It can be hard to find success as an entrepreneur. You may have heard the benefits of creating an email newsletter if you're running a small business. Although they seem like an outdated marketing strategy, newsletters can actually do a lot for your business. Learn more about why email correspondence is still a crucial tactic for keeping in touch with your customers and helping your business grow.

1. How To Use Your Newsletter To Grow Your Customer Base
In today's social media-based world, it's difficult to connect with customers who don't use these platforms. Using an email newsletter gives you a chance to touch base with former customers, as well as those who are considering purchasing in the future, on a weekly basis. Try to limit your letters to once a week (or once a month, depending on your business). Experts recommend sending at least one a month to maintain contact with your customer base.

Ensure that each letter has a purpose, such as promoting a sale, announcing drastic company changes, or alerting customers to a new product or service. There's a delicate balance between helping your customers feel like they're part of your growing enterprise and annoying them with too many emails that aren't relevant to them!

2. How To Write an Effective Letter
As with any type of writing, there is a right and a wrong way to engage your audience. Don't use purchased lists to relay content and information to your customers. This will give the impression that you put little thought into your letter. At worst, it will make your email seem like spam. Use a branded email address to add authority to your content.

Above all, don't add too much information to your letter. Keep things concise, engaging, and to the point. Include an "unsubscribe" link to allow people to opt out if they wish.

3. How To Get More People To Read the Newsletter
First, make sure your prose is up to par. If writing content isn't your strong suit, hire someone who can make your small business sparkle with interesting, engaging content. It's fine to hire a freelancer, instead of a full-time employee, for this purpose.

Promote your letter on social media, include a "subscribe" button on your company's website, and give customers the chance to subscribe to the letter after placing an order. Never spam your customers or force them onto the email newsletter list without their permission.

4. How To Use Data Visualization to Enhance Your Letter
Data visualization can be a powerful tool for engaging customers and making them want to come back for more, according to DataJournalism.com. Use graphics, tables, and interactive content to let your customers get up close and personal with your company's mission. Reach out to a freelance graphic designer if you have trouble creating and utilizing these tools yourself.

5. Have Some Funs by Creating Memes
While memes have been around for years, they've recently experienced a resurgence in popularity. And what better way to jazz up your email newsletter than by incorporating some timely, relevant memes? Not only will this help to engage your readers, but it can also convey complex ideas in a concise and humorous way. Best of all, creating memes is easy with any of the many online meme generators. Simply go online and research the best meme text generator, choose a template, add your text, and voila! You'll have a meme that's ready to share. So, go ahead and have some fun with your next email newsletter - your readers will be sure to appreciate it.

Beautiful and Strategic Content
A beautifully designed website with quality content will likely lead to an uptick in growth and customer engagement. Be sure to use tools like PDF converters and the help of graphic designers and content writers to develop something that is worth your customer’s time. And don't forget a prompt call to action at the end of all of your email newsletters! 

Do you need a great website to go along with your awesome newsletter? Get in touch with Waking Girl Web Design. Call 775-544-6612 today!

Photo Credit: Magnus Andersson via Unsplash

Note: This post is targeted to Waking Girl clients, but, with a little creativity, anyone out there in the web-verse is welcome to use this information!

You've seen the magic of @BUSINESS NAME.com email addresses. It's easy to tell people your address, and you get to promote your website at the same time. It's magical!

But how does it work? How do we set it up? Will it be stable? How much will it cost??? At Waking Girl Web Design we always look for the solutions that are FREE, stable, awesome, AND serve multiple purposes without interrupting your current operations.

Here is what YOU need to do to have your own company email:

You probably already have one. I mean, it's kind of mandatory nowadays to have a Google account!

If not, head over to GMAIL.COM and get started. Your username can be anything you want, but should be your domain name or business name, or as close to that as possible! A good username should be something that won't be embarrassing or confusing if a client saw it!

Once you've entered the verification code (above), then return to Settings >> Accounts and Import, and choose the email address to MAKE DEFAULT. This is the email address that will appear as the SENDER when you send out emails.

Always test!

Just go ahead and COMPOSE a new email. Send it to another email address you have, or to a nearby friend. See how the email appears on the other end: Does it have the right name? Is the name using the proper capitalization? Is the email address correct?

And then send back. Did it appear in your email inbox?

There are many things you can do with your email addresses to make your business seem bigger and function better. If you're a one-man show, you can still set up multiple addresses all going to the same account. You can send and receive as billing@YOUR BUSINESS.com, or reception@YOUR BUSINESS.com, or sales@YOUR BUSINESS.com.

You can also use forwarders for independent contractors, employees and vendors. If you don't want to remember a complicated email address, just set up a forwarder for them at your domain! If you're only sending to these email addresses (and they don't need to send back with a custom domain), they don't need Gmail addresses.

For example:
mom@YOUR BUSINESS.com forwards to MyMomsSuper-Complicated.AND.long.email.address@???.com

seo@YOUR BUSINESS.com forwards to your SEO company. If you change companies, just update the forwarder (with the form above).

accounting@YOUR BUSINESS.com forwards to your accountant.

foreman@YOUR BUSINESS.com forwards to your current foreman. If your foreman leaves the company, just update the forwarder (with the form above) to forward to your NEW foreman!

STAY IN CONTROL of the communication in your business!

spy@YOUR BUSINESS.com forwards to YOU and whichever employee you want to keep tabs on. If you're not sure about your new hire, and think they may have plans to steal your clients, we can forward emails to your employee AND you. You'll get a copy of every email they receive!

Yes. Your sending address may not appear properly when you're sending from a phone. And some Outlook programs will see "This email is from you@you.com sending on behalf of you@gmail.com."

That's why we really want that Gmail address to be acceptable for client eyes!

Every family should have a custom domain and email! This is a great Christmas gift for the whole family. Request a domain name that has a variation of your family last name or something special for your family. Then set up forwarders for FIRST NAME@SILLY Fam.com.

You'll never be stumped on email addresses again! If your family member changes jobs or schools or last names, it's an easy update to redirect their mail to their new address! No need to announce it to the whole family; just get in touch with Waking Girl, and we'll take it from there!