Do you remember the thrill of receiving your first email? Has the novelty worn off? It’s hard to believe that there was a time, not so long ago, when people actually liked checking (and responding to) their email.

Today though, it seems that people are more excited about not having a message in their inbox than having to slog through a never ending barrage of forwards, newsletters and spam.

And yet, as one of the easiest and most effective ways of communicating with clients and stakeholders, email newsletters continue to grow both in popularity and necessity. The question then isn’t how can I stop sending out an email newsletter, but rather, how can I make people want to read my newsletter?

Send it to people who want it.

This isn’t as easy as it sounds. There is more involved that simply exporting your address book and sending a mass email. Like any good relationship, it takes time and requires trust and commitment. The more effort you put into developing your subscriber list, the more valuable it becomes as a tool for two-way communication.Here are six helpful tips to consider when developing your email newsletter subscriber list:

1. Don’t just add all people that give you their email address.
You will end up with a long, but rather irrelevant subscribers list. The goal is to have subscribers that want to receive your newsletter, not people who will be annoyed with yet another email.

2. Use your website.
You have a website, use it. Promote the newsletter on your homepage, make it easy and explain its benefits.

3. Use your email.
How many emails do you send in a day? Turn each message into an opportunity by adding a subscription offer in your email signature.

4. Use current subscribers.
Within the newsletter itself, encourage subscribers to “tell a friend”.  Such scripts are small and can be easily embedded within your code, allowing any of your subscribers to refer you to other people they know and think might be interested in what you have to offer.

5. Turn off the computer.
Ask for email addresses from everyone who visits your office, on-site and at trade shows; instruct telephone sales and customer-support workers to ask for addresses where appropriate. Publish the link and a short benefit statement in all appropriate printed materials.

6. Give people a reason.
Most importantly, give people a reason to subscribe to your newsletter. What are the benefits? Just because your newsletter is free, doesn’t mean that it’s important. Clearly state why users should subscribe to your newsletters – special e-mail only offers, vital information, contests – anything to show its benefits.

Developing a vibrant subscriber list is just one step in distributing a successful email newsletter. For more information on how to turn your newsletter into a useful communications tool, please contact us.

[This article is was first published in the Fall 2008 issue of the AAMDC Advisor]