How to Create an Effective Business Newsletter
Email marketing consistently delivers one of the highest returns of any marketing channel. But too many small businesses either never start a newsletter or abandon it after a few issues because they run out of ideas or do not see immediate results.
A good business newsletter keeps you top of mind with customers, builds relationships, drives website traffic, and generates sales. The key is creating something your subscribers actually want to read.
Why Newsletters Still Work in 2023
Despite the rise of social media, email remains incredibly effective. Unlike social media posts, which are at the mercy of algorithms, an email lands directly in your customer’s inbox. They have chosen to receive it, which means they are already interested in what you have to say.
For local businesses in Western Sydney, a newsletter is one of the best ways to maintain a relationship with past customers and nudge them towards repeat purchases or referrals.
Choosing Your Email Platform
Several platforms make it easy to create and send newsletters without technical knowledge:
Mailchimp: The most popular option for small businesses. The free plan supports up to 500 contacts and 1,000 sends per month. Paid plans start at around $15 AUD per month.
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue): Offers a generous free plan with unlimited contacts and up to 300 emails per day. Good value for growing businesses.
MailerLite: Clean, easy-to-use interface with a free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers. A popular choice for small businesses.
All of these platforms offer drag-and-drop email builders, templates, and basic analytics. Choose whichever feels most intuitive to you.
Building Your Email List
Before you can send a newsletter, you need subscribers. Here are practical ways to build your list:
On your website:
- Add a sign-up form to your homepage, sidebar, or footer
- Create a pop-up or slide-in form (not too aggressive)
- Offer something valuable in exchange for signing up (a discount, free guide, or checklist)
In person:
- Ask customers at point of sale if they would like to join your mailing list
- Collect emails at events, markets, or trade shows
- Include a sign-up option on feedback cards
Through social media:
- Promote your newsletter on your social media profiles
- Share snippets of newsletter content to encourage sign-ups
- Run occasional promotions exclusive to newsletter subscribers
Important: Always get explicit permission before adding someone to your mailing list. In Australia, the Spam Act 2003 requires that you have consent, include an unsubscribe option, and identify yourself in every email.
What to Include in Your Newsletter
The biggest challenge for most business owners is deciding what to write about. Here is a content framework that works:
The 80/20 Rule
Aim for 80 percent valuable content and 20 percent promotional content. If every email is just a sales pitch, people will unsubscribe. Give them value and they will stick around for the occasional promotion.
Content Ideas
Tips and advice: Share your expertise. A plumber could share seasonal maintenance tips. A cafe could share a recipe. A web designer could share website improvement tips.
Business updates: New services, new team members, expanded hours, or upcoming events.
Local content: Community events, local news, or neighbourhood spotlights. This is particularly powerful for Western Sydney businesses building local connections.
Customer stories: Feature a customer’s experience (with permission). This serves as social proof and makes for interesting reading.
Behind the scenes: Show the human side of your business. Introduce team members, share your workspace, or describe your process.
Seasonal content: Align with the calendar. EOFY tips, Christmas guides, summer specials, and so on.
Promotions and offers: Special deals for subscribers. Make them feel exclusive.
FAQ answers: Address questions your customers frequently ask. This provides value and reduces your customer service load.
Newsletter Design Tips
Keep It Simple
The best newsletters are clean and easy to read. You do not need complex layouts or fancy graphics.
Design basics:
- Use your brand colours and logo
- Keep the layout single-column for easy reading on mobile
- Use plenty of white space
- Break text up with headings and short paragraphs
- Include one or two images per section maximum
Mobile-First Design
Over half of emails are opened on mobile devices. Preview your newsletter on a phone before sending. Make sure text is readable, buttons are tappable, and images display correctly.
Clear Calls to Action
Every newsletter should have at least one clear call to action. What do you want readers to do? Visit your website? Call you? Book an appointment? Use a button or bold text to make the action obvious.
Writing Your Newsletter
Subject Lines
Your subject line determines whether your email gets opened. Keep it:
- Short (under 50 characters is ideal)
- Specific and descriptive
- Honest (no clickbait)
- Relevant to the content inside
Examples:
- “3 Winter Plumbing Tips for Your Home”
- “This Month at [Business Name]: New Menu Items”
- “Exclusive 15% Off for Our Email Subscribers”
- “How to Prepare Your Garden for Spring”
Opening Lines
Get to the point quickly. Do not waste the first paragraph on generic greetings. Lead with the most interesting or valuable content.
Tone
Write like you are talking to a customer face to face. Be friendly, helpful, and genuine. Avoid corporate jargon or overly formal language. Your personality is what makes your newsletter different from everyone else’s.
Length
Less is more. Aim for a newsletter that takes two to four minutes to read. If you have a lot to share, provide brief summaries with links to your website for the full content.
How Often Should You Send?
Consistency matters more than frequency. It is better to send one good newsletter per month than to send weekly newsletters that are rushed and thin on content.
Recommended frequency by business type:
- Retail and hospitality: Weekly or fortnightly (you have regular promotions and new products to share)
- Service businesses: Monthly (you have expertise to share and do not need to communicate as frequently)
- Professional services: Monthly or quarterly (quality over quantity)
Whatever frequency you choose, stick to it. Your subscribers should know when to expect your newsletter.
Measuring Success
Your email platform will provide analytics. Here are the metrics that matter:
Open rate: The percentage of recipients who opened your email. Average open rates vary by industry, but 20 to 30 percent is healthy for small businesses.
Click rate: The percentage who clicked a link in your email. Two to five percent is typical.
Unsubscribe rate: The percentage who unsubscribed after receiving an email. Under 0.5 percent per send is normal.
Growth rate: How quickly your list is growing. Track new subscribers each month.
Getting Started: Your First Newsletter
- Choose an email platform and set up your account
- Import any existing contacts (with their permission)
- Add a sign-up form to your website
- Plan your first three newsletter topics
- Write and design your first issue
- Send it to yourself first to check formatting on desktop and mobile
- Send it to your list
- Review the analytics after a few days
Do not overthink it. Your first newsletter does not need to be perfect. It just needs to exist. You will improve with every issue.
Need Help With Email Marketing?
At Cosmo Web Tech, we help Western Sydney businesses set up and manage email marketing campaigns that keep customers engaged and drive repeat business. From platform setup to newsletter design and content strategy, we are here to help. Get in touch for a free consultation.
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