*Note – A more recent related post for 2020 can be found here.
Company newsletters can be a great way to reach out to existing and potential customers alike. However, to be effective a company newsletter needs to be more than a friendly reminder that your company exists. While it can be easy to pour all your time into other ways to reach your customers and treat the newsletter as an afterthought, you can instead turn your newsletter into an effective piece of content.
This process takes effort to pull off – and a little inspiration. When it comes to the art of the company newsletter, some brands know just what needs to happen. To help you develop a killer newsletter strategy, here are some of the best company newsletters of 2018.
InVision
A top-notch company newsletter checks a lot of boxes: there’s crisp imagery, clear and engaging CTAs, a variety of content that gives value to the reader, and a mobile-friendly design for those that check email from places other than their desktops.
InVision’s newsletter content does all of that with a simple, but eye-catching, design. You can also get a solid sense of the company’s voice through the work, plus there’s enough content available, so that everyone who opens the newsletter can find at least one thing (if not more) to pique their interest.
Away
Away is a company that focuses on making “smart luggage” that adds variety into the luggage and travel industry. Its newsletters have more of an e-commerce focus than what InVision provides, and that means that the focus is often on showing off products and building a community around what Away offers.
The Away newsletter does both these things perfectly, showing off a variety of colored suitcases with clear CTAs. The photos make the products look appealing, and there are even quick links to shop or refer a friend at the top, which help pull in new and existing customers.
Apple
As one of the world’s most valuable brands, Apple clearly knows what it’s doing when it comes to marketing – and that includes its company newsletters. Branding is especially important in email, as you want customers to associate your messages with the rest of your content. For many newsletters, this involves having a header that includes your logo and matches your website.
Apple newsletters take a bit of a different approach, but we have no problem recognizing them as belonging to Apple. Aside from the logo and the iPad, the font and layout of the newsletter match what we see on other Apple products. The company’s website has a similar feel, and there’s no issue identifying who this newsletter is from thanks to the design.
Krit
Krit’s Start in the South newsletter targets startup founders outside of the typical technology hubs. What makes this newsletter such an effective example is that it takes its audience into full consideration: startup founders don’t have time to read multiple lengthy articles, so the Start in the South newsletters are quick reads packed with the specific advice their audience needs. There’s also a clear voice throughout, which makes the newsletters not only helpful, but also engaging.
MOO
MOO’s MOOsLetter does a lot of things right as a company newsletter, with clean designs and clear CTAs. However, sometimes it’s the little things that can make your newsletter pop. With the integration of a.GIF and a little animation, the reader’s attention goes right where MOO wants it: to the new look for business cards. It’s not a complex movement, but it does draw the reader in and makes sure they see the most important part of the message.
Disney
The Disney Parks blog newsletter may not be as flashy as you might, but it does very well in giving concise information, paired with a simple design. The newsletter quickly shows off topics with some images to draw in reader attention, then it has a short blurb of preview text to capture attention. Any reader that’s interested in the full blog article can simply click on the title or “read more” button, or they can save it for later.
Litmus
When building your newsletter, you should also consider how you can show off your company’s industry experience and expertise. You also want to make sure your customers know that you’re working to improve your business, and providing customers with insightful content for your market is the way to go.
Litmus is an email marketing solutions provider, so you would expect its newsletters to be effective in all areas. Sure enough, Litmus regularly provides newsletters that showcase its knowledge of email marketing strategies, information, and techniques while providing value to its customers. The newsletter also makes use of effective visuals and designs, which also helps engage customers.
While each company will want to create a newsletter that best represents its brand, there are some best practices that every newsletter can take advantage of. While it might take some experimentation to create the best experience for your audience, these best company newsletters can provide more than enough inspiration to get you started.