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Tips for engaging e-newsletter readers

April 16, 2008 |

You know that e-newsletter you and your colleagues slaved over for hours, writing, designing, broadcasting, and tracking? Well, I'm sorry to say the average reader will scan it for less than a minute. Fifty-one seconds to be exact, according to a Nielsen study.

How do you use the fifty-one seconds of readers’ short attention spans to catch their attention and build instant rapport and credibility?

Here are some ways to maximize the moment:

- Offer a “View in Handheld” version for busy executives on the go. Sixty-four percent of decision-makers regularly view e-mail using a mobile device, according to MarketingSherpa. Give them an easy way to use a spare minutes between meetings or in transit to read your messages.

- Create a real publication masthead with the name of your publication, a subhead summarizing its editorial focus and value (particularly important if the publication has a short name), the date, and an issue number. This masthead should instantly telegraph to readers that this is a must-read publication that will help them do their jobs better.

- Engage 69 percent of at-work readers who screen e-mail through their preview pane. Write a compelling note that draws them in to read the rest of the content. This can be a brief editorial welcome or an executive summary. It should highlight the hot button issues your audience cares about most.

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