Marketing experts believe it costs six to seven times as much to make a sale to a new client as it does to an existing client. Newsletters communicate effectively with past, current, and prospective clients and reinforce a remodeler's brand. That's why sending newsletters to your clients makes sense. By keeping in touch, your clients will think of you first when it's time to build that new second-story addition or when a friend asks for a recommendation.

To create an effective newsletter, develop a system that will aid readability and generate both interest and leads. The two most critical elements to consider are the design — the overall look and feel of the product —and the content — the articles contained therein.

Design

  • A good newsletter first captures the reader's attention with great design and a dramatic photo. This compels the reader to take a few minutes to read at least the cover story and not throw it into the trash.
  • Develop a template with a look and feel that carries over from issue to issue.
  • Leave lots of “white space.” Don't try to fill every square inch of printable area.
  • Limit the number of fonts. More is not better; it's just cluttered.
  • Use high resolution photography.

    • Content

  • A good newsletter article captures the reader's imagination with information that is interesting and relevant. Write from your client's point of view.
  • Give all appropriate attribution.
  • Edit and proofread again and again.
  • Avoid a blatant advertisement.
  • Give your customers “the basics” in the feature or lead article. What was special or different about the job? Was there an unusual circumstance or a particularly difficult problem to be solved? Did you use, or were you forced to use, an unusual product or method? Was there something special about the design? What did the homeowners want to accomplish with the remodel? What about the homeowners: age range, kids, special needs, etc.?

    • Visit biz-comm.com/downloads for sample newsletters and other marketing tools. —Stephen Wilson is a partner in Biz-comm Inc., a marketing/communications firm specializing in the needs of remodelers, [email protected].