5 Ways to Use a Marketing Newsletter

5 Ways to Use a Marketing Newsletter

By: Robert F. Abbott

A marketing newsletter can be a flexible, inexpensive, and powerful tool. Whether it's a printed or an email newsletter, it can create new opportunities or solidify existing customer relationships. Here are 5 ways to use marketing newsletters.

Sell Higher-Margin Products
Businesses that aren't earning much profit, despite strong sales, might check on their products' margins. A marketing newsletter can emphasize higher margin products, among both customers and employees. For employees, reiterate the benefits (for them and the company) of selling a product or set of products with a higher profit margin. For customers, let them know these products exist, how to buy them, and outline the benefits of using them.

Commodity to Branded Status
Control over pricing is one important advantage a branded product has over a commodity. Use a marketing newsletter to build your brand, by emphasizing the unique benefits experienced by customers who use your product. Remember, building a brand takes time, so plan an ongoing newsletter campaign; this won't work in the short-term.

Penetrating New Markets or Territories
Often, sales people focus on existing customers and existing business. That's not surprising, but not necessarily in your best long-term interests. Marketing newsletters, especially email newsletters, can be an effective first line of communication into new markets. Plan to send at least three issues of the newsletter. Prospects who show interest, even with no immediate purchasing activity, should be kept on the mailing list. Use response forms or contact information that make it easy for potential customers to order or learn more.

Message Consistency
A set of inconsistent messages is an invisible force that reduces sales effectiveness. One sales person tells clients one story, another sales person tells another. Or, it may be one version of the same story in the sales department and another in the service department. Marketing newsletter articles can establish the official position and give staff a common base from which to work.

Internal Marketing
Marketing, for good reason, usually focuses on externally-oriented activity. However, internal marketing matters, too. Essentially, internal marketing helps ensure that everyone within your organization knows what you sell, and why customers should buy from you. And, don't forget attitude. Give everyone in your organization reasons to be boosters of your products or services; make them proud of what they and the organization are doing for customers.

Next, read 10 Reasons to Market with Postcards, go to the marketing communication page, or visit our home page Communication Skills .

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Contact information

Robert F. Abbott
Email: wordengines@gmail.com or wordengines@gmail.com