E-Marketing by Kirstie Bennett

Getting Started in E-Newsletters Part 2: Content

nce you have a small list of customers who have signed up for your e- Onewsletter program and have chosen a professional e-newsletter provider, you are ready to assemble content. Here is a step-by-step plan for gathering ideas. I send my newsletter on the first of each month, and my goal is to have all of the ideas for the next issue two weeks beforehand. There are two folders on my computer desktop, one for the current issue and one for future ideas. Every time I think of an idea, it goes in one of the folders. I save ideas in the form of photos and web links. Sometimes I create a Photoshop Image 1: Adding a background color to your folder and a Photoshop color palette color palette based on colors from the pictures. can be useful when you assemble your e-newsletter, such as this spring idea folder. This helps with visual idea organization (Image 1). I keep a copy of the folder at an online serv- and, with permission, tell the customer's story ice called Drop Box so I can access my work from about why he or she framed the piece. You might any computer or smart phone. Mobile phones also even include a photo of the customer with the make great recording devices for ideas you come framed art (Image 4). Or you could share a framing with on the go. idea you saw in a trade magazine or supplier's web- As you create a folder of ideas for your newslet- site. Most of our vendors are happy for the publici- ter, it's a good idea to choose one central theme for ty and will give you permission to use images that the issue you are working on. I use this as the basis feature their framing materials if you credit them as for a banner to head my Constant Contact tem- the source. plate. With a banner image in mind, I organize my Framing education is a confidence-inspiring folder by color, choosing ideas and images that har- topic. Customers like to know that our shop mem- monize with the banner image (Images 2 and 3). bers care enough to stay informed, and one way to The key to finding newsletter content is to share this knowledge is to include a preservation always have something new going on in your shop, section in your newsletter. Topics can include whether it is a product, an idea, an event, a project, preservation matting, types of glass, proper hinging, or a sale. You don't have to invest a lot of money to how to frame a needlepoint, or the proper way to bring something new to your readers' attention. frame a canvas. Educating your customers sets you Framing projects are subjects that are always apart from your competition and gives your readers available. You can feature a photo of a recent job an insider's look at what's behind the backing 20 PFM December 2010 paper. You can find she was happy to have her ideas for these topics work promoted. Investing by reading trade in a couple of extra greet- magazines, attending ing cards to add to our trade shows, and selection of her work cost reading PFM books us very little, but the and supplements on advertising in the newslet- preservation. You ter was invaluable as it don't need a lot of reminds customers that we information, just carry all of her work and enough to fill a short that there is often some- paragraph and ideal- thing new to come in and ly have a photo to see. go with your sub- Image 2 and 3: A December idea folder was color The beauty of includ- coordinated with a holiday theme. The finished ject. December newsletter incorporated ideas from the ing art images in your e- Remember to idea folder. newsletter is that you don't feature your own always have to purchase framing education. When you attend trade shows, take the art to feature it. For pictures of each other and share them in your newsletter. example, you can become One year I included a photo of myself standing at the an Artaissance dealer, and entrance to the enormous PMA trade show floor. I also you'll have a wealth of art included photos of two of my framers in a fabric wrapping images at your fingertips class (Image 5). Your customers love seeing your staff being (Image 6). In 10 years of educated and having fun. Photos like this, along with a few newsletter creation, I have words of explanation, do wonders for your image as a never been turned down frame shop that cares about ongoing framing education. for permission by a suppli- I include all new products for sale in the shop in er, but I always check in upcoming e-newsletters. New products can include a new first with my reps. sample set, new art, a small supply item like Easel Mates, Read trade magazines new mat colors, ready-made frames you make from rem- and find their online content to share. Again, check with nants, or even a new line of greeting cards. You can take them first. Read online design blogs and link to their con- these photos yourself or rely on digital versions of manu- tent. Your customers should know that you are interested facturers' products. Be sure to stay current with your ven- in design. Many design magazines are now online, so dors' Facebook pages and blogs where you will find a including their content with attribution is easier than ever. wealth of material. Make it a habit to always ask for per- In September I included a photo from the Larson-Juhl fea- mission to use images. Not only does copyright law require ture in the new Lonny Magazine (www.lonnymag.com). this, but you will also find that your sales reps are delighted Use your own website for ideas. You worked hard to to help you promote their products. When we ran our put interesting photos and ideas on your site. You already green framing special in August, I promoted a giveaway have the photos hosted online, so capitalize on your own item with every sale of PFC- and PEFC-certified materials. content. I have run e-newsletter features about our restora- One supplier donated tote bags, two gave us ready-made tion services, printing services, corporate work, specialty frames, and several provided us with digital images for the mats, visualization service, finished corner frames, and promotion. more. I always have newsletter content because I have a I make it a habit to stay in close contact with the website that is loaded with interesting photos and ideas. artists whose work we sell. In September of this year I Linking back to your own site is an ideal way to extend the called our best-selling artist to tell her we were borrowing a promotional value of your newsletter. You can also use con- photo of a new greeting card from her website. As usual, tent from your any social networking sites you may have.

22 PFM December 2010 Facebook allows easy image what the offer will be. storage and, if you are writ- You can create an e- ing a newsletter anyway, you newsletter without a may as well share the con- coupon, but we have tent. found that interest in Don't forget staff news. signing up for and read- If you hired a new framer ing the newsletter recently, include her photo increases when customers and something about her know there is a reward background. I even included for doing so. Discounts Photo 5: Try including a photo of yourself or the story behind my manag- staff member in a framing education class. do not need to be large er's broken leg and an item to bring in a substantial about my own knee replace- amount of business. ments. Each time we were Image 4: Photos of customers with their This is a visual industry, and I strongly recommend finished framing can be good newsletter deluged with encouraging topics. buying a good camera and photo editing software. You get-well notes from our cus- want your newsletter to inspire confidence in your design tomers. Customers really like skills and that starts with the right equipment for the job. to hear occasional bits of personal news because it makes Get in the habit of regularly taking photos that you can use them feel included and gives them a connection to the in your newsletters. I usually include one photo with each shop. I don't include personal information regularly, but I newsletter topic. make sure to include some piece of staff news once or twice You can repeat information over time, but you may a year. not need to do so very often because once you start finding Other ideas include upcoming local art events, muse- ideas, the um exhibits, news stories about your shop, sale announce- process will ments, art openings and events (Image 7), charity dona- snowball and tions, your gift card program, suppliers' environmental you will have efforts, holiday gift ideas, Mother's and Father's Day fram- more topics ing ideas, diploma frames, a pop art project, or even photos than you can of your family visiting a frame shop or art museum while use. Just keep on vacation. When I included a photo from our holiday in your newslet- Italy and linked it to an online Facebook album about see- ter in mind ing art everywhere in everyday scenes, customers told us as you go Image 7: Take lots of photos of gallery events for inclusion in how much they enjoyed the photos. Many shared stories of your newsletters. about your their own travels and brought in travel photos for framing. daily work In fact, travel photos are a good idea for an e-newsletter routine and special. you will be amazed at the amount of ideas you will gener- A word about coupons: We don't include coupons in ate. Then you will have the pleasurable task of choosing a print advertising or on any public page on our web page, few good ones for your current newsletter and saving the but we do include a link to a subscriber-only framing rest for upcoming issues. ■ coupon in each issue. Our newsletter readers know that they are part of a special group that can access the monthly discount coupon. Coupons are different each month and Kirstie Bennett is co-owner of The Framer's Workshop in may include a discount on custom framing, a progressive Berkeley, CA, which she founded in 1977. She has won a num- discount that increases when the customer brings in more ber of awards, including Best Frame Shop 2008 and 2010 from the San Francisco Chronicle, Constant Contact Best Practices than one piece, a do-it-yourself discount, a special on eco- Award 2008 and 2009, and Oakland Tribune “Bay Area Best” friendly frames, a matting coupon, or a bring a friend for multiple years. She holds a B.A. in English and Art History coupon. The secret is to vary the coupon each month so from U.C.L.A. and is a guest speaker on framing photography that your readers want to open the newsletter to find out and prints at Berkeley City College. PFM December 2010 23