How to start a Newsletter - Please help!!!

8 replies
Hi everyone.

I have never done a newsletter, know nothing about it, but wants to start a community based newsletter to inform people of all the events and happenings in our area. Please give me some advice on anything to steer me in the right direction.
What would you suggest, an email newsletter, or an online one?
What are the best formats for a) email newsletters, and b) online newsletters? Are there any good options for free on the internet?
How would you start a newsletter? What are the steps to follow?
If you go for an online newsletter, which platform would you use? Wordpress perhaps?

Thank you very much.
#newsletter #start
  • Profile picture of the author MacMiller
    I would definitely suggest an email newsletter. Create a simple landing page telling the visitors what they will receive (news, coupons, updates, whatever your newsletter is for) and how often they will receive it (daily, weekly, bi-weekly, etc..).

    I would use aweber or get response, and create the sales page on Wordpress. If you need help finding a good wordpress theme to use let me know, I can help you out.
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    • Profile picture of the author callseller
      WordPress is a great place to start. It has themes that will help organize information. And then you can create a newsletter from MailChimp and add it to the WordPress site.
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  • Profile picture of the author LunarSky
    an email newsletter is the easiest way to go but, oh yes, big but coming through lol, seriously though, if you wanted to knock down two birds with one stone you could post the news letter in a newsletter section of your blog, that way people have to go to your blog to read the newsletter, automatic traffic and publicity, ultimately the choice is yours, but i would definitely suggest making a section on your blog, if you have any trouble whatsoever with the concept, PM me and i will be glad to help you in any way i can
    Cheers and good luck
    Joshua Sky
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  • Profile picture of the author gilmore
    Thank you everyone for the quick replies.

    @MacMiller: What theme or themes would you suggest?
    @callseller: Can you add a little please on how to add a newsletter from mailchimp to the site?
    @Lunarsky: If I understand correctly, you suggest to do the newsletter in blog format? What wordpress theme would you suggest for it?
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  • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
    Originally Posted by gilmore View Post

    What would you suggest, an email newsletter, or an online one?
    Bear in mind that if you have an online newsletter, then
    you're relying on people to proactively visit the site to
    see your message.

    With an e-mail newsletter, you have the advantage of
    being able to proactively contact your subscribers with
    your message.

    You may want to consider doing both. Build an e-mail
    newsletter and also post each edition online so you get
    the SEO advantages and gain visitors and new subscribers
    from there.
    Originally Posted by gilmore View Post

    How would you start a newsletter? What are the steps to follow?
    I started my first e-mail newsletter back in November 2003
    and have built many more lists since then.

    Here are the basic steps...

    1. Choose a target market
    2. Decide on a main subject focus for your newsletter
    3. Identify how you're going to monetize your newsletter
    4. Select a reputable autoresponder solution for your e-mail
    newsletter (e.g. AWeber)
    5. Get your first subscribers
    6. Write and send out your first newsletter
    7. Get feedback and continue to create more e-mails

    Don't overthink it too much - the most important step is just
    to get started and learn as you go along.

    Good luck.

    Dedicated to mutual success,

    Shaun
    Signature

    .

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  • Profile picture of the author Adam Sussman
    How about learning from the master

    http://ezine-academy.com/

    What Martin doesn't know about newsletters isn't worth knowing.

    Good luck.

    Adam
    Signature
    "He elicits the same kind of admiration one would feel for a streaker at Queen Victorias funeral."

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  • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
    Since you are talking about a community-based, largely events-driven newsletter, you want to get in good with the local movers and shakers. Get on the press release lists of the chamber of commerce, tourism board, convention and visitors bureau, etc.

    Also the PR lists for local events (especially the annual ones), local charities, and so on.

    What you are aiming for is to be the go-to resource for local events and happenings.
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  • Doing both is definitely the way to go.

    Most do this by having a separate category of a wordpress blog or website for their newsletter "back issues" but you actually create the online page first. Then, when you mail, you include a link right up top to the online version. This allows people who don't get html mail or whose email program screws up your html version to see what you really intended and read it easily. It's a kindness, and will also have an SEO benefit by giving the search engines that much more content to spider.
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