Keeping in touch with your customers in the Twin Cities area is easier when you use the right methods. Email newsletters are one of the best ways to grow your customer base and keep in touch with everyone. 
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Why Send Newsletters?Newsletters are effective because you can customize them for any purpose. You can inform customers about your products and services or send special birthday offers, for instance. Another reason newsletters are a good investment is the low cost. You can write them yourself and send them out cheaply using an email marketing service.
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Encourage People to Read Your NewsletterMany experts agree that offering a newsletter is only one part of the task. For it to be effective, people need to read it. You can offer a discount on their first purchase or a free webinar that piques their interest. But a key way to get people to read your newsletter is to write an effective one.
To make sure you write a newsletter people want to read, keep these tips in mind:

• The best subject and opening lines are witty and direct. Avoid cliches. Incorporate power words and time-sensitive words in your opener. Research the best words to use in your industry.
• Watch your language. You want to be friendly and personable. Customers are more likely to open emails from someone they trust. Some email marketers achieve this by using their first name instead of the business name in the from field.
• Connect to your reader. It's okay to develop some rapport, but don't overdo it. You should get to the point in as few paragraphs as possible.

Using Data Visualization to Enhance Your ContentOnce you have subscribers, your next challenge is keeping them. First, what objective do you want your newsletter to achieve? Do you want your subscribers to flock to your new online course or store, or do you want them to subscribe to your social media pages? Regardless of what goal you have for your newsletter, try to visualize the result ahead of time.

Finding Professional HelpA newsletter is a powerful marketing tool, but only if it's engaging and well-written. If writing isn't your gig, consider hiring Spotlight Business Solutions to shape your ideas into compelling prose. If your newsletter includes graphics, you can find an illustrator or graphic designer online for a low price.

Locating Tools to Optimize Your NewsletterLuckily for everyone, the advantages of technology mean that people can learn a new skill quickly and from the comfort of their home. There are many tools available to help you with the creation and distribution of your newsletter. You can even find tools that help with the layout and design, too.

In fact, you can use an online logo maker to help you create a professional, chic logo for free. You’ll get a logo you can use anywhere, from social media to merchandise and business cards. Your  brand will look amazing, and the logo can work wonders for your marketing.
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Your Next StepsCreating a marketing strategy can be challenging, but luckily, there are many resources available in the Twin Cities area that can help. Reach out to Spotlight Business Solutions for your free 30-minute marketing consultation.

Thank you to this month's guest blogger Patrick Young with ABLE USA. To find out more please visit ​ABLE USA.