Newsletters… are they just one more thing to be
briefly read and thrown away? Are newsletters
considered “Old school” in this new era of digital fast paced media age? How may newsletters does a reader get a day
or in a month? Whether these are digital
or mailed – there is one from the bank (provided – the reader only has one
bank), the credit cards, the kids schools, the college or college alma mater,
the medical insurance and anything else that the reader follows or subscribes
to. Then there are the annual ones from
the dentist, the doctor, and the high school reunion committee and of course
the family holiday newsletter. Do we
want more from another business, does the reader need more?
Ideally the initial response is Yes!.... no more
newsletters. But in all reality they
do serve a valid purpose – from informing the reader of new changes in policies
or membership (credit cards, banks and medical) to letting the consumer know of
new store perks or a new location or specials (and retail operation).
For this business – a newsletter will only be
useful seasonally, possibly like once a quarter. Until the business gets a brick &
mortar location (its coming – hopefully next year) this business is a special
events type business or reviewing (and comparing other companies that have
formal teas).
Some of the content that will be important will be
other locations being reviewed, holiday specials, dessert special pricing or
holiday treats. Also it can showcase
pictures or reviews of places visited (the website does that now – but not on a
regular basis. Also information about
teas, delicious treats that are a perfect pairing or maybe an appropriate
recipe. Listing other blogs or
websites to follow and reasons why, might also be useful to the reader. Using special events (birthdays,
anniversaries, mother’s day and bridal showers, etc.) to use for reasons to
host a formal tea event or journey to a location that provides an afternoon tea
can also be showcased.
Since this is such a specialized company, it might
be hard using a newsletter without repeating information although it might be
an interesting endeavor to make sure that the newsletter is creative and looks
just a beautiful and enticing as the image of a formal afternoon tea.
Taking the next creative step of this digital
journey…..
I definitely agree that seasonally/quarterly is the best way to go for you. Sending information about new products and recipes is a great idea. I get a newsletter that sends me recipes and I love it!
ReplyDeleteHi Sharin,
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Australia where afternoon tea is enjoyed. I believe there are many topics to discuss without repeating yourself - such as talking about the different types of tea, the tastes of those different teas (similar to how people discuss wine tasting) and what causes those different tastes. You could highlight a different tea each newsletter. Enjoyed reading this. Thanks!
Alex
I love your title! Probably because personally, I see them more as an annoyance, even though the business/marketing side of me understands their value for some types of businesses. That might be why I find your idea of sending them quarterly is brilliant! You remind people of your business, without being intrusive.
ReplyDeleteLenah
I understand that it can seem like a waste constantly sending out a newsletter but what if you looked at it from the viewpoint of being a expert. By constantly sending out a newsletter, you'll be viewed as the leading source of information. Hopefully this translates into business transactions!
ReplyDeleteInitially I had the same thought as you… "newsletters are another thing to scan and recycle" however then I realized that there really is that demographic of people who read everything carefully and acknowledge the information. My dad for example, reads every piece of mail addressed to him, even if it's yet another credit card offer. Maybe it's our fault as a generation for ignoring information that needs to be communicated to us to make wise decisions as consumers.
ReplyDeleteFIRST: I love your title.
ReplyDeleteI actually don't think you need to worry about repeating information. My mother receives a daily or weekly email from a clothing-stuff-jewelry-shoes-EVERYTHING company. I think that they sometimes highlight a few images in the first few lines of the email, but if she has time, she looks through it and sometimes buys.
Personally, they send too often for my taste, but she's their perfect customer.
ALSO- I actually do know of their emails bc of her, so when I want to buy a gift for someone, but don't know what I want, I log in with her email and search around (I don't use my own email bc I don't want their daily emails... but I like their site).
haha- a bit contradictory, I know.. but it's the truth.
I'm not 100% positive on your exact business, but if it's Tea (which I love) and you're hoping to have a tangible location.... I suggest looking at what companies that are having success with it are doing: Teavana, etc.