Develop An Email Newsletter- Step 2

Write the text

             a. Subject line
             b. Header message
             c. Content sections
             d. Footer message

Once your design has been settled, write the copy to be included in the newsletter. Write all your copy using a word processor such as Microsoft® Word®, then you can simply copy each block of text from the word processor and paste it into the newsletter you are working on.

For my newsletter, "The HappyMouse Gazette", I have prepared the four content sections presented below:

Subject Line

My subject line will read simply, "The HappyMouse Gazette, November Edition"

I will change only the month of the edition so that people who save all their email will find it easier to locate a past edition in their email boxes. My subject should be intriguing enough to get new recipients to open the message before deleting it--my primary purpose for the subject line.

Header Message

As you saw in my sketch (see step 1), I have decided to keep it simple and just present the newsletter logo and title, with the date of the newsletter and a quip which I will change with each new edition to keep it interesting. Of course you might want to choose a teaser to help hook your reader at the outset, or ask a provocative question that you will answer later or even present a provocative picture.

One important thing to keep in mind is that your header needs to be short enough so that it can be readily seen in a preview screen using Microsoft® Outlook® or other email program. Lots of folks glance at the preview screen and if this little part of the message does not interest them, they hit delete. Make sure they see something designed to catch their eyes. Whatever you do, do not lead off with an apology for sending them your newsletter! Put your unsubscribe message at the end. If the recipient decides she does not want to receive another newsletter from you, she will scroll down and find your unsubscribe instructions. Apologizing for sending your newsletter smacks of spam. Don't do it. Of course, you do not owe anyone an apology, because you are only going to send your newsletter to legitimate prospects, right?

Content Sections

For my newsletter I am including one story, one promotional blurb about my product and a "fast facts" section. I have decided to just tease my readers in the newsletter, rather than presenting the whole story and all the fast facts I have available. I want them to come visit my Web site, so here I give them a taste, with the promise of a "full meal" if they will pay my site a visit. There I will wow them with my great stuff. This suits my purpose of trying to generate traffic to my site, but your purpose might be different and if so, it could be important to tell the whole story in the newsletter. This decision should be driven by your purpose.

Footer

The footer for my newsletter will contain the same thing in every edition. This will accomplish two purposes: First, I will be less likely to forget to include important stuff and second, my readers will become accustomed to looking for the information they need in the same place.

Specifically, I will include contact information: my company name, my email, Web site address--not just a link, but the actual email address and URL in characters so that if their email does not support hyperlinked text, they can still cut and paste to get there--a link to my privacy statement and my anti-spam policy, and last, instructions for unsubscribing. There are lots of ways to handle remove or unsubscribe requests, but the bottom line is that you should always honor these requests, and try to deal with them in any manner they are sent to you. The unsubscribe method of choice is to provide a link to your Web site where the person enters her email address into a form and submits it to you for removal. This is the most foolproof, though probably the least likely to be used by your recipients. Mainly, recipients will just hit reply and type "remove" in the subject line. Make sure you try to deal with this form of request. If you continue sending your newsletter to people who do not want to receive it, all you will get for your trouble are knots on your head. Be good. Stop sending when they ask you to.

Okay, design has been sketched and we have our content ready. Time to fire up FrontPage and start building the newsletter!