Sharon's Marketing Monthly      

Insightful ideas for maximizing your message

Renaming Newsletters

A few weeks ago, I had an intriguing conversation with Chris Baggott, CMO and founder of ExactTarget. I am gung-ho on e-newsletters, and he wasn't which surprised me. After all, his company sells software for delivering e-newsletters (as well as other email communications). It turns out he wasn't opposed to newsletters, just the word. And he had a valid point: We're abusing the term "newsletter."

The result? We're bombarding people with our offers to sign up for newsletters, and they're less likely to sign up for yours because they think, "Oh no, not another one."

That got me thinking. (OK, that's not saying much, because I'm always thinking, but still.) What other name could you use? I've racked my brain for a month about this and finally realized there's not one answer because they're not all newsletters.

What is a newsletter?
Merriam Webster defines a newsletter as "a small publication (as a leaflet or newspaper) containing news of interest chiefly to a special group." But how many e-newsletters contain news? For example, I get weekly promotions from a clothing company that never includes news. In another newsletter, I get case studies that are extremely useful, but they're not news. Heck, you're reading something billed as a newsletter, and I'm the first to admit it's not news! In short, I started thinking about what the content of a newsletter really is.

It's about the content
We're over-using the term "newsletter" because many times it doesn't apply to the content that's being delivered. That doesn't mean the content doesn't have value, it most certainly does. But we're offering lots of different types of content. And that means we don't need one word to replace the word newsletter. We need many. We need to be more specific about just what we're promising that person when they say "yes" to hearing from us.

So, I came up with a list of possible names that we can start using instead. These aren't presented in any particular order, but they might get you thinking:

• Journal
• Communique
• Communication
• E-zine
• Guide
• Content
• Publication
• Periodical
• Promotion
• Tip
• Update
• Dialog
• Conversation
• Bulletin
• Circular
• Magazine
• Weekly
• Monthly
• Quarterly
• Log
• Chronicle
• Record
• Letter
• Announcement
• Analysis
• Advice

Is there a name here that would more accurately describe your company's email communications? I hope so! Because Chris is right: We need to rename the newsletter, before people stop signing up all together! (For Chris's thoughts on the matter, see his blog at http://exacttarget.typepad.com/chrisbaggott/.)

Until next month!

Sharon

This month's challenge

Does your e-newsletter need renaming? Think about it. Check out the list above and see if there isn't something that would more accurately describe what you're promising people who agree to hear from you.

 

A Brag for May

We're pretty humble here, but every once in a while we do need to brag, and now's one of those times: We have a #1 Google ranking and we weren't even trying! Go to Google and type in "e-newsletter best practices" and there we are. It's our first ever #1 ranking, so we think it's pretty cool!

Who is Sharon?

Sharon is the president of We Know Words, a sustainable marketing communications firm helping you connect with your past, present and potential customers. Being a woman of many opinions--and words--she writes the Marketing Monthly as a way to have her say. Besides, she loves newsletters.

What's up with the flower?

It's just us. Fresh, flourishing, cheerfuland it ties into our job: Helping clients grow their businesses through an effective mix of off- and on-line marketing. Besides, it's fun! Have you seen it plastered all over our Web site?