What do we mean by "interesting?" Merriam-Webster's dictionary says that interest is "A feeling that accompanies or causes special attention to an object." This is what you want to create in your readers: A feeling that they want to give your newsletter special attention.
While this is certainly as true for hard copy newsletters as for ezines (also known as email newsletters), this article focuses on those nifty little messages that land in your readers' inboxes. Of course, we all have inboxes swamped with ezines. So here you can read about ways to distinguish your own ezine, to make it interesting enough to get your reader reading, saving, and even acting on your material.
Appearance
First of all, appearance is critical for creating interest. A cluttered, heavily-worded, over-designed ezine will kill interest faster than anything, no matter how intriguing your topic. Present your reader with a simple, attractive layout. Make your ezine appears easy to read. Use plenty of white space, keep your articles very short (not more than 200 words), and use links to your website for longer pieces. You want your reader to think not only "this is my kind of topic" but also "this will be a pleasure to read." Images, in small numbers, will help set your tone-be sure they are directly related to your message. You'll be surprised to learn how many free-for-downloading images you can find on the internet.
Content
Once you have mastered the appearance of your ezine, it's time to turn to content. But don't assume that content means just what you have to say in your articles, because there are several kinds of content: articles themselves, plus links to your website, plus offers, testimonials, coupons, and news.
For interesting content, understand who your reader is
To make your content truly interesting, it's wise to start with an understanding of your readers. Perhaps you know many of them, what they want, what they can afford, why they like what you have to offer. It often helps to imagine a typical reader, in some detail. For example, a mother of young children, concerned about environmental health, who lives in a suburb, feeds her kids organic food and rides a bike. Another example: a 30-something man, or woman, who loves good wine and wants to know more, especially about how to build a wine collection on a tight budget. With these "characters" in mind you'll do a better job of writing articles to interest your audience.
Links, testimonials, news stories, coupons
Make sure that you offer links of interest, for example, "View photos of our visit to the Westford Dairy Farm in July." Testimonials are useful not only because they affirm the quality of your work, but they also interest your readers by telling a kind of story about someone who has already purchased your product, or joined your club. Brief news items are stories in themselves. Have you launched a fundraising campaign? Hired a new director? Worded right, this kind of news also tells a story to interest your reader. And, of course, coupons encourage action, reminding your readers that they can easily purchase what you have for sale, and at some kind of discount.Calls to action
Having thoroughly interested your reader, be sure to invite some action, whether it's saving the ezine in a special Inbox folder or forwarding it to a friend. Coupons encourage action, of course, but so do invitations like "visit our site for more information on how we can help you" and calls for purchase like "act now before the deadline."
Copyright (c) 2011 Jane Sherwin. You may reprint this entire article and you must include the copyright info and the following statement: "Jane Sherwin is a writer who helps hospitals and other healthcare facilities communicate their strengths and connect with their readers."
Six Great Ezine Content Ideas
