How to successfully launch a newsletter | 3 Easy steps

How to start a newsletter – Top 5 best newsletter providers for small businesses and 16+ lead magnet ideas for growing your mailing list.

PROFESSIONAL WRITINGMARKETINGTECHNOLOGY

11/2/20244 min read

Marketing trends come and go, but newsletters are forever... and they're only getting better!

Newsletters represent a foundational element of your marketing plan. Not only do good newsletters help cultivate brand trust with your current and potential clients, but newsletters also allow you to build a community around your brand - a community that is loyal to you products and services. Additionally, newsletters can also be an excellent revenue stream, but more on that in a future blog... (Yes, people are monetizing their newsletters, and it's awesome.)

There are countless reasons to launch a newsletter, and that's probably why you here, right?
Let's dive in...

How to launch a newsletter in three easy steps...

Step 1 – Choose a newsletter provider.

Sending out newsletters through your in-house email or Gmail goes against every marketing protocol and law there is. You need a third-party newsletter or email marketing provider that...

1. Allows folks to opt-in. (Because you cannot just add anyone’s e-mail to your newsletter list, even if they are current clients. Everyone must be allowed the option to opt-in.)
2. Allows you to track opt-outs / unsubscribes.
3. Allows you to track the people who opt-in verses the individuals who opt-out / unsubscribe.

Best newsletter options for small businesses

There are no shortage of newsletter platforms to choose from, but if you are looking for the best email marketing platforms for small businesses on tight budgets, I recommend the following newsletter platforms. These service providers are pretty incredible, and they give larger marketing email platforms like Marketo and Vuture a run for their money. Most of these providers have free or low-cost options, or else they are very reasonably priced. Here are my favorites in order...

MailChimp
Beehiiv
Kit (Formerly known as ConvertKit)
Substack
MailerLite

Bonus option - Constant Contact is pretty nifty, too.

Step 2 – Add a subscriber form to your website.

The specifics vary between web builders and newsletter platforms, but in general, here is how to connect your newsletter provider with your website.

Create a subscriber form through your newsletter platform. I recommend keeping your subscriber form simple and starting with only three fields: (1) name, (2) email, and (3) location.
Next, copy the 'embed code' for that form.
Log into your web builder and add a form field to the web page you want to collect subscribers. (You could also make this a pop-up form.) Once you add a form field to your website through your website builder, you will have the option to insert your embed code - which will very nicely allow your newsletter platform's subscriber form to now live on your website.
Save and publish the changes.
Finally, you will definitely want to test the form with your own email to confirm both your web builder and newsletter platform have successfully connected and are communicating with each other.

Step 3 – Provide a soft offer.

At this point, you have the functionality in place to begin collecting subscribers AND send out newsletters… but good marketing always goes the extra mile, right? So, let’s incentivize prospective subscribers. A great way to encourage website visitors to become subscribers is to provide a soft offer – also known as a lead magnet.

What is a lead magnet?

A lead magnet is a unique, on-brand, free gift that is aesthetically pleasing and valuable enough to entice website visitors to give you their email and join your mailing list. Think about something useful your prospective clients would appreciate receiving. Something that would showcase your value and expertise. Something that would help prospective clients convert. The freebie should be intriguing and valuable enough to compel website visitors to subscribe to your newsletter.

Need some lead magnet ideas? Here is a whole list…

21+ Lead magnet ideas for therapists

Relaxation techniques guide
Introspective questions
A mindful morning routine
A mindful evening routine
A weekly emotional reset routine
A beginner’s guide to therapy
Self-care routine
A wellness tracker
A habit tracker
A self-assessment quiz
Affirmations
An emotions wheel / chart
An ‘identify your values’ workbook
A worksheet for goal setting
An eBook on anxiety
An eBook on grief
An eBook on depression
An eBook on the Mother Wound
An eBook on the Father Wound
Checklist for improving Mental Health
Checklist for improving Mindfulness

Ok, but… how do I make my lead magnet look professional and pretty?

If you don’t have strong graphic design skills, you can always hire a freelance graphic designer or check out Canva or Etsy. Canva and Etsy offer thousands of simple to use, bespoke, digital downloads you can use as lead magnets. Simply browse options and then purchase the design that works best for your lead magnet idea. Replace all the text/copy content with your own original content, apply your own branding, and voila! You have a stunning lead magnet.

Pro tip: Consider hiring a proofreader with good graphic design instincts to ensure your lead magnet is as polished, professional, and lovely as possible. (Pst... This is a service I provide. Contact me to learn more.)

To showcase your freebie and start growing your mailing list, you need to do two things:

First, upload your lead magnet into your newsletter platform.
While you are in your newsletter platform, you need to turn on and set up email automation. Doing so will allow subscribers to get a welcome e-mail with a link to download the freebie automatically upon subscribing. Note that automation is typically not included in the free version of these platforms.

Need more than just ideas and high-level instruction?

It can be easy to get stuck in ideation station. If you need some professional marketing support such as consultations or newsletter copywriting, please contact me. Helping health and wellness businesses market their services and grow their brand is what I do.

Need some more time to think about it?

No problem. Let’s keep in touch in the meantime. Subscribe to my newsletter today. As a thank you, download your free marketing checklist with 8 powerful tips to grow your brand.

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