Growing a B2B Newsletter in 2024: Strategies for Success with Todd Clouser

Summary

This video explores the common pitfalls of B2B newsletters and how to transform them into valuable marketing tools. It emphasizes the importance of defining clear business outcomes, understanding the target audience, and delivering high-quality, relevant content. The video discusses two primary newsletter types: content curation, which focuses on selecting valuable information from various sources, and thought leadership, which offers original insights and analysis. Viewers are encouraged to foster engagement through meaningful interactions and to be creative in blending different formats to achieve their goals. The ultimate aim is to create newsletters that contribute to measurable business success.

Takeaways

• 😀 Define the desired outcome of your newsletter to align with business goals like revenue and customer retention.
• 😀 Understand your target audience by narrowing it down to specific individuals, ensuring relevance in your content.
• 📚 Content curation newsletters save readers time by organizing valuable content from various sources, enhancing their experience.
• 🔍 Use trending topics on platforms like Reddit, AI tools, and Google News to source high-quality articles for your newsletter.
• 💡 Thought leadership newsletters prioritize original insights and personal experiences, helping establish credibility in your industry.
• 💬 Encourage audience engagement by prompting feedback and replies, creating a two-way conversation rather than a one-sided communication.
• 📅 Consistency in the timing of your newsletter delivery is crucial for maintaining audience interest and trust.
• 🚫 Avoid treating newsletters solely as promotional tools; aim to provide value and foster community among your readers.
• 🎨 Experiment with different formats and content types to keep your newsletter fresh and engaging.
• ✨ Creativity is key in blending different newsletter formats to effectively achieve your defined outcomes.

Q & A

What is the primary issue with most B2B newsletters?

Most B2B newsletters fail to be effective because they often focus solely on activity metrics rather than achieving specific business outcomes, which can lead to their discontinuation during budget cuts.

How should marketers define the success of their newsletters?

Marketers should define the success of their newsletters by linking them to clear business-level outcomes, such as revenue growth, customer retention, or increased product usage.

What is the first step in creating a successful newsletter?

The first step is to define the specific outcome the newsletter is intended to achieve, which will influence the style and content of the newsletter.

Why is it important to know your audience when creating a newsletter?

Knowing your audience helps you tailor the content to their needs and interests, making the newsletter more relevant and valuable to them.

What are the two types of newsletters discussed in the script?

The two types discussed are content curation newsletters, which compile relevant content from various sources, and thought leadership newsletters, which share original insights and analysis.

How can marketers effectively find articles for a content curation newsletter?

Marketers can use tools like trending subreddits, AI search tools, and Google News to find high-quality, relevant articles to curate.

What is the significance of providing context in a curated newsletter?

Providing context helps readers understand why a specific article is worth their time, reinforcing the newsletter's value and establishing the sender as a knowledgeable source.

What are some key characteristics of a thought leadership newsletter?

Thought leadership newsletters focus on original content, offer deep insights, and aim to establish the sender as a credible authority in their industry.

What is one common mistake to avoid with promotional newsletters?

One common mistake is treating promotional newsletters like spam; instead, they should focus on providing value and engaging with the audience to avoid alienating subscribers.

How can marketers encourage engagement with their newsletters?

Marketers can encourage engagement by prompting readers to reply to emails, highlighting questions from previous content, and showing that they value reader feedback.