Editing. Every draft needs a proofread, no matter your role in the writing of the newsletter. Once the email is sent out, there’s no fixing it anymore. Anything with poor grammar or style doesn’t look good on the company either.
Testing. Before you send out your very first newsletter, make sure there is a phase where the email is tried and opened on different devices, so that clients opening the letter on a tablet, smartphone, or desktop will all get a version that is readable and well-presented. A person who can’t open a newsletter on their phone will eventually start ignoring and end up unsubscribing. There’s nothing wrong in making sure the system becomes flawless.
Mobile devices. As mentioned in the last paragraph, it would be no surprise if the majority of these emails are opened on mobile devices, whether the person is in or out of the house. The present is mobile and that’s where all the attention is. Make sure it is working best there, by using a template that’s responsive on mobile.
Spam! It’s the one thing that annoys everyone, so make sure you follow some rules before it potentially gets ugly on your subscriber list. Don’t send the email to people who didn’t sign up to it in the first place, and always make sure the newsletter has a clear unsubscribe button.
Shareability. When subscribers voluntarily share your newsletter with their networks, it’s a sign of a job well done! You want to make sure the content is so compelling that it is routinely shared and new subscribers join in because their friends referred them to it. Social media links to LinkedIn and Facebook would be a good idea too.
Metrics. Stats don’t lie, so a monthly checkup on the newsletter performances should give you an idea of the direction you should be taking it next, but that can be a very good thing too! But if the important numbers are low, redefine your strategy.
Personalization. Many companies send newsletters that sound very automated. Make sure you personalize it as much as you can, with an informal, friendly tone of voice.
Something to say. Content strategy is important here. Don’t send a newsletter if there’s nothing valuable to share with your subscribers, because you’re wasting their time, and yours.