment of customizable templates.

They are interactive
You can make sure your web site is just a click away by adding a hyperlink within the e-newsletter. You can also add PDFs, videos, images or anything else available on the web.

You can test its effectiveness
Depending on which program you choose to send out your e-newsletters, you can track which links are being clicked on and which are being ignored.

They encourage word-of-mouth advertising
It’s easy for your subscribers to forward your e-newsletter to a friend, especially with a friendly reminder from you at the end of each issue. It’s also a great way to build your subscriber base and market your services to people you might not have reached any other way.

Terms to consider when creating and using email newsletters:

• Above the fold: The top portion of an e-mail message that is visible in the screen size, without the need for scrolling. The term originally comes from the print industry, referring to the top half of a folded newspaper. Include your most important information in the area above the fold.
•  Open Rate: The percentage of recipients who opened the e-newsletter. The open rate is considered a key metric for judging an e-newsletter’s success.
• Click-Through Rate: The percentage of recipients who have opened and clicked on a link in the e-newsletter. It’s important to see whether or not the content of your e-newsletter is connecting with your audience.

There are many e-mail marketing campaign companies out there to choose from, Constant Contact, Mail Chimp, My Emma, and Campaign Monitor are a few relatively inexpensive options to consider.  Or, you can contact Fusion Forward to help you get your electronic newsletter started.  We can set up your electronic newsletter account, create the custom template for your e-newsletter, write the content, add your contacts and send out your e-blast. Fusion Forward can also set up a newsletter service through your existing CMS website.