Newsletter Questions

[LynnBaileyPrintmaker]

I would be interested in other people’s experience of producing newsletters.

Last year I started a MailChimp newsletter and announced that I will only I will only be sending out 4 or 5 a year. I didn’t want people to fear that they would be snowed under by these things. (I’m often heavily burdened by stuff excess stuff people send me). But the result is that each newsletter could be rather long.
Would you personally be happier to receive frequent short news bulletins or more infrequent but longer newsletters? If you send out newsletters, what works best for you?

The idea is that the newsletter would reach people who might not be following me on Twitter or FaceBook. I do not blog – I’m not that keen on writing.

I’ve just sent out my third newsletter – criticism would be welcome.

http://eepurl.com/vLsxf = Newsletter 3


http://eepurl.com/mKkTL - signup form

[kaslkaos]

It looks like a great newsletter. It also looks like it would make a wonderful blogpost or webpage. Just a suggestion, why not post it to a blog, that way it is always available, and will also come up in searches on the web, AND send it out as a newsletter? Personally, I loose emails all the time, as in, things end up unread because they show up on the wrong day and then I forget to read them on a better day.
I LOVE your newsletter format. It looks great.

[LynnBaileyPrintmaker]

Thanks for your helpful suggestions Ingrid.
I’m reluctant to start a blog. It’s taken me quite a while to build up a decent following on Twitter & FaceBook, and I feel it would take me quite a lot of work to build up sufficient following on a blog to make it worthwhile. I’m not sure I could sustain a consistent steady input. I’m not ruling it out, just need to see where it’s best to put my energies.

I do have a news page on my website but it’s not open to comments like a blog. I mention on FB & Twitter when I’ve added a new post. I have noticed that occasionally people have found me through the tags there – eg by listing in the tags all the people who were in an exhibition with me, people have found my website by Googleing the other artists etc.

Thanks Ingrid I shall think more about how I marry the two

[kaslkaos]

I didn't mean a weekly writing a blog thing (that's lots of work), I meant simply uploading the newsletter as is via some suitable software so that your newsletter gets a permanent home, although, or maybe you've already done that, since your newsletter is on a link?
Or put them on your website as 'back-issues' ... that sounds exciting ;-)
But no, nothing that makes extra work. Sometimes I think I spend more time 'social networking' than making art. :-(

[LynnBaileyPrintmaker]

Published Newsletter #4 today...

Lots of stories, lots of links http://us5.campaign-archive1.com/?u=b819c27eba7dac5ee26b672e1&id=fafe185530

And yes Ingrid, I have now got them as back issues on my website. THANKS for the tip. :-)

[minouette]

Hey Lynn,

I tried to start a newsletter and had no luck. I only got three people to sign up, though I think I do pretty well with my blog/twitter/FB. Perhaps it isn't worth it for me... but I too was curious about people's experiences and suggestions. Etsy seems to suggest newsletters regularly.

[LynnBaileyPrintmaker]

Greetings Ele,
I got my list started by writing to people I'm already in contact with already to ask them one by one if they would like to be on my Mailchimp newsletter list.
After that I've gathered more people through my comments book at open studio events and exhibitions. I specifically say that if they want to be on the list please leave your email address.
This is only my 4th newsletter so I don’t know if it has any effect on art sales. But I do get positive feedback and sufficient number of people saying that they appreciate it and find it interesting.

It also appeals to my nerdy side to be able to see which links people click on. Though this I know that my item about being “artist to the bees” is the most popular story so far. It all helps to build up a picture of what people are interested in.

I would still like to hear about other people’s experience.
Especially people who chose to send out more frequent smaller newsletters.
What works best for you???

Cheers
LB-P

[Former_Member]

I read a lot of newsletters I prefer short, but frequent...well, once or twice a month. It means I can give full attention in limited amount of time something too long would put me off even starting...

[minouette]

Whenever I make a sale on Etsy, the automated email response includes a link to a sign-up list for a newsletter, which obviously doesn't work for me. Perhaps contacting people individually is the answer.

I do get a couple of newsletters from artists, which are very sporadic. I like them! I think monthly and short would work for me as a recipient.