Are You Maximizing Your E-Newsletter?

Your synagogue e-newsletter is your best opportunity to reach the largest number of people the most frequently. Does it do what you need it to do? Would you send it to five friends who don't belong to your synagogue? If not, take a step back--it’s time to revamp.

Here are some of many steps you can consider taking to make your e-newsletter a more effective communication channel.

1. Make signing up easy & enticing. Make it easy to find, with simple prompts, and for goodness sake, make it look good!
Consider all of the elements of your subscriber process. “Join our list” is not compelling, nor shares the value they can expect to get in exchange for giving you their info if they sign up. Make it a strong and appealing call to action. Think of the “sign up” link on an e-newsletter or website as a tool. Learn strategies for getting the “sign up” tool found and ways to encourage individuals to join.

2. “Sign up” and “share” ON your e-newsletter. Provide an easy-to-find link to sign up and share your e-newsletter on your e-newsletter.
E-newsletters are social media -- allow them to work for you. You need to put the right information in front of the right people. You may be sending an e-newsletter to the individual associated with membership, but the opportunity is to get other household members to subscribe, as well as their extended family and friends. And don’t stop there...

3. “Sign up” ON your homepage, at least! Provide an easy-to-find link to sign up for your e-newsletter on your homepage.
Prospects are going to your homepage first to check you out. Get them on your e-newsletter list and keep the good information flowing to them. Don’t stop on the homepage, but identify frequently accessed pages throughout your site to add a sign-up link.

4. Leverage social media for subscribers. Create feedback loops -- no dead ends.
Take your e-newsletter sign-up link to social media and take your relationship to the next level. Reach out for new subscribers in all of your channels of communication. Create a permanent spot on your Facebook page for all the ways to connect with your community: e-news, blogs, Twitter, etc.

5. “One size fits no one.” Create communication channels specific to different segments of your membership.
Consider creating multiple e-newsletters that are focused on the needs of your membership -- not the needs of your synagogue. Parents of Hebrew school children have different needs than your “boomer” members. It is your responsibility to be relevant to your members. Otherwise, they will not read your content. Consider various channels for different segments, but that’s another blog....

6. Make it relevant. Write about opportunities.
What are the opportunities to connect, to enhance the relevancy of Judaism and to engage constituents, prospective members and the community at large?

7. Make it permission based. Communicate with recipients who are choosing to give you their attention.
Author and marketing guru Seth Godin says that permission marketing is all about turning strangers into friends and friends into customers. You get the picture....

8. Measure everything. Use metrics to get data on the effectiveness of your work.
Get data-driven feedback on how many folks are opening your e-newsletter, what are they clicking on and how each e-newsletter stacks up to the previous and industry standards. You’ll see clearly what your readers find interesting. And then give them more of that content.

Email newsletters are an essential part of your social media engagement program. Fill them with brief and interesting content. Create links that will bring readers back to your website or be their lead to take them to exciting outside content. The more vibrant and interesting your enews is, the more engagement you will foster.

See you at synagogue.

P.S. And just so you don’t think I’m biased on the subject: Top 7 Alternatives to Constant Contact. It happens that it was written in 2007, but you decide....