By Jessica Albon

How to create a newsletter you can dress up and take out on the town

And one and two and three and four…

Remember those school dances when you were a kid? There was the group of kids standing against the wall, wishing more than anything to be invisible. And there was the kid who’d venture off onto the dance floor alone and show off some (very bad) dance moves.

And then there was the girl all the boys wanted to dance with.

In my sixth grade class, her name was Ashley and she had long blonde hair. She wasn’t the prettiest of the girls, nor was she the best conversationalist. She wasn’t the smartest or the nicest or the best dancer.

And that’s all good news.

See, your newsletter doesn’t have to be the best. It doesn’t have to be the most attractive. It doesn’t have to have the best writing. It doesn’t have to have the most informative articles or the best special deals.

Five steps to a newsletter version of Ashley

Your newsletter can be the one that engages readers all around the world when you apply five of Ashley’s secrets.

Ashley was always well groomed

Your newsletter has to look good. It doesn’t have to be the prettiest newsletter on the block, but it does need to be neat. It needs to be well proofread. It needs to be coherent.

Make sure every issue you send out represents your company well. Keep it pulled together. Hold each issue to the same high standards you hold your sales people to. Don’t let it out the door until it looks its best.

Tools to keep your newsletter looking good: a professional proofreader, a great-looking template, regular writers.

Ashley was always confident

Never apologize for your newsletter. If readers hate it, let them unsubscribe themselves. They’re adults, they can take responsibility for their own email inbox.

If you’re worried readers will hate a particular article, or if you don’t feel like it’s well written, don’t publish it. And, remember, most people criticize as if there’s a prize for it–so consider your readers’ comments, but don’t let them get to you.

Tools to build your confidence: feedback from happy readers, talented writers, a professional newsletter critique.

Ashley didn’t talk to just anyone

Do you beg people to subscribe to your newsletter? Do you have a subscribe box on every page of your site that says, “Please subscribe to our newsletter!”? Are you making it too easy for people to subscribe?

Most people like the idea of being special. Part of a select group who gets to receive unique information. And when you give the impression that any reader’s a good reader, you make readers feel like a dime a dozen.

Tools to build an exclusive feel: a qualifying form (instead of a subscribe form), a great gift for selected subscribers, testimonials from recognized authorities.

Ashley didn’t work the room

Once you start building an exclusive feel in your newsletter, you’re on your way to making readers feel special. But there’s an easy way to shatter your progress. Keep your attention on your readers, not potential readers.

Many publishers make the mistake of asking for forwards and referrals too much. It’s as if they’re always asking, “Who can you introduce me to?” Instead of always being on the lookout for new subscribers, take the time to focus on the subscribers you already have.

Tools to make subscribers feel special: a special gift for referrals, exclusive subscribers-only pages, kudos whenever appropriate.

Ashley knew when to stop talking

Nothing turns readers off like the knowledge that it may take them hours to wade through a newsletter. Write to the end and then stop. Don’t belabor the point, add “one more” illustration, or include a long-winded conclusion.

It’s the ending of the newsletter that leaves readers wanting more.

And, in the end, knowing when to stop will build subscriber loyalty like little else.