TLMM #060: Why Email Newsletters Are An Essential Marketing Component For Local Small Businesses

Read time: 4 mins

In this week’s issue, I want to talk about how email newsletters are an essential marketing component for local small businesses as a Local Small Business Consultant or Digital Marketing Agency Owner…

In the local marketing space…

Unfortunately, email marketing is often overlooked.

But when implemented it can be a real game changer.

So with that in mind…

Let’s dive in!

 

Why A Local Small Business Needs An Email Newsletter

It seems that every so often someone proclaims that, “Email Marketing is DEAD!”

When in fact it is NOT!

It never has been, nor will it likely ever be.

Actually email is still the #1 marketing channel for EVERY. SINGLE. BUSINESS.

And unfortunately, most local small businesses are the absolute worst when it comes to email marketing.

Can you think of a single local small business who…

• Send an email once per day?
• Send an email once per week?
• Send an email once per month?
• Send any email?

Once per day?

I don’t think so…

That’s almost laughable.

Once per week?

Doubt it.

Once per month?

Perhaps, but probably NOT every single month.

Pretty pathetic I know.

So that means pretty much ANY EMAIL is 100% better than what the local small business is currently doing.

And that’s where an email newsletter comes into play…

It can be the “gateway drug” for a local small business to get started with email marketing…

Or it can supplement the little email marketing that a local small business is currently doing…

But either way it should fill the void of consistency…

 

Why Email Newsletters Are So Powerful

With an email newsletter, a local small business can now communicate pertinent information…

While at the same time providing some sort of value from the local small business to its leads and past/current customers.

But the real power is that it keeps the local small business top of mind.

This is extremely important so that the local small business can consistently remarket to their leads and past/current customers.

The keyword there being, “consistently.”

Which as you know is typically a local small business’s achilles heel.

 

What Is In An Email Newsletter

Typically an email newsletter has some sort of theme to each issue.

And depending on how often you send out the email newsletter will usually determine the kind of themes that will work best.

So for instance…

We usually send out an email newsletter once per month for our local small business clients.

Because of that schedule…

Our email newsletters are themed around either a specific holiday for that month or a time of the year.

• January – New Year
• February – Valentine’s Day
• March – St. Patrick’s Day
• April – Easter
• May – Mother’s Day or Memorial Day
• June – Father’s Day or Summer
• July – Independence Day
• August – Back to school
• September – Labor Day
• October – Halloween
• November – Thanksgiving
• December – Christmas/Holidays

Once you decide on the frequency of delivery and your theme…

You should focus on the actual content.

Now the content can be general information about the business like…

• History
• Storytelling
• Etc.

And should help answer questions that leads and/or customers may have regarding various products and services.

One thing to consider is that when you’re thinking about creating an email newsletter for say a dentist…

Those same email newsletters can be reused for other dentists too.

All you have to do is change out some of the local small businesses specific details.

 

How To Implement An Email Newsletter

Now that you understand the value and importance of an email newsletter…

And you know how to develop an email newsletter…

It’s time to talk about how to implement or deliver an email newsletter for a local small business client.

Technically there are only two different ways…

1. Manually
2. Automatically

So what do I mean by “manually?”

I’m talking about where you use a human’s time and talent to send out the email newsletter to each individual.

This method only works if the local small business has a tiny email list of say 100 or less.

And honestly, even 100 is probably too much.

50 might be the actual cut off to do it that way.

Automatically would be done through some sort of software.

That software could be a dedicated software that ONLY does email marketing like…

• ActiveCampaign
• GetResponse
• Aweber
• Klayvio
• Keap
• Constant Contact
• MailChimp
• Etc.

Or you could use another software that NOT ONLY does email marketing, but can also do a ton of other things too like…

• HighLevel
• ClickFunnels 2.0
• Systeme.io
• Kartra
• Involve.me
• Etc.

Or you can use a 3rd party email SMTP tool like…

• SendGrid
• MailGun
• MailJet
• Brevo
• Sendmail
• Mandrill
• Amazon SES
• Etc.

They all have their pros and cons…

And I’ve tried them all.

With that being said…

At the end of the day, you have to decide what’s best for you and your client’s business.

My favorite dedicated EMSP (Email Marketing Service Provider) is none other than ActiveCampaign…

Mostly due to the power of their automations.

And in case you don’t know…

I’ve created several niche specific email newsletters and I had to queue them up manually for my local small business clients.

However, recently I’ve created something even better that not only has all of the email newsletters queued up for delivery…

But also has the ability to quickly and easily swap out a local small business’s details automatically! 

It’s called the Email Newsletter Engine…

And it’s built in HighLevel.

It’s the software solution that I prefer to use for all of my client’s needs.

And thus ensures that everything works seamlessly…

And the best part is that it’s all housed in one spot, one login…

I don’t have to deal with things like:

• Multiple software
• Multiple logins
• Multiple fees 

HighLevel just keeps things…

SIMPLE.

I love it…

And more importantly, my clients love it!

So if you’re not using HighLevel yet…

I encourage you to do so.

I must warn you though…

Once you go HighLevel, you won’t go back! 😉 

Give it a shot, I promise you’ll love it too…

And your clients will thank you for it.

See you next Monday!