The recent pandemic has forced many small businesses to close their doors, which sadly has crushed the hopes and dreams of hard working men and women around the United States. No one could ever have imagined that our great country could be brought to its knees so fast. The struggles are real and far from over as the supply chains are at a standstill, mandates are being passed to tell you how your business should operate, and people are hesitant to return to the workforce. Customers are disappearing. So how does a start-up, small business, or non-profit stay a step ahead of these unexpected events?
First and foremost, take the time to review your business in today’s ever changing environment.
- How have the past two years affected your business?
- Is what you offered two years ago still viable today?
- Do you need to change course and reinvent your brand?
- How will you communicate these changes to your customers without losing them?
Reinventing a brand is common among businesses. Businesses constantly evolve. Economic conditions will always effect how businesses operate and be a primary factor in the owners final decision. Never just throw in the towel on your hopes and dreams until you look at all of your options. There are so many resources available.
If you do need to communicate a change in your operations, consider creating and distributing an e-newsletter to keep your customers and followers up-to date with the changes at least until you are in a position to expand your marketing efforts. It is economically feasible. WHATEVER YOUR DO, DO NOT KEEP YOUR CUSTOMERS IN THE DARK. They made your business successful once and will do it again if they feel they are a valued.
There are four ways to distribute newsletters but each comes with pros and cons. Making sure to obtain a list and keeping it active with new content can quickly build your customer base. Failure to do that can lose a majority of customers within 5 years. Though not all subscribers will become active customers, many will. Often times, people read newsletters because they are interested in learning what a company has to offer before reaching out to them for more information. Constant emails or phone calls can easily become a nuisance if they were unsolicited. If the newsletters are informative, readers will eventually contact the company for more information. A list of distribution means are listed. Their advantages and disadvantages will be discussed in a separate post.
- Do It Yourself
- Social Media Sites
- Email Services Providers
- All Inclusive Email Services
A newsletter should take no longer than 5 minutes to read and it should accomplish a few key points.
- Respond to a customer’s needs or wants. There is a reason they have come to you in the past or have sought you out now. Make sure they are satisfied.
- Be authentic. In other words, don’t make it sound like a marketing effort. Draw the reader in so that they feel they may be a part of a solution for you and will want to recommend you to others. Offer them information that is beneficial to them. Identify issues that are relevant to products onthe market or explain why you need to rebrand your business.
- Offer something for free. This may be a printed how-to guide or a training video, a gift certificate, or a discount on a service. The possibilities are endless. Be creative. Set up questionnaires to learn your customer’s wants and needs. Then address these, if applicable, in future newsletters If it is something of value to your customer, you will have them return time and again as well as passing your information along to others. It also keeps them coming back for more if they found the free item to be worthwhile.
- Keep your content clear, concise and organized. Remember, it should be no longer than a 5 minute read. If you want to add more information, provide them with links to learn more. A sample newsletter appears below.
If you would like to learn how a newsletter can help your business, please contact me. To receive future blogs pertaining to the businesses today, please subscribe on my home page.
Wingman Copywriting 