I see a lot of email newsletters. They vary in their degrees of design quality, content, and general appeal. However, over 90% of them (made-up statistic for CJ McClanahan) fall into the trap of being simply “e-news”. Some of the titles are even things like “March E-news”, “E-news from Company XYZ”, or “March Newsletter”.

These are boring subject lines but the content of the newsletter makes it even worse. These newsletter are typically packed full of little advertising boxes that shout at the reader or ramble on and on about things going on at the company, specials and promotions, and every other marketing message that can possibly be crammed into it. This results in information overload, a hard-sell vibe, and will probably result in a high number of unsubscribes.

Why? Because this type of newsletter has no value to its recipients.

Rather than take this approach, try slimming down and focusing your message. First, take out all the extra advertising fluff and shouting and design your newsletter to consist of one main content area that contains a single message. It’s ok to leave a couple of subtle ancillary boxes but the bulk of your newsletter layout should be centered around one article.

Next, make that article focused on the recipient. Don’t paste in your latest press release, monthly special, or ad campaign. Write an educational article that gives something of value to the reader. Teach your readers something new, give them new ideas, or give them a unique insight into something that will help them in their businesses. Make sure it is well-written. If your organization does not have someone who writes well, outsource the writing.

Finally, customize your subject line to reflect the content of the article. Instead of just “March E-news”, include the actual title of the article. When your readers are scanning their inboxes, a specific and descriptive subject line will stand out among all the other “e-news” messages in the list.

If your subject line is specific and descriptive, your readers are more likely to open it. If your message is simple and direct, your readers are more likely to pay attention to it. If your message is valuable, your readers are more likely to share it with others and stay on your mailing list. If you do this consistently, your readers are more likely to buy from you, donate to your non-profit, or recommend you to others.

Don’t fall into the “e-news” trap. Make your message simple, focused, and valuable to your readers.