Before you say, “newsletters don’t work” or “newsletters are old school”… listen to this exciting discovery.

I have to tell you that my experience used to be that an occasional newsletter would grow a business by 10%.

But more recently I have discovered that they can actually double your income.

As a business operator, you have probably weighed and looked into all the different avenues available to generate business.

But if you’re still not using newsletters, at this very moment you’re leaving valuable money on the table. There are two interesting things about them which you’ll learn in a bit.

First, let’s talk about the “common knowledge” people have about newsletters.

When you think of newsletters you’re probably imagining a thin sheet of paper, coupled with blocks of text and related images. They would typically arrive in your mailbox every two weeks or so. Pretty passé, right?

The good thing is that the modern newsletter has changed with the world. It’s basically unrecognizable from its old-fashioned cousin. 

Just like the brick-sized cell phone that has transformed itself into a sleek and elegant gadget that you can fit neatly in your pocket… 

…the rise of smartphones has made a major impact on the way consumers interact with email newsletters.

The modern newsletter is now sent digitally to the consumer’s inbox, which would be right in their faces as they check their phones every day.  

Like the original newsletter, email newsletters are sent out periodically. They remain a way to engage with subscribers who have already expressed interest in your business.

If you still don’t believe me, let the following numbers do the talking instead.

According to HubSpot, 46% of emails are opened from a mobile device. 

A whopping 99% of consumers check their email every day. 

59% of respondents say newsletter emails influence their purchase decisions.

Newsletter readers spend 80% more time on the website that sends them these messages. 72% of people cited email as their preferred source for promotional content.

Those are some very impressive stats, and just a small taste of the advantages this type of marketing can provide. (Read until the end to learn 3 easy steps to help you get started with writing newsletters).

Given this, it should come as no surprise that your own inbox is probably inundated with such emails. 

Not to mention, you’re likely to see a newsletter sign-up form on most sites you visit.

So it’s not some old school tactic or some sort of voodoo. 

A solid email strategy can change your life.

Now, remember the two interesting things about newsletters that I mentioned earlier?

Here they are.

ONE: People will buy from people they know, like, and trust

People don’t buy from you because you sell. 

They buy from you because they trust you, are loyal to you, and are fans of your business. This is known as the KLT (Know, Like and Trust factor)

Emails are one of the best channels to build loyalty and connection with your customers. 

With 4.3 billion (and steadily growing) users all around the globe, email is the best opportunity for your brand to show up and make itself known.

And they can’t trust you if you are gone for 6 months (or even 10 days) without saying a word.

Remember, a solid relationship does not happen overnight, but is built over time.

Businesses have gone from converting 1-2% of visitors to an astonishing 5-20%, not because of a better pitch or product…

…but simply because they could stay in touch and occasionally nudge them to see if they were ready to buy. (We talk more about this topic in this podcast.)

TWO: For any relationship to flourish, it needs constant nurturing.

This means you actually need to provide value and not just show up.

What’s the use of sending frequent emails if you’re writing something your audience doesn’t want to read?

You need to not just grab, but retain your reader’s attention.

Build their loyalty to your brand by keeping your customers in the loop with the latest developments, offers, or something of interest that is happening in your business.

It’s also important to give your newsletter an elegant look, to make your readers’ eyes skim through all of the content with no problem.

By making sure that your newsletter has a pleasing and interesting vibe which you know will appeal to them, you are fostering a unique relationship through your words and encouraging them to be loyal to you and your brand. 

 And the best part?

It will cost you almost nothing. 

You can shoot out a weekly newsletter to thousands or even tens of thousands of people whenever you want, as often as you want, for a couple hundred bucks (or less) per month.

The result: enormous profits. 

Not just for big corporations, either, but for small businesses, stay-at-home moms, and savvy writers around the world who want to make a living from their words. It is one of the biggest and most important changes in business in the last decade.

The bottom line – you need to show up and email your people at least once a week. 

Ideally twice or more.

And if you’re wondering, “How on earth am I going to do all that? What will I write about?”

…here are some few choice tips to help you start on those newsletters.

Choose an email marketing platform.

There are plenty of email marketing providers out there to help manage your subscriber lists, design the emails, and launch campaigns.

A few of our favorites include ActiveCampaign, Mailchimp, and Mailshake.

Start building your email list.

The next step in how to start a newsletter is gathering email addresses. After all, your newsletter won’t do you much good if there’s no one to send it to. You’ll want to build your list by letting people opt in as subscribers. 

Your website isn’t the only place where you can promote your newsletter. If you want to build a substantial list of subscribers, you’ll also want to take advantage of other channels.

For example, social media is an excellent way to expand your newsletter’s reach. By first figuring out what social media platforms your audience is likely using, you can then post about your newsletter on them and encourage people to sign up.

Create your first newsletter.

At this point, you have the tools you need, and some subscribers who are interested in hearing what you have to say. Naturally, the final step in learning how to start a newsletter is to send your first message.

Are you still not sure what to put in your emails? 

Not to worry, we’ve got your back.

Click this link to download a FREE collection of 141 email Ideas that you can use in your newsletters.