Comments on: How to write engaging newsletter articles in 7 easy steps

By: Solomon

Solomon — Mon, 03 May 2010 13:21:08 +0000

It’s a great article – well written and to the point! I agree with Joshua … that a news letter (a post) of a company should entertain us. I think the headline itself should be spicy or quirky to tease the audience.

I think we need to go off tangentially in coining a tangy headline… probably from there everything will fall in place.

I never wrote a newsletter though … but really like to read something which really entertains me, teases me and surprises me…. and at last leaves me gasping for more ! Like how Dean and James do!

This one you wrote here is cool too! Wanna read more of them here!
Thanks to Dean for this wonderful blog which is so so helpful!

By: Sally Bagshaw

Sally Bagshaw — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 02:56:21 +0000

@Matthew
It’s easy to forget about a call to action on non-sales copy. But my point of view is you’ve gone to so much trouble to write an engaging piece of content, that you still should give direction to the reader on what to do next.

An up-side of this is when the time comes to include a sales driven call to action, your readers are already used to following your instructions.

By: Matthew Needham

Matthew Needham — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 21:31:19 +0000

Useful tips here Sally, thanks for these. I don’t always include a call to action, I always think it’s obvious, but what’s obvious to me doesn’t mean it is to everyone, so I’ll take this forward. Thanks.

By: Tops tips for newsletter writing — Snappy Sentences

Tops tips for newsletter writing — Snappy Sentences — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 01:54:37 +0000

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By: Sally Bagshaw

Sally Bagshaw — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 21:29:31 +0000

Wow, thanks guys. And thank you Dean for publishing my post.

@Chris – It is tricky coming up with that unique angle every single time, especially if it’s a topic that has been well reported on already. Do you have any tips you’d like to share?

@Joshua and @Bill – Yes! Entertain them. Audience appropriate of course. And the pictures have to involve action. I recently did a workshop for a team who worked in procurement – not an area that you’d think would have great pictures to use. But they buy really cool machinery for mines. So they had some GREAT action shots.

@Suzie – See if you can map out article ideas in advance around relevant events in your industry. Then you always have a starting point.

By: Suzie

Suzie — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:23:54 +0000

This is a great post. I’m going to keep it for reference, I’m struggling to get back to my newsletters and I know they’re important.

By: Bill Harper

Bill Harper — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:22:13 +0000

Great article, Sally. A couple of points:
- Make sure it isn’t too “dry”. I’m with Joshua here–a little humour can go a long way to keeping your readers.
- When it comes to the picture, stay away from the standard corporate shots–grip ‘n’ grin, sitting at the desk, sitting in front of the computer, etc.

Bill.

By: Joshua Black | The Underdog Millionaire

Joshua Black | The Underdog Millionaire — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 18:28:38 +0000

Great post Sally. I use this same tips as well, when I write my own articles and posts. I would like to add one more, however:

I think that it is critical to entertain as well. Although you may have the best information in the world in your post, if the audience is not also entertained they may leave.

People don’t like to be told that they are making a mistake, especially if they are entrepreneurs. If you put a lesson or news story in an entertaining light, maybe even using self-depricating humor, it can go a long way to maintaining a long-term readership and customer base.

-Joshua Black
The Underdog Millionaire

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Tue, 27 Apr 2010 18:17:55 +0000

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By: Chris Mower

Chris Mower — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:44:47 +0000

Hi Sally, this is a great post. The best newsletters I’ve read are the ones that the writer uses their own voice and reports their information from a valid, yet unique angle.

I also think that too many writers remember their audience when they first get started but soon forget about them. Instead, they begin writing about what interests them as a writer. If the writer is part of the intended audience, it can help, but more often than not, they miss the mark when they do that.

I look forward to more of your posts. Thanks for sharing.