Newsletter...does Anyone Do Them?

[cookingmommy]

Hi!!!!

I was wondering if anyone sends out a monthly or seasonally newsletter?

Do you do it through email or regular mail?

I was thinking of sending one out but wasn't sure exactly what to put into it or how often to send it out. Obviously I would want one around holiday times and to showcase new products. I was just looking for some ideas for a successful newsletter.

Also, do you send it to everyone that has been at a party or that you have their email or address? I was thinking of asking during my "out of the box" customer care call if I could have their email address to send them my newsletter.

I'm just looking for some ideas since I can't stop reading all these threads. I love Chef Success!!!!

Thanks!!!!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I send out a monthly one via Email......if you look under the FLYERS AND NEWLETTERS section of this site, you will find a ton of examples and helps for sending out newsletters!

 

[ahammons]

I do a monthly newsletter via e-mail as well. I'm thinking of mailing some to people who don't have e-mail addresses though. I got a lot of great ideas from looking at different files posted here!

 

[SillyChef]

I use a newsletter serivce. With the price of stamps, I email. If you would like the website I get them from, just let me know

 

[raebates]

I send a monthly newsletter. I let my customers choose between email and USPS. Most of mine choose email, but many either don't have access or don't really use it.

 

[cookingmommy]

Margie,

I would love the website you use. I found one 123...something or other but I kept clicking on the link to see PC newsletter samples but it never brought one up.

Thanks for the help.

 

[finley1991]

I send an e-mail to my customer base twice each month (the 1st and 15th) and I use Constant Contact for it. It looks very professional and I get comments all the time at my shows about it from my customers. There are several levels... I pay $15 a month for unlimited use. I can upload product pictures as well. I also use it send a weekly e-mail to my TEAM with updates and ideas for them. I've been using it about a year and it's so awesome! What I like too is that it tracks who's opened your e-mail and who's clicked through to my personal website.

I used to only do it once a month... when I went to 2x a month, website orders picked up and now I average $300 a month with website orders. It's just a case of keeping in touch!

 

[heat123]

I send an e-mail to my customer base twice each month (the 1st and 15th) and I use Constant Contact for it. It looks very professional and I get comments all the time at my shows about it from my customers. There are several levels... I pay $15 a month for unlimited use. I can upload product pictures as well. I also use it send a weekly e-mail to my TEAM with updates and ideas for them. I've been using it about a year and it's so awesome! What I like too is that it tracks who's opened your e-mail and who's clicked through to my personal website.

I used to only do it once a month... when I went to 2x a month, website orders picked up and now I average $300 a month with website orders. It's just a case of keeping in touch!

do you send the same newsletter twice or create a new one for them to read? I wouldn't want to upset my customers by sending it 2x? But I have heard the same thing from someone else that they send once 2x a month and their orders increased! That's great $300 a month with orders, I'd be happy with $100 extra a month in website orders! What's your secret?? Do you offer sales or something??

thanks for any additional info!

 

[finley1991]

I send the same newsletter twice... the one that goes out on the 1st will have June News in the subject line. And it will have the June specials, product info and a recipe. The one I send out on the 15th has More June News in the subject line, but it will have next month's specials. Then my July 1st one will be a duplicate of the June 15th one. Hope that makes sense. Somtimes I will change the recipe midmonth if I feel like putting out the effort!

I NEVER offer sales. I will say that again. NEVER. The reason why you might want to think twice about offering sales is that first and foremost, it makes you look desperate or that you're trying to meet a quota. (Sometimes this is true... the quota part... but if we plan properly, that shouldn't be an issue). The other reason I discourage anyone to run a sale is because if you make a habit of it, your show sales will go down... your customers will just say, "Oh... I'm just going to get a citrus peeler tonight... she runs a 20% off sale on everything in June so I'm just going to wait and order everything then." Trust me...it happens. I have consultants on my team that this has happened to and they are having a hard time getting out of it. At shows, guests will ask, "When's your next e-mail sale? Should I wait and order on that?" It's a bummer for the host that has prepared for the show. Just something to think about.

And to answer your question, I've never had anyone comment about the same info being in the newsletter twice. Think about it for a moment... think of an e-mail newsletter that you get. If you got the same one two weeks later, would you remember specifically? We are all so slammed all the time with ads, e-mails, etc.... who can keep track?

I just found my bookings and websales went up dramatically when I started to send it twice a month. It's just a reminder for them that I'm still here!

My goal is to NEVER have anyone say to me, "Are you still doing Pampered Chef?" If they do, I'll know that I'm not doing my job.

 

[cookingmommy]

I'm going to go check out Constant Contact. I really want to stay in touch with my customers in Connecticut (I live in Guam right now) so that I have two groups (hopefully) to pull from.

How long are your newsletters?

 

[SillyChef]

I use www.myemaildesigns.com... I love, love, love them

 

[heat123]

I send the same newsletter twice... the one that goes out on the 1st will have June News in the subject line. And it will have the June specials, product info and a recipe. The one I send out on the 15th has More June News in the subject line, but it will have next month's specials. Then my July 1st one will be a duplicate of the June 15th one. Hope that makes sense. Somtimes I will change the recipe midmonth if I feel like putting out the effort!

I NEVER offer sales. I will say that again. NEVER. The reason why you might want to think twice about offering sales is that first and foremost, it makes you look desperate or that you're trying to meet a quota. (Sometimes this is true... the quota part... but if we plan properly, that shouldn't be an issue). The other reason I discourage anyone to run a sale is because if you make a habit of it, your show sales will go down... your customers will just say, "Oh... I'm just going to get a citrus peeler tonight... she runs a 20% off sale on everything in June so I'm just going to wait and order everything then." Trust me...it happens. I have consultants on my team that this has happened to and they are having a hard time getting out of it. At shows, guests will ask, "When's your next e-mail sale? Should I wait and order on that?" It's a bummer for the host that has prepared for the show. Just something to think about.

And to answer your question, I've never had anyone comment about the same info being in the newsletter twice. Think about it for a moment... think of an e-mail newsletter that you get. If you got the same one two weeks later, would you remember specifically? We are all so slammed all the time with ads, e-mails, etc.... who can keep track?

I just found my bookings and websales went up dramatically when I started to send it twice a month. It's just a reminder for them that I'm still here!

My goal is to NEVER have anyone say to me, "Are you still doing Pampered Chef?" If they do, I'll know that I'm not doing my job.

Thanks for sharing your info!

 

[cookingmommy]

I looked in Constant Contact. I think that I might use it. It looked like a relatively inexpensive way to create a newsletter. Plus, I should be able to write it off as a tax deduction, right?

I'm debating over making a newsletter through the mail also for some of my older customers. I'll have to look into it.

 

[krzymomof4]

I make my own that I adapted from one of Linda's old ones. I email them. I was sending them both ways and the postage got to be way too much. Now I only send 2 out through regular mail because they are really good customers and they don't have email access at home.

 

[cookingmommy]

Thanks everyone for all the great ideas and advice!!!!