Ihab Salloum[ad_1]
Email marketing is often called the workhorse of B2B marketing. It addresses key phases of the B2B sales funnel. It works for customer acquisition. It works for conversion. And it works for customer retention. It’s also inexpensive, fast, and targeted.
One profitable way to market with email is with Ezines. But what should you write about? And how often should you publish?
There’s no universal answer for every case. On the whole, you should send your clients an Ezine at least monthly and perhaps every two weeks.
The amount and type of information you want to share will answer the frequency question. As long as your Ezines contain useful, relevant and timely information, prospects and clients will want to read them.
To help you in writing at least a monthly Ezine here are 10 topics guaranteed to engage your prospects and clients alike.
1. “How to” articles – Readers don’t always need mind-blowing or spectacular articles. Readers find “How-to” articles practical and useful. That’s why they’re a big hit. Explaining how something captures and holds readers’ attention, especially if the article boils down the essentials. A few examples illustrate the utility of “How to” articles: How to select a 3PL provider; How to use warehousing software; How to implement a new business intelligence tool.
2. News of external events, industry trends, products and services- Busy managers and executives need and want industry-specific information. Consider the disastrous 2011 tsunami in Japan that devastated the global supply chain. It shattered the IT and auto industries’ notion of a robust and reliable supply chain. News also helps readers keep pace with emerging trends. Lastly, keeping your readers up-to-speed on the least products, services, etc., falls into the useful and relevant categories.
3. Customer stories – Stories sell because they engage. They grab and hold your reader’s attention, as they highlight a hero’s triumph over trouble. Our brains are conditioned to receive information in story form. It’s tough to beat a good beginning with a captivating middle that ends well. Showing how your customer succeeded – and avoided precarious pitfalls – with your product or service builds trust.
4. Quotations – Keeping the busy manager or executive in mind, quotations work well in getting your reader’s attention. A famous quote can help sear in your reader’s mind how to avoid a crisis. Or it can call attention to an incredible opportunity. Put a little effort into selecting your quotations. They’ll do double duty when they’re timely. They also add variety, keeping your reader engaged.
5. Mini-book reviews – Sticking with the premise that you have busy readers, this one’s a winner. Everyone wants to stay on top of critical industry issues. And many decision makers need and want more depth than what’s found in most marketing content. Spare these busy executives the agony of selecting which books to read. Offer them timely and relevant mini-book reviews of their industry.
6. Recommended websites – Readers make time for helpful information such as recommendations of useful websites. Industry websites that include tools and tip can be reviewed and potentially hot-listed for future use. Logistics industry websites, for example, offer handy tools for filing Requests for Proposal (RFP) and Requests for Information (RFI). They also offer directories of trucking companies, IT companies, and air and ocean freight forwarders. Doing the leg work for your readers goes a long way.
7. Recommended vendors – The same applies here as with recommended websites. By taking the extra step in reviewing and ranking vendors according to common industry criteria, you save the reader valuable time. Providing a Top 5 or Top 10 list gives your reader a starting point to research a company, a product, or a service. Your recommendations can help remove worry when your readers feel confident they won’t make a mistake in selecting a reliable vendor.
8. Interviews – Readers consume interviews because they’re meaningful. Business leaders and practitioners automatically lend credibility to your Ezine. They also offer a human touch when they reveal how they overcome and avoid upheaval in their industry. You should seek to interview business leaders and key company leaders from operations, marketing and logistics.
9. Historical Industry Information – Readers appreciate the value of understanding history’s cycles of successes and failures. Companies want to succeed and avoid risk, so they’ll readily consume articles that reveal lessons learned. Additionally, understanding how an industry has changed can point to emerging trends. With the transportation industry we see the transformation of delivery services starting with the Pony Express, moving on to the heyday of the railroads, to delivery by drones.
10. Lists of Key Events – A calendar of notable meetings, forums, trade shows, etc., is easily digested and takes little time to reads. Many Ezines include such lists, but it’s important to publish these at the beginning of the year and then one to two months before a special event. For events like trade shows that require more planning – e.g. transportation and accommodations – then simply announce the event over the course of 3 months or more.
Email Marketing Works with Useful, Interesting, and Meaningful Ezine Articles
Keep your reader in mind when publishing your Ezine. These topics aren’t new. However, prospects and clients will readers your Ezines if you choose your topics well, and include a mix of information your readers need and want. These topics also offer variety and some entertainment.
This list of 10 engaging Ezine topics will keep your prospects and clients interested.
Email marketing with Ezines works. It helps generate leads, convert customers, and build customer loyalty.
If you don’t publish one now, see what your competition’s doing and rethink your decision.
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