Many studio owners and teachers ask me how to get started creating inspired e-newsletters for their studios and clients. Here are a few reasons I love newsletters and some quick tips to get you started with your own!
Newsletters can be a really fun way to consistently reflect on what you’re learning about, what you currently love about teaching, and what inspiration you’ve gained from your clients. It cultivates the habit of always listening for a tiny spark of an idea. Often these ideas come from clients having a-hah moments, from becoming inspired by you fellow teachers, or by making a new connection. This practice of listening and reflecting is critical for continued growth as a teacher. That means that not only will your newsletter be a great way for you to network, but it will also help you to be more engaged in your work and with your clients. It can become a platform for your own learning and growth!
Sounds great right?! So let’s get started!
Make It a Labor of Love by Setting Time Aside to Write: It does take a considerable amount of time to create articles, videos, and photos. But look forward to it each week by setting aside an hour or so to create the piece. If you don’t set time aside, it will be the last item on your to-do list which will make creating the story a hassle, hastily put together, or completely forgotten. For me, this creative time is first thing in the morning. Still in my pjs, I curl up with a cup of tea and get to writing.
Find Out Your Clients’ Interests: Are your clients interested in exercises they can do at home, recipes for healthy cooking, learning about the latest research in the field, or the latest activewear? An online survey could clear this up for you. If you’ve already been writing for a while, you can see which articles have the strongest response rate with click-throughs, replies, and comments. Whatever your approach, you need to know what your clients like to read.
Get Inspired by Your Clients: Clients will relate to one another’s experiences. Using a client’s story can help others feel they are in a community of people that support them on their health and wellness path.
Select a Format That’s Easy for You: If you really don’t like taking photos, don’t choose a photo-journalistic newsletter format. Yes, it’s cool and a lot of great bloggers use this format but if you aren’t excited about photos it will just be a headache. If you love talking on camera, perhaps a video blog format is best for you. Personally it has taken me years to feel comfortable in front of a camera. I would freeze up and say “ah” and “um” every other word. I recommend beginning your newsletter with formats that you will excel in, then over time challenging yourself to work on a few story formats (like video) that take you out of your comfort zone.
Select A Frequency That’s Sustainable: I began with once per month, then over the years and as I had more editorial support I increased the frequency. These days I try to send something out every week. Sometimes it just doesn’t happen, but once per week is my goal. Some weeks the piece is deep and inspired. Other weeks it is more simple and informative. You want to choose a frequency you can sustain so your readers know when to expect the newsletter and can start looking forward to reading it.
Just write, don’t edit: I try not to edit as I go. This way I can just get the nuts and bolts of the idea out and save the fine tuning for later. This leads me to my next suggestion...
Find a Second Reader: Having a second reader helps correct all the little mistakes that spell check might not catch and can help make the story more succinct or coherent. Newsletters for small businesses like mine tend to be personal because they are what you do so it’s easy to over complicate (or over simplify) ideas. You can just as easily miss not see glaring holes in your piece. A second reader quickly catches these issues and wraps it up with a bow on top.
I'm so very excited to have you share your tips in the comments on the blog.
With all my love,
XO Holly
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