An email newsletter is only as good as its open rate. There is some strategy needed to create an effective campaign. Here are a few considerations:

1) Do you even need an email newsletter? Some industries lend themselves to this type of marketing, while others will find it a waste of time. Do some research to see what the competition is doing. This will help you determine if it’s worth the investment.

2) Figure out what kind of online newsletter you want to send. It should have an objective–whether that’s to educate or entertain (or both) is up to you. Regardless, there needs to be a common denominator. So, instead of it being about your company in general, maybe it’s dedicated to one theme or topic.

3) Follow the 90/10 rule. That means the majority of your content should be indirectly about your brand. The remaining 10 percent can be used to promote your products or services. Unless you actually have an exciting, big piece of news about your product, service, or company, keep promotional content to a minimum.

4) Set expectations on your “Subscribe” page. The more specific, the better. Tell potential subscribers exactly what will be in the newsletter as well as how often they should expect to hear from you. And honor that. The worst thing you can do is betray your customers’ or prospects’ trust.

Here’s to crafting a killer campaign!