Newsletters are becoming ever more popular. Not surprising? since all editors know that they are a tried and testedmethod for both disseminating information and subtly (andquite frequently blatantly) promoting any product orservice. In short, newsletters work for their owners.
IT'S A CROWDED WORLD OUT THERE.
But the Internet and Email (as well as lower printproduction costs) have meant that the number of newsletterTitles is growing at breakneck speed!
And with new Titles being published by the hour - coveringjust about every subject under the sun - the market isgetting pretty jam-packed out there.
So how are you going to ensure that your newsletter doesn'tget crowded-out? How will you guarantee that yourpublication gains and develops a truly loyal readership,when they could so easily be distracted by yourcompetitors' 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 allowyour own personality the space to shine through anddominate your written publication.
You see, when somebody meets you face-to-face they arequickly presented with (and pick up on) your personalitytraits and this makes you instantly memorable. Even whenyou have a conversation on the phone, you naturally giveover a whole range of characteristics that mean thatyou'll likely be remembered in the future.
But once you're in writing, particularly if it's in theform of a plain text email, then you've got to fightharder to have your personality shine through.
And the stakes couldn't be higher. If you fail toimpress your readers, then they will quickly forget allabout you and move onto your competition. But the *best*way to distinguish yourself is to let your personalityleap at the reader, right off the page or screen!
Now many newsletter editors face a problem that they aremore accustomed to writing somber business documentsthan 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 NewYork Times, USA Today or some local paper that you buyweekly. Somewhere in that paper there will be acolumnist that you probably turn to and read week-inweek-out. Why? Because you feel you know thecharacteristics of the writer. You understand wherethey're coming from, on a whole range of issues. Youeither empathize with their views or read the columnbecause it makes you angry and you enjoy the controversy.
No matter. What that journalist has achieved is to maketheir own personality leap from the paper. And you needto emulate precisely that approach in your entirenewsletter!
HOW TO HAVE COMPLETE STRANGERS FEEL THEY KNOW YOU.
If you don't do it already, start telling your readershipa little bit about yourself. People like to feel theyknow you and understand where you're coming from. Hereare some handy pointers. Just pull out and use the onesthat best apply for your own newsletter readership.
- ENSURE THAT YOUR READERS KNOW WHERE YOU ARE FROM.
People automatically start to think they know you andbuild a picture just from a place name, State or Country.You may not have been there for years, but it'll start tobuild an image picture in your readers' minds!
- ESTABLISH WHETHER YOU ARE STRAIGHT-LACED OR ABIT OF A JOKER.
Humor can work wonders, but if you're not a natural funnyman (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 yourreadership will agree or not. Establish where you arecoming from straight-away and celebrate the fact. Eitheryour readers will agree or if they disagree, it willcreate some interest and soon you'll get readers letters,etc...you get the idea.
Whether you're new to the newsletter editing game oralready established, remember that your readers have achoice. If your publication comes across as faceless andlacking in personality, the chances are your readers willjump 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 forNewsletter Editors called "How To Write A Newsletter".The Toolkit comes packed with hundreds of excellent waysto enhance your newsletter publication.But there's more! Michael provides the would be newslettereditor with Copyright Free Articles, DTP Templates anda much more. A absolute must for all Newsletter Editors!Check out ===>
http://www.howtowriteanewsletter.com
