I haven't made an inspiration list for a while so following on from some conversations I had after my last newsletter (click here if you would like to read it) I thought I'd put together an inspiration list for when you next need some newsletter ideas!
If you have video on your website or a YouTube channel, put a screenshot of your latest video and link to it
Focus on photos rather than text
A list of tips or ideas related to one of your products
Take subscribers behind the scenes of your business
Let people know where they can find you offline (markets, retailers, exhibitions etc)
Spotlight a retail outlet that sells your product
Highlight an ingredient in your product and outline its benefits
Introduce a staff member
Show or link to any press or blog mentions you've had
Include a testimonial
A saying or fact that relates to your product
Talk about a charity or group you're supporting
Photo of a work in progress
Do you have any other ideas that might give people ideas for their next newsletter? Feel free to comment them below.
Sometimes there isn't much motivation to write newsletters, social media is much quicker and easier!
But there are many benefits to writing a newsletter over social media posts.
You may have many followers on social media, but they won't always see your posts
On any social media platform most people are following a lot of others, covering people they know and businesses. To be seen and have an impact your followers need to absolutely love you and make sure they see all your posts, otherwise your posts can get lost in the noise of other posts, or in the case of Facebook, may not be seen by many of your fans because of the tweaking Facebook often do to newsfeeds.
Sending a newsletter gives you permission to access your subscribers directly. They've signed up and want to hear from you, your email is always available to them, even if they can't pay attention to it for a few hours or a day. It's sitting in their inbox for when they have time to read it.
You know you have real fans
Signing up to your newsletter is a conscious decision, subscribers want to hear what you have to say. Social media is a mixed bag, some of your fans will love you, others may like you because they like some of your tips and photos or they've entered a competition you've run. Not all your followers like you because they are interested in your products or services.
I've always found I get more response when I send out a newsletter. Not necessarily with clickthroughs, but with phone calls and direct email replies (I believe his is because I'm a service based business not a product based business).
Subscribers are always available to you
Yes, there's always that chance that social media platforms will close down, a new platform will come out that people swap over to (meaning you need to work to get fans back on the new platform) and the one we all hate to think about, Facebook can block or ban us for not following a rule when posting or running a competition (always re-read the rules when running a competition!).
Your subscribers on the other hand are always available to you. You own your subscriber list, and even if the platform you use to send out your newsletters closes down you can easily export your list and import it into another platform and continue on. You can mix it up a bit
Social media platforms are fairly static in what you can do. Twitter only allow short posts, YouTube is video only, Facebook is more adaptable but has a lot of rules that are always changing.
Your newsletters allow you to contact people and share what you want how you want. You can utilise your layout to benefit your branding, you can share long or short articles, competition details, blog post links, large or small photos, personalise them with subscriber names, or even segment them into products/services that your subscribers like.
If you would like to subscribe to the FeralArt newsletter, where you can get information that I don't post on social media or on my blog, plus links to useful websites, fill out the signup form below.
I send out a newsletter every three weeks and never share your email address with any other person or business.
Below are photos I took at both the Monash Militia Camp plaque and sign unveiling as well as the Coldstream 'Battle at Mount Mary' sign unveiling.
Monash Militia Camp sign
Lilydale Lake
Anthony McAleer, author and historian
Michael Bennett - Great Grandson of Sir John Monash
Hon Ted Baillieu - Chair of the Victorian Anzac Centenary Committee
Pipes and Drums 5th/6th RVR
Australian Great War Association
Australian Great War Association
Australian Great War Association
Australian Great War Association
Pipes and Drums 5th/6th RVR
Australian Great War Association
Australian Great War Association
Captain Bell - Adjutant 5th/6th RVR
Pipes and Drums 5th/6th RVR
Battle at Mount Mary sign
Maroondah Hwy service rd, Coldstream (opposite Broadies Rd)
Anthony McAleer, author and historian
Piper, Ian Townsley
Flag bearers - Healesville RSL
Ken Crompton, Former CEO of the General Sir John Monash Foundation.
Australian Great War Association
Unveiling
of the sign by Former President of Lilydale Rotary Mari Sank, Deputy
Mayor Maria McCarthy and Hon Ted Baillieu - Chair of the Victorian Anzac
Centenary Committee
Bugler, Tom Steele
Guard of Honour
Guard of Honour
Piper, Ian Townsley
Guard of Honour
Hon Ted Baillieu - Chair of the Victorian Anzac Centenary Committee
Blake Hadlow (on behalf of Tony Smith MP), Casey Anzac Centenary Committee
100 years ago (Sir) John Monash and 3000 soldiers headed out to Lilydale and camped where the lake is now. They were out there for about a week and on the 13th they held a mock battle at Mount Mary.
To remember the event, yesterday a plaque and sign was unveiled at the hill above Lilydale Lake with information about the event. There was also a military band, guard of honour and volley salute to celebrate the unveiling. Afterwards a book with all the details of the week events and key people was launched at the Lilydale Lake community room.
Over the past few months I worked with Lilydale Rotary on designing the signage and Mt Evelyn RSL on designing the book layout. There will be a second sign unveiled on Thursday at Coldstream near where the Battle of Mount Mary was conducted.
I've done a few historic books in the past two years, but this is the first important piece of signage I've been involved in, so it was a great honour.
Below is a photo of myself, Dave Monks (signwriter) and Anthony McAleer (author and historian).
We all love great looking photos on our website and social media posts. But it's often hard to find ones you can use knowing you're not breaking copyright. Just picking images up off Google or another website could mean you're using someones photo or illustration without their permission, and as they own it they can contact you to take it down or charge you for it, and it can get messy (check out this recent post about a blogger who had used images found on Google and other social sharing sites without permission Blogger Beware: You CAN Get Sued For Using Photos You Don't Own on Your Blog).
There are a few websites that have free images available, SXC and morgueFile. iStockPhoto also have one photo available for free each week.
But at the end of last year Death to the Stock Photo popped up. http://join.deathtothestockphoto.com
Once you sign up (just submit your email) Death to the Stock Photo email you 10 high resolution lifestyle photos at the start of every month that you can use on your website, social media and print. They also have a paid version where you get an extra 10 photos each month.
Usually free photos can mean a bit of work scrolling through the bad and the good but Death to the Stock Photo really have focused on quality in photo style and usability.
Each month a new photographer is featured (the above photo is from the February 2014 featured photographer Simone Anne), so there is the possibility that some months you will receive photos that don't suit your business or its style, but other months you will love and be able to use them all. The bonus is the usability quality of the image, each photo is high resolution so you are able to use them in brochures and other printed products as well as on your website and social media.
If you're after more photos you can use without copyright issues it's definitely worth checking out.
