A newsletter is a part of business communication that is used in email marketing. It can be used to notify the recipient about important events, such as company activities, changes in details, and so on.
In this article we are going to talk about how to compose a newsletter, what it includes and how it can be useful for the subscribers.
The aim of a newsletter
The main purpose of a newsletter in a corporate environment is to talk about recent changes. Here’s what it can include:
Alerting partners or employees about changes within the company;
reminding counterparties about fulfillment of contractual obligations;
informing the client about new arrivals or introduction of additional services.
Such a mailing doesn’t urge the subscriber to do something, like a sales letter, for example. It is important to tell about the changes and get the information to the users.
A newsletter can vary in size from a couple of sentences to several thousand characters. Such a letter usually has a signature of the manager or person in charge, while in mass newsletters the handwritten signature can be omitted.
In most cases, letters of this kind are prepared according to a template, the content can be quotations from official documentation. And the content itself includes photos, documents, tables and/or pdf files.
In email marketing, such emails can be designed quite differently – with infographics and other design elements. Their purpose is to attract new clients and retain regular ones. This can be useful and informative content, a selection of articles and webinars, information about products or services.
In general, there is no clear definition of an information letter in such newsletters. More often than not, such letters are considered content newsletters that carry useful information for the user.
In contrast to the corporate environment, there may be calls to action in email marketing, but this is not a requirement.
Types of newsletters
It is generally accepted to distinguish 5 main types of information letter: a notification letter, a reminder letter, a confirmation letter, an application letter, a promotional letter. Let’s look into each of them and see how they differ from each other.
Notification letter
This format of letters notifies the recipient about some changes or innovations. For example, the Post Office sends out letters to subscribers that a package is waiting for them at a delivery point and offers two ways to receive the package: by yourself or by home delivery.
As for the official letter, the notification can come in the form of a document with a date and signatures. Here, for example, is one of the letters from a research institute:
Reminder Letter
This type of mailing reminds users of an action they need to take. For example, if a person signed up for a workshop, the user will receive a reminder before it starts.
Confirmation email
These kinds of emails confirm an action. For example, you went to an online store and placed an order – in response you receive an email that your purchase has been processed and is in progress.
Letter of application
If you plan to change the terms in your contract, then use this type of mailing.
Promotional letter
This letter format is similar to a commercial offer, which is aimed at a specific consumer and involves getting a kickback. In such mailings, you can see information about products or services, the expansion of the range, changes in pricing policy.
How to write a newsletter
The rules for writing a newsletter in the corporate format and in the form of an email marketing mailing are very different. In the first case, you need to follow the rules of the document and in the second case – you need a good visual content.