Email newsletters require a different style than print and should be short, scanable, and drive readers to a website. An effective strategy includes determining the audience, goals for that audience, and frequency of emails. Successful newsletters, like Obama's, are targeted, concise and call readers to a specific action, while less effective ones like McCain's are too long, broad and cluttered. Newsletters must comply with CAN-SPAM regulations, use opt-in subscriptions, and track analytics to measure effectiveness. High-quality, valuable content is also critical to engaging readers.

1. Email Newsletters What works, what doesn’t, and what you have to figure out for yourself.

2. Email is not Print

3. Email has its own style Much like web Scan and skim Short and sweet Drive to your website Provide value – make people want to open your emails

4. Strategy – Why? Who is your audience? What do you want them to do? How often will you send? What kind of content? Where will it come from?

5. Obama Email Targeted Short, sweet Focused topic/action

6. McCain Email Too long Too broad Too much going on

7. Rules CAN-SPAM Act Opt-in is best Opt-out is a requirement Avoid deceptive subject lines Use a 3rd party email service provider Don’t use Outlook/Entourage to send your mail or you’ll end up blocked and banned You need measurement

8. Subscriber Management Subscribe button or form on your website Promote subscription offline Listserv use

9. Design Options Existing templates Clear ND and department branding

14. Campaign Monitor - Measurement

15. Measurement Options

16. Google Analytics Track how/what users are doing on your site once they come in from an email newsletter Even measure conversions/ROI

17. It’s the Content There are a lot of newsletters, and you get a lot of emails What makes you open a newsletter and read? Content is king – it’s why you even bother reading these things.