How To Design Your eNewsletter For Quick Reading
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| Summary:
If your eNewsletter is going to B2B recipients,
the core tactic is to make your eNewsletter as easy
as possible for your readers to quickly scan through.
This calls for rethinking content format and layout.
See how to below... |
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How
To Design Your eNewsletter For Quick Reading
I have to confess to you - I am an addict.
I am addicted to studies and data about the email/eNewsletter
business. I am always searching for them and stashing away my
findings. I have a particular hunger for studies about eNewsletter
readership and how to improve it. I devour them.
Recently I came across a report that I want to share with you.
This report from Nielsen Norman
Group started me to thinking that we need to be more realistic
about what we expect from people to whom we send our eNewsletters.
Make It Easy For Scanners
This study showed that "Newsletters must be designed
to facilitate scanning." source.
To be specific, 19% of the eNewsletters were read thoroughly.
"The dominant mode of dealing with email newsletters is
to skim them," says NNG.
Now, wait a minute. Does this mean that eNewsletters are not
very effective? Our interpretation is to the contrary. If 19%
of the letters are being read thoroughly that's just great.
But it also means that we need to set up the letters so they
impart their messages more easily to those how quickly scan
through them.
We Take It To Heart - And Put It In Practice
As you may have noticed we have redesigned our eNewsletter "Emi"
to better accommodate the scanners.
Our objectives in this redesign were simple:
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We
needed to make the issue more "scanable" by
using an executive synopsis, more subheads and shorter
paragraphs. |
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We
needed to shorten the length of the content without sacrificing
voice and message. |
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We
needed a cleaner and more refreshed look consistent with
our new website. |
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We
needed to make it scan friendly by presenting key parts
of the content in bullet point format. |
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We
needed text setup that corresponds with the way people
read. That means starting your most important content
at the left margin and running it clear across the page.
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How About Visuals?
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Concern:
Many users opt to cancel the display of images in their
inbox. Outlook 2003 and Gmail have this characteristic
as a default feature. |
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Solution:
Create an online version of the eNewsletter so that
those who cannot or do not want to see images in
their inbox can click on a text link to view the
eNewsletter online. Also, offer a text version only
for those readers. |
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That's Our Case History - Now You Can Do The Same
OK, readers, you can see that we are practicing what we preach.
In solving our own situation, we have set up an example for
you.
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As
always, we are here to help. If you are interested
in starting or improving on your eNewsletter program
contact
us.
Marcos J. Menendez
President
Loop Consulting Group, LLC
mmenendez@loopconsulting.com |
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| How
do you like our new eNewsletter? |
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Very
much |
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Somewhat |
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Not
at all |
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Go
back to the old one |
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Loop Consulting Group helps businesses use
eNewsletters to achieve their marketing, sales and communications
goals successfully.
Loop Consulting Group
9485 S.W. 72nd St.
Suite A-204
Miami FL. 33173
P. 305.271.9915
F. 514.510.7384
Blog: http://www.loopconsulting.com/blog/
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