It’s fascinating and frustrating to learn that 99% of buyers check their email accounts about 20 times daily. Meanwhile, only 15.1% of B2B newsletters are opened by their intended recipients.
It’s almost like having a direct line of communication, yet struggling to make the connection. Is your newsletter part of that elite group?
In this article, we’ll share 7 essential tips for creating engaging B2B newsletters. From compelling subject lines to valuable insights, we’ll provide actionable strategies that inspire action.
So, if you’re ready to increase client retention rate and build stronger relationships with your B2B clients, read on and discover strategies for crafting an unforgettable newsletter.
First, you must recognize the key elements that can detract from its effectiveness. After all, sending out an unappealing newsletter can be as detrimental as not sending one.
So, let’s look closer at what can turn your newsletter from an effective communication tool to a wasted opportunity.
5 Serious Mistakes You’re Making With Your B2B Newsletter
1. Your newsletter lacks value
First, an unattractive newsletter is dull, repetitive, irrelevant, and lacks value. Your B2B clients are busy professionals with limited time. They will lose interest if your newsletter fails to provide meaningful insights, tips, or ideas.
GetApp found that irrelevant or low-value content is one of the top reasons people unsubscribe from B2B emails. With countless emails flooding their inboxes every day, it’s essential that your newsletter stands out and provides them with value.
Busy professionals do not spend time wading through lengthy newsletters. So, bite-sized pieces of actionable and relevant information will be more effective than confusing content.
2. You’re sending too many emails
While it’s important to keep your subscribers engaged with regular content, bombarding them with too many emails can be a turn-off. Studies have uncovered overwhelming frequency to be the most common reason why people unsubscribe from newsletters.
Hubspot’s survey found 34% unsubscribed from too many daily emails, and 17% from too many weekly ones.
In today’s fast-paced world, people are flooded with information and have limited attention spans. As such, it’s crucial to strike the right balance between staying top-of-mind and overwhelming your audience with too much content.
3. Your newsletter is poorly-designed
One of the most common reasons why B2B newsletters fail to engage readers is because of poor design. Cluttered layouts, too much text, and confusing navigation can affect your business in the following ways:
- It can undermine the credibility of your brand. This can be particularly damaging in the B2B world, where clients seek partners they can trust to consistently deliver quality work and meet their needs.
- Your clients will not understand the message you’re trying to convey. This can lead to a missed opportunity to communicate the value of your product or service and convince clients to take action.
- It can reflect poorly on your brand’s attention to detail and approach to doing business.
Neglecting a well-designed newsletter could imply a lack of investment in product development, customer service, or marketing. This can damage your reputation and make it harder to attract and keep clients in the long run.
4. Your newsletter lacks personalization.
Personalization is no longer a nice-to-have, but rather a must-have when it comes to email marketing. Segmenting and personalizing email campaigns can result in a 46% higher open rate and a 50% higher click-through rate than non-personalized campaigns.
This highlights personalization’s key role in engaging B2B clients, as 83% of recipients are more likely to open a personalized email than a generic one.
Conversely, a lack of personalization can cause newsletters to fall flat and fail to engage audiences. When subscribers receive content that doesn’t resonate with them, they’re more likely to ignore it or even unsubscribe.
As such, businesses risk missing out on valuable opportunities to build lasting relationships with clients, drive sales and generate revenue. Thus, it is crucial to invest in personalization strategies that allow businesses to tailor their content to each subscriber’s needs and interests.
5. Your newsletter is not mobile-friendly
Ultimately, creating mobile-friendly emails is a non-negotiable aspect of any successful newsletter strategy. Unfortunately, many businesses fail to optimize their B2B newsletters for mobile devices, which can result in poor user experience and low engagement rates.
With 50% of all emails opened on mobile devices, B2B marketers must focus on mobile optimization to ensure their newsletters are accessible and readable on all devices.
Recent studies have shown that B2B companies have the weakest email open rates on mobile devices compared to other industries. This means that not only is mobile optimization crucial for engagement, but it’s also particularly important for B2B marketers.
Failure to do so not only leads to a frustrating experience for readers. It also means missed opportunities to connect with potential customers and build lasting relationships.
Now, we have identified why you’ve noticed a high unsubscribe rate, low open rates, or little engagement from your subscribers. Let’s shift our focus to the strategies that can help you craft an unforgettable B2B newsletter
7 Key Strategies For Crafting Unforgettable B2B Newsletters
Email is the preferred mode of communication for business purposes among 86% of professionals. You cannot simply dump this golden line of communication to your clients.
Crafting memorable and effective B2B newsletters requires more than avoiding the pitfalls of an unattractive newsletter. It takes a deliberate and strategic approach to ensure your newsletter stands out, engages your readers, and achieves your business goals.
Here are the 7 key strategies that can help you create memorable B2B newsletters moving forward:
1. Prioritize valuable and relevant content
Firstly, it’s crucial to know your audience’s preferences, interests, and pain points before creating your newsletter. This will allow you to tailor your content to their specific needs, making it more valuable and relevant.
People subscribe to email lists to receive promotional offers and discounts. However, providing value goes beyond discounts. It means offering informative and educational content that your audience can use such as brand content and company announcements. Your newsletter should help them solve a problem, answer a question, or learn something new.
2. Personalize your content through targeting and segmentation
Personalization is more than just using your subscriber’s name in the subject line. It means tailoring the content to their specific interests and preferences. You can achieve this by segmenting your email list based on factors such as location, purchase history, or engagement.
3. Find the right frequency that works for your audience
Sending too many emails can be overwhelming, leading people to unsubscribe. Conversely, sending too few emails can make people forget about your brand. You can also ask your subscribers how often they would like to receive your newsletter.
The best time to send your newsletter is on a weekday morning, between 9 am and 11 am, as most people tend to check their emails during this time.
The frequency of your newsletter should be determined by your content strategy and your subscribers’ preferences. It’s recommended to send your newsletter at least once a month to keep your subscribers engaged without overwhelming them with too much content.
Also, monitor your unsubscribe rate and adjust the frequency of your newsletter accordingly. If you notice a high number of unsubscribes after a specific email, consider reducing the frequency of your newsletter or changing your content strategy.
Worth reading: How To Find The Right Blogging Frequency For Your Business
4. Use a captivating subject line for higher open rates
Your subject line is the first thing your subscribers see, and it can determine whether they open your email or not. Create a subject line that is attention-grabbing, clear, and concise. Avoid using clickbait tactics or making false promises.
5. Use design and graphics to reel your clients in
Visually appealing B2B newsletters can help create a positive first impression, and the use of attractive graphics can effectively convey your message and evoke emotions. Additionally, a well-designed newsletter can improve readability and make it easier for your subscribers to digest the content.
Simplicity in layout and color choice aligning with the brand & audience can evoke emotions and create appeal. High-quality images and white space enhance content relevance, readability, and the overall look of your B2B newsletter.
6. Optimize for mobile viewing
A significant portion of people reads emails on their mobile devices. Ensure your newsletter is optimized for mobile by using a responsive design and formatting that is easy to read on a small screen.
7. Conduct A/B testing and monitor your metrics
Test different subject lines, content, images, and layouts to see what works best for your audience. Use the data you gather from your tests to refine and improve your newsletter over time.
It’s also essential to keep track of your newsletter’s performance by monitoring metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribes. Analyze your data and make necessary changes to improve your newsletter’s effectiveness.
In summary
Creating memorable B2B newsletters is all about understanding your audience’s needs and preferences and providing valuable content. It also includes personalizing your message, finding the right frequency, and optimizing for mobile devices.
By following these tips and monitoring your newsletter’s performance, you can establish a positive and engaging relationship with your subscribers.
Remember, your B2B newsletters are a brand extension, and making a lasting impression is key to building a loyal following. Invest the time and effort to create a newsletter that your audience will look forward to receiving. You will reap the rewards in the long run.