I was talking with one of our clients yesterday. We make custom email newsletters for her, as well as one-off “blasts” for special messages.
And something became very clear: newsletters and special blasts are often quite different creatures.
Newsletters are for building relationships. You’re saying hello, remember me? When you need me, I’m here. And meanwhile, here is some information that you might find interesting, entertaining and useful.
Blasts are for when you want action. You’ve got one thing to say and one action that people can take. Maybe you’ve got a new product or a special offer. Or perhaps you want people to visit a new page on your website.
That’s not to say that you cannot put actions in a newsletter. But if you want the best response to a specific request, send it as a standalone blast.
Here’s one more thing: don’t just send blasts.
Newsletters are about giving, but blasts are about taking. Newsletters give information, blasts are often asking for a sale. So make sure you do plenty of giving before asking for something.
Did you know you can use the VerticalResponse system for sending blasts? There are lots of free templates you can use. We can also design blast templates for you with your own look and feel. Ask us if you need help with that.
