Regular contact with your clients is all important – it reminds them that you exist and showcases your expertise. More importantly, it helps retain their business and generate new opportunities. One of the best ways to do keep up communication is with an email newsletter.
Anyone that subscribes to newsletters can instantly spot the good, the bad and the plain ugly. A poorly executed newsletter will reflect badly on your firm. Given their importance, we’ve put together a simple three step guide on how to write a newsletter:
Step One – Planning
Having an action plan before you start makes the whole process of writing a newsletter easier. Consider the following:
When to post? The simple answer is regularly. How often do you think you can produce a quality newsletter? Based on your answer, we would suggest choosing between weekly, bi-monthly or monthly.
How long should it be? Getting the balance between information and brevity is all important. You don’t want the newsletter to be too long to make it intimidating but conversely, if it doesn’t contain enough information then is it really worthwhile? Strike a balance that feels right.
Who is it for? Knowing your audience and tailoring the newsletter to them is crucial to your success. Make sure you know who your clients are and what they are interested in. Then stick to topics that will be beneficial to them.
Step Two – What To Include?
You need to remember that your newsletter needs to be valuable – it should be something that is relevant, useful and beneficial to your client. It should also be an enjoyable experience for them.
Choosing the Right Information – When you right your newsletter, ask yourself the following questions:
What do your clients want to know? What are the questions they regularly ask you? What queries do you receive all the time? What topics interest them? Use your newsletter as an opportunity to cover these areas.
Sharing your news and promoting your services is a must but try not to make it to sales-based though. Also, don’t feel like you have to produce all the content yourself. If you have seen a good news story or stumbled across something great on Twitter it is worth sharing. Chances are your clients will find it interesting too. Keep your content fresh and topical. Try not to repeat the same material in each newsletter. If something in the news relates to your area of law then this is ideal.
Choosing your content –
As well as text, try and include some of the following:
- Images – Good images make your newsletter look more attractive and break up the text. Don’t go overboard – a few well selected images will do the job. There are a number of great legal infographics available too for some variety.
- Links – Use your newsletter as an opportunity to include relevant links to your services and website.
- Quotes/Testimonials – Quotes are a good way to break up the newsletter – whether this is an inspirational gem from Muhammad Ali or a client singing your praises, it really doesn’t matter. And remember, don’t be afraid to self-promote when you write a newsletter – if you have received a glowing review then share it.
- Actions – Most important – give your reader an action to complete – it can be a special offer, a number to call, a website to visit or an email to contact.
Step Three – Writing & Structure
Golden Rules when it comes to writing:
– Simplicity – Use everyday language and keep your content jargon free.
– Spelling/grammar/inaccuracies – Mistakes are a no no. Be sure to complete research and proofread. And once you’ve proofread the newsletter, get a colleague to proofread it too. Once the newsletter is sent there is no going back
– Structure – Like when writing a news story, structure your newsletter by placing the most important and interesting information at the beginning. This is a good way to structure each individual section too.
– Headlines/Topic Headings – Use headlines/sub-headings to divide up your newsletter. This makes it easier to read and avoids blocks of text.
Ultimate Legal Newsletter Success Template
Want to create a newsletter that creates new clients and recommendations? Simply click the button below:
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Read more about legal newsletters.