Here’s what you need to know when choosing an email service provider (ESP) for your Pet Industry E-Newsletter start-up

Last time we talked about some of the benefits of starting an e-newsletter for your Pet Industry business.

Today, let’s talk about the 1st steps for getting that to happen.

Just a little review from last time…

Remember…

• You want to collect email addresses for a reason. It’s a chance to communicate with an audience who has chosen to hear from you, and this gives you a real possibility to connect with them on a one-to-one basis.
   
  This provides the proverbial 2 birds/1 stone opportunity.
• You get to provide valuable, relevant information. Since your audience has willingly signed up to hear from you, it’s your job to deliver useful and actionable information that is interesting and entertaining to them.
   
  A good way to find out what exactly IS interesting and entertaining to them is to send out a weekly email asking your readership what they would like to talk about! Easy Peasy, right?
   
• You can be a ‘Voice of Authority’. Furnishing your readers with educating, appealing, and inspiring information and guidance allows them to look to you as an authority in the subject they are so curious about to begin with
   
  This also makes them want to open your emails. Since you are not always trying to push a product, sale, or discount on a product or service, your readers will actually look forward to receiving emails from you.

One of the 1st steps that need to happen when developing an e-newsletter for your Pet Industry business is finding an email service provider (ESP).
 
Here are a few suggestions to help research which ESP will fit your needs:

• Is the ESP easy to use and understand?
   
  This is a huge benefit to those of us on the not-so-tech-y side of things. Since your ESP is something you’ll be working with on a weekly, if not daily basis, ease of use is paramount to a successful newsletter.
   
• Does the ESP have the features needed?
   
  Obviously, this is a decision for each business individually, but knowing what specific features will work for your personal skill set of technological knowledge, researching the features beforehand will come in very handy.
   
• Can the ESP be expanded as your email list grows?
   
  Since most Pet Industry businesses that are considering starting an e-newsletter plan on using it as a long-term marketing tool, knowing your ESP can grow with your business’s expanding email list is a must
   
  You definitely don’t want to be starting all over with a new ESP if you outgrow the first one quickly.
   
• Will there be online or phone tech support provided by your ESP?
   
  Along with your ESP being easy to use, there must be some back-up support if you run into a problem. Having the luxury of another person on the phone, coaching you through a challenging issue can be extremely beneficial when you are at the end of your rope.

Creating your Pet Industry business’s e-newsletter doesn’t have to be a daunting process.

If you are ready to take your Pet Industry business to new heights with a potent marketing tool, then starting an e-newsletter is your ticket to making that happen.