Repeat customers spend up to 3x more new customers. Nope, this isn’t a random statistic; we did the math in our very own plumbing business and were blown away by this fact as well. However, to gain repeat customers, they need to actually remember you. This is where your professional customer newsletter comes in handy.
Newsletters are the perfect tool to help your business remain front-of-mind to customers. When your business is front-of-mind, customers will ring you and not one of your local competitors when they’re in need of someone in your trade. And the best bit is, this article will detail a cheat way of designing a professional looking customer newsletter in just a few hours.
We’ll tell you:
- What information to include
- How to design it in a professional layout
- How to send it; and
- How frequently you should send it.
1. What information to include
Absolute key to impressing your customers, increasing credibility and encouraging repeat business is the content in your newsletter. Everything you include must add value to the reader and relate to your business or industry.
There are some non-negotiables (these have to be included in every newsletter) and optional (always include 2 or 3 of these in each newsletter).
Non-negotiables (must be included)
- Brand logo and colours
- Contact details
- List of services you provide
- Testimonials
- What do you want them to do? A call to action (discount or offer)
Optionals (include 2 or 3 of these in each newsletter)
- Outline of new technologies
- Accomplishments
- New products and services
- Product profile (features and benefits)
- Topical news
- Employee profile
Seasonal tips e.g. facts about hot water systems in a winter plumbing newsletter.
2. How to design your newsletter in a professional layout
What your newsletter looks like will make or break how professional your business appears. Let’s face it, you’re probably not a graphic designer nor are you interested in paying one an arm and a leg to do it for you.
So here’s a quick cheat – it’s called Canva. Canva is a free online program, which has done-for-you templates that you can customise with your branding, colours, and content.
Below is a screenshot of a 2-page A4 template that’s available in Canva. They give you the framework and it’s up to do you change the colours, insert your own text and images, and move around the placement of these to suit your needs.
3. How to send it
It is important, when it comes to marketing, to stay in contact with your database through both online and offline methods. A newsletter can be either – online (sent through programs like Active Campaign or Mail Chimp) or offline (print and post).
What should you do?
Give thought to your own daily life – how many emails do you delete every day without opening?
There is certainly an art to ensuring your online newsletter has cut-through, however, once mastered, you should mix between the two.
There is definitely a financial investment in sending offline newsletters and hence the importance to include a ‘Call to Action’. So that you can track return on investment (ROI) through the offer/s they can take advantage of and hence you can track conversions.
4. How frequently do you communicate?
A newsletter (whether online or offline) should be sent no less than every quarter. Perhaps it’s based on seasons to allow connected topics – Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn. That’s 4x a year you are reminding them that ‘you’ are their chosen trade. That’s 4 opportunities to attract repeat customers spending 3x more than they did the first time. Sounds good to me, what about you?
What’s next?
- Join our Kick-Ass Tradies Facebook Group, for access to trade business specific conversations, tips and resources, plus a like-minded community of tradies.
- Book a 15-minute Game Plan Call with Andy, owner of Dr. DRiP plumbing and co-founder of Lifestyle Tradie, to clarify your priorities and get clear action steps.
