A newsletter is a fantastic way to keep yourself on the minds of your current clients, and by sharing VALUABLE information with them, they will be excited to talk about you with their friends and they will be booking sessions with you like clockwork! If you’re not using this marketing tool to your advantage, you’re in luck! After reading this post, you’ll practically be an expert!
Personally, I suggest sending out a newsletter once a month, or even once every other month. Other businesses can get away with weekly emails, but it can become a time suck to have to come up with content that frequently, and I think it could be seen as overkill by a lot of photography clients (really, what would you have to say to them every single week?!).
Think about who your target clients are, and put yourself in their heads. How often do you think they would want to receive an update from you?
Once you figure out how often to send your newsletter out, you have to create a template. If you’d rather purchase one, there’s good news: there are a ton out there!
Not sure where to find newsletter templates? We’re on it!
- Squijoo
- Birdesign (this one is a freebie!)
- Photographer Cafe
- The Shoppe
- Design Aglow (hey, your newsletter doesn’t have to be sent via email!)
I keep my newsletter classic and simple and I use the same template each month, with just a few minor changes. Some people change it up completely each month, and that’s ok too! It’s all up to you, there is no wrong answer.
As for what to include in your newsletter, that’s the part that can make creating newsletters fall into the “more trouble than it’s worth” category. But it doesn’t have to be that way!
The main goal is to give your audience valuable information that they can use in their everyday life, and to wow them with your work to silently remind them that you rock and they totally need more of your images in their lives!
If you work with mostly newborns, think about what new moms would want to know about. Recalls on baby gear, sleeping tips, date night ideas, a spotlight for a local shop that sells some sort of product they’d love, whatever.
By not making the entire newsletter about you, you’ll do a better job of stealing the show.
How? Because when your client uses your tip and their baby sleeps better than ever, they’ll profess their undying love to you. When they go to a new boutique and find the cutest onesie they’ve ever seen, they’ll shoot you an email telling you about their awesome find. Catch my drift?
Since you’re a photographer, having images in your newsletter is important! Perhaps you have a spot for your monthly favorites, where you showcase your two favorite images, or you put images that go along with your content next to the “articles”.
Your newsletter should feel like an exciting gift each month! Leave your audience anxiously wondering what goodness you’re going to send them next!
In each letter, put yourself in your target audience’s shoes. Really, that is the most important thing you can do. It’s that simple!
You know how we feel about schedules around here, so our next piece of advice will not surprise you.
Block off time to create your newsletter.
Finally, give it time. You can’t send out one newsletter and then wonder why people aren’t lining up outside like sugar junkies waiting for a cronut. It will take time, but it will be well worth it.
If you’re not so sure about what you come up with, send it to us. Really! Email support@photographersconnection.com and let us be your test dummies smarties.