The ABC’s Of Newsletter Marketing

 Delivering Value To Your Sphere—Newsletter Marketing

By Dave Hershman

For years I have been teaching sales people the meaning and scope of their sphere of influence. The come into my webinars with 300 names in their database and leave knowing that the number should be 3,000.  Why? Because I am asking them to take an inventory of their life. This inventory includes relationships, experiences, educational background, skills,  hobbies and more. Most sales personnel get in the business or try to increase their production by attacking the world. I want them to attack THEIR world. It is the key to building a foundation rather than a business model that puts them on a treadmill. It is also a key in development of their unique selling proposition (USP).

Of course, a logical question follows. If I have 2,000 to 10,000 in my sphere—what do I do with this list?  The fact that you have found this many contacts is only the first step. Yes, there are many that know you and you know them. And many with which you have something in common Now you must…

• Develop a database of this data. You can’t keep in touch using sticky notes. You must have the technology necessary to implement your actions.
• Develop a marketing plan around the data. Instead of marketing the world, you will now be able to build upon your life. A marketing plan begins with prioritization. Some targets are more important than others. Some will get a face-to-face meeting. Others you will just mail to—for example a newsletter.
• Deliver value through this plan. It is not enough to send a letter or email every month saying “give me a loan.” Please like this will be quickly ignored. You have to deliver value. 

This should be objective of a newsletter service—to deliver value. Well it should be more than that. It should…

• Establish credibility. Not recipes or handy homeowner hints. But real value that establishes you as an expert. I love brownies—but I don’t want cooking or handyman expertise from my expert loan officer or Realtor!
• Be relevant. Even though you want it to show you are an expert, you need the average person to understand what you are telling them. If you want them to take action, they can’t be befuddled. It can’t be esoteric secondary terms or charts.  If you are a loan officer, your clients are more interested in real estate than mortgages, though mortgages are certainly relevant.
• Make the phone ring. With material they understand, there should be response mechanisms attached to your newsletter service. Just because you are not dong a sales job, does not mean the phone can’t ring because you are making offers of value.

Today’s newsletter must be flexible from a technology and substantive viewpoint. That means you need to be able to distribute the newsletters in different ways…

1. Face-to-face. Bring something to your important meetings. If these are your most important contacts, should they not get something of value?
2. Mailing. Some still prefer snail mail. There is still room for traditional 4-page formats.
3. Emailing. When you are sending 10,000 because you have a steady stream of prospects, you don’t have the time to deliver  personally or the money to mail every  week or month. Your newsletter system must have an HTML component that facilitates delivery to the masses.  Keep in mind that when you email you must comply with the “Can-Spam” Act, which, among other things, requires for clear instructions for removal from your list.

The Substance

• Remember that your goal is to deliver value. This means that you should not be sending the same piece to everyone on your list. It must be more targeted. For example, you may want a sales article for real estate agents and other business-to-business targets such as financial planners. In this way you are helping them build their business. In addition, if you can provide pieces that they can send to their constituency, you are basically leveraging your efforts. An example might be consumer articles that are relevant to their interest. There is nothing more effective than achieving maximum leverage.
• Consumers and business-to-business clients will not respond unless the information is relevant for them. The will not pick up the phone or email unless they see a substantial benefit. The substance usually needs to contain more than one piece in order to generate response. 

The Technology

In order to achieve these lofty goals, you need not only substance. You need the technology necessary to carry out these goals. Your newsletter system must have print and email formats. Even the print formats must vary from a one page article to a 4-page newsletter. And you must have a robust Customer Relationship Manager System directing your efforts. You can do this “in-house” or subcontract the work out. Either way—the results will be worth it.

Wondering whether such a newsletter system exists? It does! Go to www.webinars.originationpro.com and you can try the NewsletterPro Marketing System under a special trial which is ending July 31, 2011. You will also get bonus webinars under the Certified Mortgage Advisor Program and free downloads such as the First Time Homebuyers Marketing Kit.