Week 10: Why I need a newsletter and when to send it

It seems to me that my first newsletter would be a welcome email, recognizing that they did sign up and maybe having them send a response to confirm.  Once confirmed, I would send out my “get to know us” newsletter, which would be more informative than later ones, since I am formally introducing my business and products to potential customers.  I would anticipate, to begin with, that a quarterly email/newsletter would be the way to go. 

I like the idea of giving a customer a discount for their birthday, and maybe we would give a discount for multiple items of the same type, e.g. wedding favors. 

We are a very small business (just my daughter and I) and I would include notes about the business, photos of products we’ve made, maybe a suggestion area where customers can suggest things they would like to see us make. 

I would include a section on new items.  One of the things I am known for is my flower arrangements, bead work and other craft items besides just sewing.  So as we add new possibilities to the business, I would need to let my customers know.  Another idea would be to include information on the costume design work my daughter or I have done and see some photos (past or present).  

I could use a survey to find out what customers think of possible items we might create and sell.  It is rather obvious that if an item doesn’t sell, then it is not really a good thing to keep making.  But it is a good idea to have customer input as to whether they would like the item.

A newsletter would also be a good way to introduce ourselves, give some of our background, and as the business grows, introduce new employees.  I might also introduce some of our suppliers’ businesses, for example, my girlfriend’s business where she creates and sells hand-dyed and spun Angora yarn (from her own rabbits).

Since I love trivia, I would like to include some bits of trivia and invite my customers to send me some of theirs.  Maybe I could keep a running trivia content section on my blog – entitled “Things I’ve learned from Jeopardy and by reading”. 

Even though I am considering quarterly newsletters, I may decide to put out “special editions” such as a combined one for Chanukah, Christmas and New Year’s ideas, then one for Mother’s Day possibly combining it with Father’s Day.