If you write an ezine then you know how much work you put into it. So isn’t it frustrating when you look at your stats and see that only a small percentage of your subscribers even bothered to open your newsletter?
Here are 3 reasons why newsletters don’t get read, and the corresponding tips for making your ezine eye candy that your readers can’t wait to devour…
1. Too many product pitches. If your ezines only pitch products, your readers may get tired of always being promoted to. Instead, give them some great content that is helpful; information that they can USE without having to purchase anything.
This way they’ll become accustomed to opening your newsletters for the great content, and when you do pitch a product, they are more likely to read it and respond.
2. Your content is boring. Whoa, that one hurt, didn’t it? No one likes to think they’re boring – yet we might be and not even realize it.
The solution? Tell stories. Nothing captures attention like stories do. I had a sixth grade social studies teacher who tried for weeks to pound dates and names into our heads. It was her first year teaching, and she just couldn’t figure out why we were doing so poorly on the tests. Finally she started telling history in story form, and our grades shot up overnight.
See what I mean? 😉
3. Your newsletter is hit and miss. This week you send it out on Monday and next week you send it on Wednesday. Then you miss two weeks, and finally you send it out on Friday. Or you do a monthly ezine and sometimes skip a month (or two).This is not unusual. I have done the very same thing with WECommerce News. Consistency is the key to success in Ezine publishing. Once you get a strong routine going, make it a priority.
Let’s face it – people get used to routines. Their favorite show is on Thursday night at 8 pm and they know it. Their newspaper arrives every morning at 6 am and that’s when they expect it. Their paycheck arrives every other Friday at 3 pm, and that’s when they look for it. And your newsletter should be no different. Pick a schedule and then stick to it, no matter what.
Be sure and check out our latest ezine – Women in ECommerce News. Our next one will be out the first week in July!
