TinyLetter Simplifies Email Newsletters

September 1, 2011 by

Today MailChimp acquired TinyLetter to provide email newsletters capabilities for anyone that can send an email. Seriously, it’s that easy.

Want proof.  Notice how they get you started by having you select your username – which then becomes the sign-up URL for your newsletter.

In other words, one step at a time. Oh, and like MailChimp – it’s FREE.

MailChimp and TinyLetter – A Great Partnership

MailChimp is my newsletter service of choice for a number of reasons – with one being that they provide an abundance of educational materials.  Nevertheless, there is still a significant time commitment involved with learning how to do it well.

Yep, given my moderate technology skills (and patience) – it indeed took me a while to get my monthly newsletter – Web Marketing News off and running.  Of course, like so many other things in business and life, once you figure it you realize it’s not that difficult after all.

Tell that to small businesses who are challenged with both time and technology.

TinyLetter was designed for them.

Start Sending Email Newsletters Now

TinyLetter is ideal for those that want to launch their newsletter now – and with minimal effort.  It’s also perfect for groups or clubs that don’t need all of the features that MailChimp provides.

In fact, that’s how MailChimp describes TinyLetter – as MailChimp Lite.  Additionally, the language is simplified too.  For example, you don’t send an email campaign – you simply send a letter.  Simple.

To test out TinyLetter, I chose my username, and gave my newsletter a name and a brief description.  That’s it – two minutes. From that point forward you are ready to start drafting your first newsletter.  Just import the emails of your audience and you are good to go.

Here’s what my sign-up box looks like without any additional customization.

Tweaking your newsletter further is very straightforward.  You can customize the look and feel by uploading graphics or using the backgrounds provided. Evidently there are some stats available too.

Graduate from TinyLetter to MailChimp

MailChimp says their motivation behind this acquisition is that their freemium business model offers all of the robust features as the paid version – which can be still be more than some beginners can handle. So, TinyLetter offers a freemium service that allows really small businesses to build their list with their business.

However, I am wondering how it will work when you want to run with the big dogs and graduate from TinyLetter to MailChimp.  Knowing MailChimp, I imagine the plan for making a seamless migration from TinyLetter to MailChimp is already in the works.

So, if you have been challenged with getting started with email marketing, you have just run out of excuses.

Give TinyLetter a try or recommend it to your local community groups.

Leave a comment below or share this with your social community by liking it on Facebook, or sharing with any of the share buttons below – or on the little red bar at the bottom of this page.  

It’s a holiday weekend here in the United States, so I’ll be back early next week,  Jeff

Email Marketing Done Right

August 14, 2011 by

When used well, email marketing is one of the most powerful and reliable methods for delivering valuable information to a distinct audience – one that asked for it.

Email Favors the Better Marketers

What I like most about email marketing is that it favors the better marketers – those that greatly respect their subscribers.

Today, it is very easy to unsubscribe or junk emails from sources that fail to deliver. This is why smart marketers make a special effort to deliver well crafted email newsletters that deliver a value exchange.

My newsletter promises to deliver one monthly message that captures the best of this blog and others like it. It’s a great summary for my regular blog subscribers, as well as being a a huge time-saver for busy business owners that simply want to stay current with online marketing trends.

You know what else?  I love creating those monthly newsletters because it has become a valuable discipline for me. As you know, sharing only your best content takes work. It’s a process of filtering and assimilating lots of data into a pure message (with useful links for those that want to dig deeper).

If you are not yet a subscriber, you can join our community by entering your email in the box below (with your name and company being optional).

That just helps us to get to know each other better.

Sign Up For Our FREE Newsletter!
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It should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway.  We never, ever share your information – period.

Strict Spams Laws Require Your Full Attention

One of the most valuable benefits of email marketing are the incredible analytics they provide: split-testing of headlines, open rates, bounce rates, and unsubscribes.

My subscribers have blessed me with a very favorable open rate, with only a few unsubscribes. Unfortunately, like many other online marketers I get my share of both soft and hard bounces.  The hard bounces are usually misspelled addresses I have collected (with permission) at my speaking events.

Soft bounces are another matter that relates to lots of variables outside my control. So, if you are a subscriber and have not been receiving my newsletters, please check your junk folder, contact me, or resubscribe.

The August Edition of my Web Marketing News should be in your inbox tomorrow morning. If it isn’t, then you need to take action to continue receiving them.

If you are looking for a great email marketing service, I highly recommend MailChimp. They are constantly adding new features, provide great video and PDF tutorials, and best of all – it’s FREE for subscriber lists up to 2000.

Is It Acceptable to Use Email to Offer Paid Products and Services?

Prior to social media, email was the only form of directly connecting with customers online. This led to the practice of buying and sharing lists to reach as many people as possible – with the hopes that a few would buy.

Thanks to the CAN-SPAM Act, one that services like MailChimp take very seriously, those days are gone.

Does this mean you should not make product and service offerings in your newsletter?

Of course not. The rules of email marketing are virtually the same as with blogging and social networking – deliver so much value that when you occasionally make an offer it is well received.

In fact, you should make periodic offers.

Why wouldn’t you? When you earn the trust of your community they naturally want more.

My Offer

Many of you have requested an opportunity to personally work with me to get hands-on training for doing social media right. Now you have that opportunity – which is limited to the first 18 that sign up.

On September 29th and 30th I’ll be offering a two-day Social Media Summit here in Chicago for small businesses. Because this event is the first in a planned series, it is specially priced at $397 if you sign up before the end of August.  After that it goes up to $497.

Yes, I know it’s ridiculously low amount for two full days, including breakfast and lunch. Not to mention that autumn is one fine time to visit the Windy City!

Normally, I keynote for small business association.  But since those events do not typically allow for offering an intensive two-day program, I’ve decided to bring it to you directly.

I’m making this offer to a select few for helping me launch my series of summits. You’ll be getting plenty of special benefits that will include free access to future events. I’m not kidding.

And since social media will continue to evolve and change, you will be essentially getting two for the price of one.

There will soon be a landing page on this blog to give you all of the details. However, I’ve already signed up a few of my best clients, so if you do not want to miss this opportunity – contact me soon.

Leave a comment below or share this with your social community by liking it on Facebook, or sharing with any of the share buttons below – or on the little red bar at the bottom of this page.  

Until tomorrow,  Jeff

Photo Credit: Nieve44/La Luz