6 Ways Your Healthcare Newsletter Can Get Better Marketing Results

Small tweaks can increase both readership and influence

So, you’ve finally finished writing a masterpiece of a newsletter that contains fascinating articles laid out in an attractive design that will “wow” your intended audience. Ready to press “send,” right? Not so fast…

Often neglected in the process of sending out an electronic newsletter is to do all you can to maximize the chances that it will get opened. 

Not everyone who subscribes to your newsletter will actually receive it (thanks to algorithms that combat unwanted email) or will choose to open it (thanks to overflowing inboxes).

So, to get better marketing results, you need to be strategic about how your newsletter appears to both email spam filters and to the eyes of your recipients. 

Avoiding Spam Filters

We all hate receiving electronic junk mail. But, the laws that prevent actual spam from clogging up our inboxes ends up stopping 20% of all commercial email (see “Return Path: Email Deliverability.”) So, to actually reach your subscribers’ inboxes, your newsletter must try to conquer a set of ever changing filters designed to prevent unsolicited email. 

There are, however, some general practices that can minimize the chances that your newsletter gets flagged as spam.

1. Get Permissions — It is crucial that you only send your newsletter to people who have “opted in” or indicated that yes, they would like to receive your newsletter.

2. Onboard Your Subscribers — After you receive permission, follow up with a welcome or “onboarding” email  (See “Five Simple Touches that Deliver a Warm Welcome to New Email Subscribers.”)  to remind subscribers of their opt in, get them excited about your newsletter, and let them know when and how often they should expect your publication. 

3. Avoid Risky Language and Techniques — Spam filters don’t like words such as “free”, “buy”, or “guarantee” that might deceive readers. They also don’t like deceptive subject lines, all caps for emphasis, excessive punctuation or symbols (such as “$$”), or links to less than reputable domains. 

4. Include a Physical Address — Even though you are sending out an electronic publication, you need to add a physical address where you can be reached. This adds a touch of legitimacy and is actually required by the 2003 U.S.CAN-SPAM ACT.(For more info, see “Is Your Email Marketing Compliant With The CAN-SPAM Act?”

Getting More Opens

After you’ve passed the spam filters, make sure the newsletter listing looks good in your subscriber’s inbox.

You’re probably as overwhelmed by the volume of mail in your inbox as the rest of us. Many of us deal with it by quickly skimming the list of our emails and deleting as many items as possible. To pass this initial inbox winnowing process, you need to carefully craft the email listing for your newsletter so that your subscriber finds it intriguing enough to open.    

So, pay attention to the following:

5. Use a Recognized Sender — Put a lot of thought into the name you use in the “From” box,  which indicates who (or which company) is sending the email that contains your newsletter. This is the first impression your newsletter makes, so pick a name that your subscribers are familiar with and likely to trust. Brand this name into the minds of your subscribers by using it on your newsletter signup page and then in the onboarding welcome email that you send to each newsletter subscriber.

If your subscribers don’t recognize the “From” name, they will probably delete the accompanying newsletter.

6. Choose an Intriguing Subject Line — Next, choose a brief subject line (under 50 characters to avoid being truncated by email providers and mobile devices) that will be both relevant and intriguing to your typical reader. For inspiration, see Copyblogger’s “The Three Key Elements of Irresistible Subject Lines.” 

Improve Marketing Results and Reach Newsletter Goals 

Yes, taking the time to ensure that your subscribers will more likely receive and read your newsletter is a bit of extra work. But after all the effort you’ve put into producing the newsletter, it’s well worth it. Trying the above mentioned techniques can have a real impact on your marketing results and whether or not you are able to reach the goals you set for your newsletter.