I really don’t remember subscribing to this newsletter below, though I’m not doubting I did. However, I’d like to point out a few items this newsletter did wrong and how easy it is to improve upon it.
First, here is what I saw in my email:
Second, these folks aren’t trying to sell anything so they probably aren’t concerned about open rates as much, but they gave us an example of how not to write an email newsletter.
Below is a table with a complaint, why it’s a complaint, and how many points they lose for their mistake. Shall we get started?
| Complaint | Explanation | Spam Deduction |
|---|---|---|
| “newsletter” | “Newsletter” doesn’t tell me anything. You are better off using a business or person’s name (preferably someone recognizable w/in your company). For example: ” Blog Critic” (which this is from) or “Blog Critic Newsletter” would garner them +3 points. | -3 |
| Lower-case “n” | It’s generic and it should have a capital “N.” It’s also bad grammar and is typical of email spam. | -1 |
| Remove “BC Newsletter #13″ | No one cares or remembers a newsletter by “#13.” Use the limited space wisely. | -1 |
| Uses PHP List for email delivery | I consider this a huge no-no. Anyone not using Mail Chimp is hurting themselves and/or their business. Folks, use Mail Chimp for your email newsletters. I realize it costs a few pennies, but it’s easy and fun to use. Plus it reminds the recipient when they subscribed to a newsletter and where, just in case they forgot (like I did). | -3 |
| Comic-Con Reference | Because I didn’t know who it was from AND also saw Comic-Con, I perceived it was spam. Why Comic-Con you ask? Because I think comics are nerdy (sorry) and wouldn’t subscribe to anything comic-like. | -2 |
These guys lost 10 points. Ouch! If you follow these simple considerations, you’ll be good to go.
Btw. My point system is based entirely on my preferences. I gave them a -3 for the PHP List thing because I’m heavily biased toward Mail Chimp. Speaking of which, have you signed up for my newsletter?