|
article
feature |
|
Back
|
Print
|
Bookmark |
|
Newsletters that Rock |
| |
|
Why Your Newsletter Must Get a Personality
Today! |
Newsletters are becoming ever more popular. Not
surprising - since all editors know that they are a tried
and tested method for both disseminating information and
subtly (and quite frequently blatantly) promoting any
product or service. In short, newsletters work for their
owners.
IT’S A CROWDED WORLD OUT THERE. But the
Internet and Email (as well as lower print production costs)
have meant that the number of newsletter Titles is growing at
breakneck speed!
And with new Titles being published by the
hour - covering just about every subject under the sun - the
market is getting pretty jam-packed out there. So how are you
going to ensure that your newsletter doesn’t get crowded-out?
How will you guarantee that your publication gains and develops
a truly loyal readership, when they could so easily be
distracted by your competitors’ newsletter offerings?
The answer?
YOU’VE GOT TO GIVE YOUR PUBLICATION A TON OF
"NEWSLETTER PERSONALITY".
Or to put it more accurately, you actually need to allow your
own personality the space to shine through and dominate your
written publication. You see, when somebody meets you
face-to-face they are quickly presented with (and pick up on)
your personality traits and this makes you instantly memorable.
Even when you have a conversation on the phone, you naturally
give over a whole range of characteristics that mean that
you’ll likely be remembered in the future.
But once you’re in writing, particularly if it’s in the form of
a plain text email, then you’ve got to fight harder to have
your personality shine through. And the stakes couldn’t be
higher. If you fail to impress your readers, then they will
quickly forget all about you and move onto your competition.
But the *best* way to distinguish yourself is to let your
personality leap at the reader, right off the page or
screen!
Now many newsletter editors face a problem that they are more
accustomed to writing somber business documents than publishing
a lively and memorable read.
HERE IS A TIP TO HELP YOU GET YOUR "NEWSLETTER
PERSONALITY" RIGHT OUT THERE. Think about your
favorite newspaper. Maybe it’s the New York Times, USA Today or
some local paper that you buy weekly. Somewhere in that paper
there will be a columnist that you probably turn to and read
week-in week-out. Why? Because you feel you know the
characteristics of the writer. You understand where they’re
coming from, on a whole range of issues. You either empathize
with their views or read the column because it makes you angry
and you enjoy the controversy. No matter. What that journalist
has achieved is to make their own personality leap from the
paper. And you need to emulate precisely that approach in your
entire newsletter!
HOW TO HAVE COMPLETE STRANGERS FEEL THEY KNOW
YOU. If you don’t do it already, start telling your
readership a little bit about yourself. People like to feel
they know you and understand where you’re coming from. Here are
some handy pointers. Just pull out and use the ones that best
apply for your own newsletter readership.
- ENSURE THAT YOUR READERS KNOW WHERE YOU ARE
FROM. People automatically start to think they know
you and build a picture just from a place name, State or
Country. You may not have been there for years, but it’ll start
to build an image picture in your readers’ minds!
- ESTABLISH WHETHER YOU ARE STRAIGHT-LACED OR A BIT OF
A JOKER. Humor can work wonders, but if you’re not
a natural funny man (or woman) then don’t try and fake it. Just
beyourself.
- BE FORTHRIGHT ABOUT YOUR VIEWS. Don’t sit on
the fence worrying about whether your readership will agree or
not. Establish where you are coming from straight-away and
celebrate the fact. Either your readers will agree or if they
disagree, it will create some interest and soon you’ll get
readers letters, etc...you get the idea.
Whether you’re new to the newsletter editing game or already
established, remember that your readers have a choice. If your
publication comes across as faceless and lacking in
personality, the chances are your readers will jump ship, right
across to the nearest competition.
Good luck,
Michael Green
© How To Corporation. All rights reserved.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The author Michael Green has developed a
TOOLKIT for
Newsletter Editors called "How To Write A Newsletter".
The Toolkit comes packed with hundreds of excellent ways
to enhance your newsletter publication.
But there's more! Michael provides the would be newsletter
editor with Copyright Free Articles, DTP Templates and
a much more. A absolute must for all Newsletter Editors!
Check out ===> How to Write
Newsletters.
You might also be interested in:
How to Create
an Email Newsletter
11 Quick (and Good)
Content Ideas for Your Ezine or Website by Alexandria
Brown, the Ezine Queen
by Michael Green -
Back
to Top
###
|