World Class Newsletters for Sales

Greg Murray for Radio Ink MagazineHow is that client newsletter coming along you promised to send out every month? Not done yet? Haven’t even started? You’re not alone. In a recent SalesImaging.com survey, only 10% of radio managers have got around to utilizing newsletters to maintain constant contact with clients and prospects. There are substantial image building and sales benefits to distributing a monthly newsletter to clients and prospects, including:

You stay in touch with clients and prospects on a regular basis.

Unless your reps are following up with 100% of their clients and prospects, those advertisers will one day forget about you and fall into the arms of another.

Your sales organization will finally become a consistent advertising resource?

Only with constant contact will you ever become a true advertiser resource. In a world of instability with maintaining the same account executives year after year, your newsletter can become that stability. They’ll feel they have a relationship with you and the station because you are always there for them. That monthly newsletter spans a bridge of consistency between your organization and the advertiser, even if you suffer from personnel turnover.

Your newsletter promotes upcoming sales or promotional opportunities.

There is nothing wrong with sharing upcoming specials in your newsletter. Just don’t make it the focus. Provide helpful content to your reader, and subtly throw in a pitch as an afterthought. Make them aware, but don’t force the issue. If you do, your newsletter will loose credibility and become a sales piece instead of an advertiser resource.

There are many types of newsletters for advertisers. Long form, short form, faxed versions, snail mailed copies…and thanks to email, eNewsletters or eZines. Whatever the name and distribution method, the most important element is to get something out there in front of your advertisers. But, what about content? Who has the time? You just might if you keep reading.

- Start with facts and articles from business and marketing publications. Just remember to source the magazine and watch for copyright issues. It is ok in most cases to share information, if you source it to the appropriate publication.

- Throw in a paragraph or two about a previous radio success story. You can even feature a happy advertiser in each newsletter.

- Have an AE each month write a few paragraphs on how they help other local businesses grow. This will train your reps to continue their marketing education.

- Mention those upcoming promotional/sales opportunities (subtly…this newsletter is about them, not us).

Finally, never forget your contact information…that means you personally, the boss. Sign the newsletter along with a couple sentences thanking them for their attention. That personal touch gives them a direct relationship with you. Don’t forget some call to action. Offer something free if a reader contacts you for an appointment. Perhaps a “Special Report” on hiring-techniques, or “10 ways to keep employees motivated.” There are lots of quick resources like these available online.

Doing a newsletter does not need to be a major undertaking. Just start collecting articles and content you think your clients and prospects would be interested in. Then, throw them in a big folder. When the time comes, you can find enough material to do four or five newsletters at a time. Then, you just need to add your upcoming specials information each month before you send it out.

A note about design. Don’t beat yourself up over a professional design for your newsletter. Keep it simple - one page, your logo and contact info on top. Then add a few headlines and paragraphs of content, followed by a few upcoming sales opportunities. It can be that simple. Sure, we want it to look professional, but that can be done well enough through its simplicity.

So when you are ready to retackle that newsletter you’ve wanted to do, keep it short, keep it simple, and get it out so your prospects and clients have an opportunity to know you are there for them. In a sales environment of changing reps and stations, your newsletter can be one consistent piece of the sales puzzle that advertisers will come to know and rely upon. And when it becomes advertising time for them, who do you think will get the call? Not your competitors. It will be you!

Sales Imaging’s, Greg Murray is a Radio Ink Columnist, RAB Speaker, CRMC Diamond, and Microsoft Certified Specialist.

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