How To Build A Newsletters That Represent Your Personal Brand
Personal branding is essential in the 21st century, where there is an abundance of news and information on the web. With so much content available, people are looking for a point of trust. This can be a human being or an organization run by people with whom you are interacting. Building trust takes time, consistency, and engagement between you and the other person. It requires consistent messages that you believe in.
When social media (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc.) is becoming popular, they are one of the easiest channels for you to share your messages. However, there's another form of communication that is more thoughtful and still engaging with the audience, such as newsletters.
If you struggle with creating images or videos, a newsletter can give you an edge. For those who excel with words, a newsletter can be a powerful tool to engage with your audience.
Tell a story
Sharing a story establishes a connection between you and other people. With newsletters, you can reach many people rather than just one.
When it comes to storytelling, there are many types of stories you can tell. Here are three main types of stories that I often use:
Personal Stories: Personal stories are tales of your own experiences, which can be used to connect with your audience. Sharing personal struggles and triumphs can make your audience feel like they know you better.
Inspirational Stories: Inspirational stories are designed to motivate and uplift your audience. These stories can be about overcoming adversity, achieving success against all odds, or finding hope in challenging situations.
Educational Stories: Educational stories are used to teach your audience something new. These stories can be about anything from history to science to current events. The key is to make the story informative and engaging.
Personal experiences will always make your newsletters authentic and relatable.
No matter what type of story you choose to tell, remember to keep your audience engaged and entertained. With a great story, you will leave a lasting impression.
Visual content
Visual contents enhance readers’ attention and engage them with your newsletters much more. They include images and graphics that are relevant to your content, which ultimately break up large blocks of text, make your writing more appealing, and convey information in a much better way.
Another technique to improve your newsletter is to focus on layout and design that create a visually cohesive and organized publication.
Consistent use of colors, fonts, and formatting that align with your personal brand can create a polished and professional appearance.
Ensure that there is a clear visual hierarchy, with headings, subheadings, and body text that guide the reader through the content.
White space, or the empty space around text and images, can significantly impact the overall look and readability of the newsletter.
By incorporating sufficient white space, you can create a balanced layout that is easy on the eyes and encourages readers to engage with the content.
Consistency in tone and voice
One of the hardest parts about writing is keeping your tone and voice consistent. Without a strong and consistent tone and voice, the letters will not feel like yours and the readers may lose interest.
Each writer has their own tone and voice. Therefore, you want to spend a little time developing self-awareness about yourself. What do you often sound like?
Here is a list of ten different writing styles. Select one to three styles that you feel are most like your own:
Conversational: Casual, friendly, and relatable, using everyday language to create a sense of connection with the reader.
Formal: Professional, polished, and structured, with a focus on clarity, precision, and adherence to established grammar rules.
Educational: Instructional, clear, and focused on teaching, breaking down complex concepts into digestible and actionable steps for the reader to learn and apply.
Informative: Factual, objective, and unbiased, prioritizing the delivery of accurate information and data.
Persuasive: Convincing and compelling, utilizing strong arguments, evidence, and rhetorical devices to sway the reader's opinion.
Humorous: Light-hearted, witty, and entertaining, incorporating jokes, puns, and amusing anecdotes to engage the reader.
Inspirational: Uplifting, motivating, and encouraging, using powerful stories and messages to evoke positive emotions and inspire action.
Authoritative: Confident, assertive, and knowledgeable, projecting expertise and credibility on a given subject or issue.
Sincere: Genuine, heartfelt, and honest, expressing true emotions and intentions to build trust with the reader.
Storytelling: Narrative-driven, descriptive, and immersive, using vivid details and a strong sense of character and plot to engage the reader's imagination.
Tell readers to take action with you
Encouraging readers to take action after reading your post is essential for an effective newsletter. Taking action means growing, improving lives, and becoming better individuals. People are more likely to take action when they feel motivated to bring about positive change.
Some common actions you can encourage readers to take include subscribing to your newsletters, sending you an email, following you on social media, signing up for an event, purchasing your products, and many more.
Here are a list of Call-To-Action to include at the end of your newsletters:
"Subscribe Now": Encourage readers to sign up for your newsletter to receive regular updates, exclusive content, or special offers.
"Download Your Free Guide": Offer a valuable resource, such as an eBook or whitepaper, in exchange for the reader's contact information.
"Join Our Webinar": Invite readers to register for an upcoming online event or workshop that provides valuable information or insights.
"Claim Your Discount": Offer a limited-time promotion or discount on your products or services, prompting readers to make a purchase.
"Schedule a Consultation": Invite readers to book a one-on-one call or meeting to discuss their specific needs and how you can help.
"Start Your Free Trial": Encourage readers to try your product or service risk-free for a limited time, demonstrating its value firsthand.
"Share Your Thoughts": Ask readers to provide feedback or participate in a survey, fostering engagement and gathering valuable insights.
"Connect with Us on Social Media": Invite readers to follow you on various social media platforms, expanding your online presence and community.
"Refer a Friend": Encourage readers to share your newsletter or promotion with friends, family, or colleagues, expanding your reach and audience.
"Read the Full Article": Provide a teaser or excerpt of a longer piece of content, prompting readers to click through and read the complete article on your website or blog.
To make your newsletter effective, always include a specific call to action at the end. Don't forget to do so.
Whether you're a student, professor, professional, entrepreneur, or business owner, a newsletter can help you build a large audience and keep them engaged with you throughout your career. With a newsletter, you'll have a valuable asset that keeps you accountable, motivates you to write more, serve more, and produce more.