Digital newsletters are a great way to keep customers and subscribers up on current events. When it comes to agency marketing, newsletters sent to everyone on the mailing list with the click of a button is an efficient and cost effective way of doing business. But, when it’s time to transfer a newsletter from the digital form to traditional mailings, there are a few important things to remember.
Reasons for converting a digital newsletter into traditional mail might range anywhere from a subscriber’s lack of Internet use/access to agency marketing strategies getting back to basics. If the use of the web is being traded in for pen, paper, and an envelope, here are a few hints to help with the newsletter transition:
Be Concise
Snail mail costs a pretty penny and with postage prices going up faster than a mailman can run, the less pages the better. One of the first things to remember when converting digital newsletters into traditional mailings is to be concise.
The more information that gets across using the least amount of words possible will not only make subscribers happy, it’ll also save the agency some money. A great word-cutting option might be using lists/bullet points as opposed to lengthy paragraphs. And as always, if it’s not relevant, leave it out.
From Links To Snippets
This one might be a little obvious, but it’s important nonetheless. All those digital newsletter links need to either be left on the page or converted into snippets of information concerning what that digital link was meant to portray.
A great in-between option for links is to not only summarize information included in the physical website, but also to include the website address at the bottom of the summarization in case the subscriber wishes to read further. This way both bases are covered.
Letter Format
Digital newsletters have evolved in different ways and aren’t always as effective in traditional forms. The purpose of a digital newsletter is to read and interact with it online. So, when it comes time to convert that newsletter into traditional mail, a traditional approach is a great route to go.
Try using the standard letter format with a traditional newsletter. Things like snippets and lists can still be included, but the overall layout will look much better on paper. Don’t think of snail mail newsletters as being boring or a thing of the past; really take the time to find unique ways to write them and give them a new spin. It’ll give the subscribers something to write home about.
4. Color And Photos
Printing costs aren’t low. Even a simple black and white text document can burn a hole in the pocket depending on the number of copies. Keep this in mind when changing over from digital to traditional. Eye candy is always a good thing, but if it means breaking the bank just to include a few color photos on that traditional newsletter, another approach needs to be taken.
If the digital newsletter is photo heavy, try conveying the images into written words for the traditional version. Or, if there’s one or two photos that have to be included in the traditional newsletter, try downsizing them. Then, convert them to black and white.
5. Write With Foresight
Soothsaying isn’t necessary, but being able to relay upcoming information is. With the mindset that snail mail will live up to its name, try to not only write, but also send traditional newsletters with a little lead-time. This might be a difficult transition to get accustomed to considering digital newsletters have no delivery time concerns.
With digital newsletters, it’s always good practice to be ahead of the curve, but with traditional mailings, this is necessary even more so. Always try and have those traditional newsletters out the door and at the post office two weeks to a month in advance. And, make sure the information included will still be pertinent when it arrives.
If a new agency marketing approach means changing digital newsletters into traditional mailings, the above guidelines are a great way to get the job done. In just a few simple steps, that Internet heavy newsletter will be ready for subscribers in paper form. Just remember to lick the envelope.
