Reading Between the Ads: Smart insights on building influence through Newsletters

Now growing rapidly and surging through the milestone of 200,000 subscribers, the Business.com newsletter is always a treasure trove of actionable insights for business leaders. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has recognized it as one of "our favorite newsletters for small business.” 

We sat with Marty Beckerman , founding lead editor of the biweekly newsletter to discuss how it’s done. Listen to Marty’s conversation with Chief Marketing Officer John Busby and read the 6 essentials, shared below.

Watch the full interview here:

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What is a newsletter? A well-crafted newsletter is a powerful tool for engaging your audience, building trust, and driving growth. Simply put, it is a consistent, regular email to subscribers, containing valuable content relevant to your industry, company updates, and insights. By delivering with reliability, you’ll nurture relationships (which leads to sales conversions) and position your business as an authority in its space.

What it’s not:

• A business newsletter isn’t a sales pitch: your primary goal should be to provide value and build a relationship, not just push for sales. 
• It’s not one-way: emailing your list offers distinct opportunities that need careful handling to maximize their potential. So rather than treating this as a mass communication in the form of a rehashed blog post, or a data dump… consider it a letter to a fan, always soliciting feedback and replies. Remember, generating replies is good for your email deliverability!
• It’s not sporadic: a great newsletter is sent predictably and on schedule. And, it works best when integrated with your social media, website, and other marketing efforts to create a cohesive brand experience. This is not an infrequent or irregular communication!

Here’s what business leaders can learn from the experiences of running a successful business newsletter during one of the most dynamic periods in recent history.

Essential #1: Launch Now, Learn as You Go

Don’t wait for the perfect time… it may never come! The temptation to time your list launch for a lull is strong… While it seems there will be a break for less competition from major news stories or cultural turmoil, that’s just not the way the world works. Business.com’s newsletter started in the middle of the Great Resignation and soaring inflation., and there is always some form of unpredictability to a launch. 

To counteract this…

Stay Informed: Regularly monitor industry trends and economic conditions. This will help you create relevant content that resonates with your audience.

Be Agile: Be prepared to pivot your content strategy as the business environment changes. Flexibility is key to maintaining relevance.

Essential #2: Engage Your Audience

Growing a newsletter to a substantial readership involves more than just pushing out content. Here are some strategies to ensure engagement:

Curate Your Content: Focus on quality over quantity. Trim your subscriber list to include only those who actively engage with your content to maintain high engagement rates.

Address Current Issues: Tackle hot topics that are on the minds of your readers. For example, discussions around inflation and pricing strategies during economic uncertainty can drive significant engagement.

Blend Serious and Engaging Content: Mix in human-interest stories or viral moments that can captivate your audience while still providing valuable insights.

Essential #3: Nurturing Your Audience

Building a loyal audience is about fostering a sense of connection and trust. Here’s how to develop a strong rapport with your readers, according to our experts at Business.com:

Build Trust: Share consistent, reliable information. Transparency about your business practices and insights can build credibility with your audience.

Encourage Interaction: Invite feedback and foster a two-way conversation. Responding to comments and questions can make your audience feel valued and heard.

Share Personal Stories: Humanize your brand by sharing personal anecdotes and behind-the-scenes looks. This helps your audience feel a personal connection, building the “know, like, and trust” factor that is crucial for long-term loyalty.

Essential #4: Leveraging High-Profile Interviews

Business.com’s list of high-profile interviews is always growing (Whole Foods CEO, In-N-Out CEO, Nintendo of America ex-President, and Food Network’s Robert Irvine to name a few). Beckerman gave some great tips on how to leverage the interview once you’ve landed it.

It’s no secret that conducting interviews with industry leaders can significantly enhance the value of your newsletter. Here’s how to make the most of these opportunities:

Extract Key Insights: Focus on extracting actionable insights from your interviews that your readers can apply to their own businesses.

Showcase Success Stories: Highlight stories of successful strategies and practices from well-known figures in your space to inspire your audience.

Discuss Relevant Topics: Choose interview subjects who can speak to the current challenges and opportunities within your industry.

Essential #5: Navigating Technological Shifts

As technology continues to transform all markets, it’s crucial to address these changes in your newsletter:

Highlight Technological Advancements: Keep your readers informed about the latest breakthroughs in your industry, so you’re positioned as the most informed and therefore, most trustworthy.

Offer Practical Advice: Not every “advancement” is a net positive for the people and businesses you serve. Be a voice of leadership when it comes to disruptions to the marketplace as well.

Essential #6: Understanding Generational Differences

The marketplace is continually evolving, with new generations bringing different attitudes and expectations. Addressing these generational shifts can provide valuable insights:

Explore Generational Dynamics: Discuss the differences between generations such as Millennials and Gen Z, and how these cohorts approach your industry, both as professionals and consumers. Remember, no generation is superior to the other, as each brings its own value to the marketplace.

Be Strategic: Share stories from customers of all ages and backgrounds, and lean in to highlighting voices that others might overlook. Your company can be one that bridges divides.

Running a successful business newsletter requires staying informed, engaging your audience, and adapting to changing conditions. By nurturing your audience, leveraging interviews, addressing technological shifts, and understanding generational differences, business leaders can create valuable content that resonates with their audience and drives engagement.

Business.com is a Centerfield company. Subscribe to the b.business newsletter here to continue learning from the brightest business minds and most inspiring companies.