Newsletter Experiments: Trying Harder to Reach our Readers

I have been trying hard to improve my GoNOMAD newsletter opening rate, realizing that you can’t just assume that people will open every email. You have to put more into it.  I did some reading and was quite inspired by a blog that challenged my thinking.  Though the blog maintains that there is simply no better way to reach people than through their email inbox, you have to work harder and make it better if you want people to open them.

With this in mind, I sent out my February GoNOMAD Travel Articles newsletter and added a few twists.  First, I included an audio version of a story I wrote recently about Rotterdam, the Netherlands. I figured that the way I enjoy podcasts, people might be interested in something a little different. So far, in the 10 hours since I sent out the email, ten readers have clicked to listen to me read my story.

I also included an offer of a consultation with anyone who was interested in learning about how to use content marketing to improve their business. I offered five free 30 minute consultations, and so far two readers have expressed an interest.  I think these types of steps will pay off in the long run because email is truly the most personal of all ways you can reach people.  I think if I can keep experimenting and trying new ways, we are bound to succeed.

UPDATE:  The February 2016 GoNOMAD newsletter had a 34 percent opening rate and 4% click through rate to read the stories.  15 people so far listened to the audio file of the Rotterdam story.  Then a few days later, I sent the newsletter out to every email that had not opened it, with a new subject line.  This time there was a 16 percent opening rate and 2 % click through.  So…combined, we had a 50% opening and 16 people listening to the audio.  YESSS!!