How E-Newsletters Can Help Drive Sales

The Internet is a treasure trove of information, a tool for research, and a conduit for communication. And yet, one of its flaws is that there is almost too much information online: finding exactly what one is looking for can be a difficult and frustrating process, even with the advent of more powerful and intelligent search engines. Also, the democratic ethos of the Internet means that anyone can publish information online – which results in content that may or may not be trustworthy.

That’s why e-newsletters have emerged as a popular and effective way to promote products and services while also building loyalty and earning trust. Unlike promotional email blasts, the best e-newsletters offer content of interest to recipients and rely on a soft-sell approach to ensure that recipients read them – rather than delete them. With a format that allows for diverse information and regular distribution, e-newsletters make it easy to communicate frequently with customers and prospects without making them feel like they are being pelted with unsolicited offers and unappreciated junk mail.

Dealers’ choice
One market segment that is seeing growing adoption of e-newsletters is automotive dealerships. Historically, dealers have had difficulty persuading customers to have their new vehicles serviced at the dealership, and keeping them as return customers. This has been a problem, since the average car-buying household represents a $350,000 lifetime value. It may be counter-intuitive, perhaps, but dealers have found that the largely non-promotional content of e-newsletters attracts customers’ attention better than hard-sell ads.

Successful e-newsletters in this sector feature not only articles on the vehicles the dealers sell and the different services they offer, but also lifestyle articles on such varied topics as home improvement, regional destinations, and health and nutrition. This combination of product and lifestyle content keeps customers engaged and encourages them to interact with the dealership – and, hopefully, to become repeat customers. Well-designed e-newsletters also include links to ensure that the reader is always just a click away from the profit centers of the dealer’s web site, such as new and pre-owned inventory, service, and finance.

Here are some examples of auto dealer e-newsletter content that subtly promotes products with information of interest to the reader:

• A BMW dealer leads with an article on the elegant dynamics of the new 2007 BMW 3 Series coupe. The full story provides detailed information, while a link at the bottom of the article invites the reader to schedule a test drive. An adjacent story invites the reader to a special preview of the automobile.
• An article informs readers that by regularly replacing two crucial filters they can save hundreds to thousands of dollars in repair costs. A link at the bottom invites the reader to schedule a service appointment.
• Seasonal content always succeeds. For autumn, an article on apple varieties with nutritional information and recipes is a natural, along with links to area orchards within a day’s drive of the dealership.
• An article by the parts manager on how security systems can reduce car insurance premiums includes discount coupons for the items.

The message is clear: by offering content that is informative and therefore a softer sell, dealers can create, strengthen, and maintain relationships with their customers and prospects, while at the same time increasing traffic back to their web sites and into their dealerships. Ultimately, this is helping them sell more vehicles and services.

Drawing readers in
Much of the success of e-newsletters stems from their ability to provide a positive customer experience. Well-designed and thoughtfully structured e-newsletter content reaches recipients in a layered manner. First, a well-designed email message is sent with content summaries and links to the e-newsletter microsite. By selecting articles of greatest interest, recipients can feel in control of the process. Once at the site, the full breadth of the content is accessible and readers can be drawn into content promoting specific products and services. Relevant links next to the articles make it easy for readers to learn more about products and quickly receive answers to questions.

This layered approach enables readers to interact with the content and with the dealers at increasingly deeper levels. Whereas spam typically gets deleted almost instantly, e-newsletters draw recipients in, exposing them to content they want to spend time with and links that can capture them at the peak of their interest.

Simple tips that can make a big difference
There is no one right way to produce an effective e-newsletter, but there are ways that can help e-newsletters stand out and better serve the needs of both the sender and the recipient – regardless of the industry. Here are a few tips:

• Make it pretty. The best e-newsletters not only read well but also look good. Use relevant and attractive photos, striking colors and images, and a well-structured layout.
• Mix it up. In addition to articles, include sweepstakes, surveys, puzzles, and games to ensure that there is content of interest to everyone.
• Take its pulse. Measure, analyze, and act. Gather information on open rates, which articles are read most often, and which features readers spend the most time with. Use this data to evolve and improve the e-newsletter.
• Keep it fresh. New features give long-time readers incentive to keep opening each issue. Exploit the power of the Internet with a moderated blog or message board. Offer podcasts for download, stream audio and/or video, or try an RSS feed.

Done well, e-newsletters can help organizations to stay in touch with customers and prospects by providing a simple yet much-appreciated service. The key is to fill each issue with well-written content that is diverse yet relevant to a general audience. Lure readers in with topics that pique their interest, then hold them with articles and links that satisfy their needs and keep them wanting more.

Why are e-newsletters growing so rapidly? Simply because they are delivering consistently high, fully measurable results. They are effective for automobile dealers, and can provide significant benefits for other organizations as well.

Jo Ellen Collins is Vice President of Marketing with IMN (iMakeNews, Inc.), a leading e-communications service provider based in Waltham, MA. IMN delivers e-communications solutions that boost business performance and span e-newsletters, email, mini-sites, weblogs, and robust tracking and analytics. Contact Jo Ellen Collins at 1-866-964-NEWS or [email protected], or see www.imninc.com.