When Good Newsletters Go Bad: How to Avoid the Rut and Capture Hearts

The wizard in Wizard of Oz and the guy behind the curtain pretending to be him have different personalities. Which one would you rather listen to? The wizard comes across as bigger than life and unreachable. The little guy hiding behind the giant green face is one of us, a person.

Companies that publish newsletters without a name or a voice feel cold and untouchable like the wizard. Give a voice to one person and you put a face on the company. Readers respond to a person better than an invisible entity. Think of an email newsletter that provides a wealth of information and over time becomes a victim of its own success. You used to look forward to receiving the newsletter, but it has turned into a big commercial.

This has happened to award-winning newsletters. At the time of receiving the award, the newsletter provided powerful stuff, helping it achieve success and earn its large mailing list. Once it reeled in readers, the material changed and not for the better. When working on something for a long time, falling into a rut happens. But there is a difference between falling into a rut by turning the newsletter into a news release and providing readers with something of value. Read on as I alert you to the pitfalls of this rut and give you ideas for keeping your readers satisfied.

Prevent Mr. Big Head

One newsletter no longer provides articles and instead points to the publisher's blog, products for sale and webinars starring the publisher. Another still offers an article, but not as much or as valuable as in the past. The newsletter also announces the person's accomplishments, newly landed clients and includes short articles recommending a product -- articles that sound more like affiliate recommendations than reviews.

Another company keeps distributing news releases about its successes. Most issues leave the reader wondering, "So what? That has nothing to do with me or my needs." Once in a while, it sends an issue with the latest products added to its database, which is the purpose of the mailing list. But it doesn't provide updates on the industry anymore unless it's about the company.

An egotistical publisher takes advantage of the mailing list by sending out emails with specials, "check out this product," "come see me," "attend my webinar," and "attend so 'n so's webinar