How long should your email newsletter be?

Clients are often asking me how long their email newsletter should be and I usually say, "Shorter is better."

In fact, when people tell me they love my Quick Tips from Marketing Mentor, I ask them why and the first thing I almost always hear is, "Because it's short."

So you would think that an effective email newsletter should be short, right?

Not necessarily. I know several people who put out longish email newsletters that people do read because they are either really well written or they have useful information (or both!). Colleen's newsletter, communicatrix | focuses, is one of them. Bob Bly's Direct Response Letter is another. It's chock full of tidbits every month. You can read as much or as little as you like.

I always recommend you start with something short. Then, as you get more ideas and as people become accustomed to your writing and your style, lengthen your text as you see fit.

And remember, you can always write a bit then link to a place on your web site or blog where those interested can keep reading.

Comments

[Dani Nordin]

I agree on both counts - I love your newsletter because it's so short, and usually helpful, but when I asked my readers last month if they thought that mine should be shorter (I link to a recent blog entry, and include a recent work announcement and recipe), everyone who responded said that they loved the newsletter the way it was - except for Colleen, who found it a duplication of content since she already reads the blog.

But it gave me a lot to think about - while I definitely like the shorter format, I think that mine also works because it gives a mix of information, and like you said, the reader can pick and choose what he/she wants to read.

[JP]

Dani, I strongly disagree. I think email newsletters should be kept short and sweet - especially in today's fast, twitter-facebook, smart phone world of 2010. I have a friend who writes novels for their company's newsletter (we won't discuss the design, which is screaming for help, and which CAN drastically effect readability). As a consumer of a number of newsletters, I don't have time to read the entire thing. BUT I do want to know in what the stories are about and if I'm interested. Thus a newsletter with tester copy / headlines - is more effective to juge if I want to keep the email for reference and read later (or at that moment) or toss it in the virtual round file.