For entrepreneurs and growing businesses, staying connected with your audience is one of many keys to success. Big endeavors, such as captivating social media campaigns and costly advertisements may come to mind. While those are an important part of the communications package, there are also some low-cost and low-risk methods at your disposal.

Newsletters and blogs are a personal way to speak to your audience while still bringing attention and light to your business. 

Newsletters

Dollar for dollar, newsletters are one of the least expensive ways to reach thousands of readers. Without costly postage requirements or ad charges, newsletters have become a top choice for marketing departments. 

As of 2020, there were 3.9 billion daily email users. A staggering 73% of millennials (the largest population group) prefer communication from businesses to come via email (Hubspot). Companies that haven’t launched a regular newsletter are missing out on reaching a significant number of potential customers. 

Not only will newsletters help your company build relationships with new customers, you’ll also help maintain relationships with existing customers. While not every email you send will be opened, even subject lines that are left untouched are reminding customers that your business is still out there. 

Newsletters are a great avenue for educating customers and informing readers about company updates. Perhaps most importantly for your company’s bottom line, these emails also increase website traffic and overall sales, while promoting information about discounts, new launches, or upcoming events. 

To come full circle, your company can cross promote newsletters across social media to continue building an audience and expanding reach. 

Email design has come a long way; make newsletter communication visually appealing by:

• Pulling in consistent logo designs and coloring.

• Utilizing call-to-action buttons to direct readers back to websites and social media platforms.

• Including hi-resolution photos, graphics, videos, and gifs.

Blogs

Blogging is no longer just for foodies and parenting advice, but if you’re uncomfortable with the lingo, consider using another term more in-line with your brand. Insights. Newsletter. Column. No matter the term you select, the content you produce will be key to driving audience engagement on your company’s website. 

As you come up with engaging content, this will be the opportune space to insert keywords throughout, making your business appear more frequently in search engines. In other words — boosting Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This tactic can showcase your business to people who’ve never heard about your brand. For instance, if a new customer is directed to your site from a blog they clicked on, it’s possible that individual will click around on the website, coming across products and services, driving sales, and expanding your target market. 

Whether you choose to highlight employees, share advice, promote events, or just tell jokes, blogs go a long way to helping cement your brand’s tone. Blogs can also establish your company as a thought leader, increasing your trustworthiness and credibility. With so many automation-focused businesses on the market, you're assuring potential customers that real people work at your company.

Get Started

The hardest part of launching any communications campaign is getting started. Don’t let uncertainty of the upcoming tasks stand in your way. Start small. If monthly newsletter or blog communication is too frequent for your company’s workload, consider quarterly updates. Create a plan. If you haven’t yet, consider who your target audience will be. Research tools that you may want at your disposal to get started (graphics creation, email distribution, etc.).  

Newsletters and blogs offer your business the ability to vastly expand your audience (while remaining cost-effective). As you dive in, keep in mind that consistency with your communication channels is pivotal to further business growth and expansion.

Unsure how to break into these two methods? Start a conversation with More Canvas Consulting to help you get started.

—Jennifer Santiago, Marketing Manager at More Canvas Consulting