Email Marketing vs. Newsletter Marketing – Part 2
Many publishers are unclear about the differences between email newsletters and marketing emails. They wonder why they need both. Confusion between Email Marketing vs. Newsletter Marketing results in using each the wrong way. In this 2-part series, you will learn how to use each correctly and to your advantage.
The difference between email newsletters and marketing emails is simple:
— Marketing emails sell.
— Email newsletters give news and information. They build a relationship with your subscribers over time. Their goal is not to sell, but to build trust and authority.
Why You Need Both Email Newsletters and Marketing Emails
Satisfying your readers is essential to getting your emails opened, generating clicks and growing your list. It is for this reason that you need email newsletters.
Besides helping your readers, if you are like most content publishers, you also need to make sales. For this reason, you also need marketing emails.
Goals for this Article…
In part one, we covered what constitutes an email newsletter. We looked at the goals of your email newsletter and how to create and organize your information. We discussed the best practices for creating and sending email newsletters.
In the second part of this article, we will look at how your marketing emails differ from your newsletter. You’ll learn what goals to set for your marketing emails. Will also cover what key goals marketing emails and email newsletters have in common.
By the end of this two-part article series, you will understand the key differences between email newsletters and marketing emails. You’ll learn the pros and cons of each and the best practices for their use. Finally, you’ll learn why, when and how to use each one.
Distinguishing Your Email Marketing From Your Newsletter.
Your email promotions should always have a marketing goal in mind. Typically, your email promotion will have a lead magnet that takes the prospect through an automated email marketing sequence and sales funnel.
Your email marketing promotions will generally offer a solution to a problem. They will inform or educate the prospect in a particular area. They will take the prospect down a content pathway that eventually leads to a sale. The sale may be a course, service or product.
A huge difference between the content of your newsletter and that of your email is that your email content is crafted to convert your prospect into a “buying” customer.
At the beginning of the email sequence, you are providing the reader with high-value content. Near the end of the email sequence, you are leading the reader towards the ultimate solution – which is a paid solution. Learn more about automated email sequences and sales funnels here.
Design Differences
The look and feel of your email marketing content may be quite different from that of your newsletter. As we covered in part one, your newsletter might have the appearance and feel of a newspaper or magazine.
By contrast, your marketing emails might be plain text. They won’t have the detailed layout, photos or graphics a newsletter has. The simplicity of plain text marketing emails affects the reader psychologically. It creates a more personal association with your reader. A plain text email is what you receive from a friend.
The main difference between an email newsletter and marketing emails is the end goal. Email marketing emails are sales-oriented. Marketing emails often offer tips and advice, but they are leading the prospect down a pathway toward taking a specific action. In business-related email marketing, the main action is for the prospect to make a purchase.
The Key Goals Of A Marketing Email:
- Entice the prospect to opt-in to the email sequence by the offer of a lead magnet (free item) and belief that you can help them solve their problem.
- Help the prospect solve a problem by offering the prospect valuable information.
- Earn the prospect’s trust and build a relationship that gives the prospect confidence that you and/or your products are the best solution.
- Encourage the prospect to solve their problem by using your services or products.
- Get prospect to make a purchase.
Pros Of Email Marketing:
- More effective at generating sales.
- Less effort to produce (in general) and faster to create.
- Can segment users into specific interest groups or demographics.
- Easier to track and test effectiveness.
- Messages have more clarity. Messages are typically brief and have a single goal (or call to action). Readers may be more likely to read immediately and respond.
Cons Of Email Marketing:
- Frequency of emails may cause subscribers to stop opening emails.
- Frequent emails may lead to spam complaints or unsubscribes.
- Frequent marketing emails can cause subscribers to opt-out from your email newsletter as well.
- Since marketing emails focus on a single task, no opportunity for other promotions or content.
What Email Newsletters And Marketing Emails Have In Common
To get the best results, each needs to:
- Have a goal of helping your readers first.
- Provide high-value information consistently.
- Earn your reader’s trust.
Marketing Emails vs. Email Newsletters: When To Use Each One
Goal: Sales
Use a marketing email.
To make specific announcements about discounts or time-based sales promotions, single marketing emails or a short series on a timed schedule works best.
To engage prospects and “warm them up” for purchase, an email sequence and sales funnel works best.
Goal: Product announcements (includes new products, services or courses)
Include it in your newsletter.
You should avoid “hard selling” in your newsletter. You can mention new products then link out to your website for them to learn more. On the website, they will have the opportunity to buy. Let your webpage do the work of selling. Allow your newsletter to remain a source of information and not a vehicle for applying buying pressure.
Goal: Building a long-term relationship
Use an email newsletter.
Developing trust and respect takes time. Your email newsletter allows you to provide help to your readers on a consistent basis. In time, your readers will learn they can count on you to provide help and answers. This naturally builds trust towards you, your services or your products.
Goal: Cross-promotions
Use an email newsletter and/or marketing email
The choice of which to use depends on whether you are going to apply sales pressure. If your promotion announcement is informative and links out to “read more”… Then including it in your newsletter is fine. You can also include it in a marketing email.
If you are going to push for the sale in the email – a dedicated marketing email is a way to go.
Goal: Free offers
Use an email newsletter and/or marketing email
The choice of which to use depends on these factors:
- If you need to get the information out quick, before the schedule of your regular newsletter, then a stand-alone email announcement is best.
- Your email newsletter is fine if your message can wait until your next scheduled publishing date.
- It also depends on your average open rate of marketing emails versus your email newsletter, which group you wish to target and which will reach your desired group of readers best.
Main Takeaways from Parts 1 & 2
– Use marketing emails when your goal is to generate sales.
– Use email newsletters for informational purposes. Do not use them as a vehicle for sales. Keep selling within your newsletter limited.
– Marketing emails work best for developing a prospect over time with an end goal of a sale.
– Email newsletters are a good way to develop reader trust over time. They can establish you or your brand as a source of high-value information and knowledge.
– When pushy sales tactics are used in email newsletters, open rates decline.
– Design your email newsletter much like a magazine or newspaper. This means you will need to create an HTML newsletter that includes graphics. You also need to create a website version of your newsletter and allowed readers to link out to it.
– Organize the information in your email newsletter into sections. Write your titles and subheadings to allow readers to quickly scan to find the content they want to read. Place the most important content near the top of your newsletter.
– Marketing emails tend to work better when sent as plain text emails. They should be brief and not contain graphics or HTML. Links should be clear and obvious and contain the exact, full URL.