Wondering the best way to name your email newsletter?
“The idea of signing up for another newsletter makes me want to die a little.”
With the rise of newsletter services like Ghost and Substack, the idea of the email newsletter is having a bit of a moment.
So why, then, did the branding consultant I spoke with say the above quote?
Wouldn’t we want to tag along with everyone else and call our regular updates… a newsletter?
Precisely because everyone else is doing that. Now, listen, newsletter is a functional word. After all, it means, “a printed or electronic report containing news concerning the activities of a business or an organization that is sent to its members, customers, employees or other subscribers.”
But does that excite you? Does it motivate you to action? Do you check your inbox on delivery day saying, “It’s newsletter day!”
(Well, if you’re like me, maybe.)
Though the word newsletter is dull, what it represents is still very exciting.
That’s because your newsletter is another touchpoint for your brand. Each one you send is a chance to connect more deeply with your customers and to do all of those fancy things we linked to above.
Because your newsletter deserves the same love and attention as the rest of your marketing, today we’re breaking down a few ways to come up with a more fitting name.
5 Strategies For Coming Up With A Better Name For Your Newsletter Than Newsletter
- Consider What Your Customers Are Really Buying
You’re writing to your customers. But are your customers merely buying your products? Or are they buying the problem you’re solving?
Consider: DogBreath’s Monthly Newsletter vs. The New Tricks For Old Dogs Digest
For example, if you sell customized dog toys, are they simply buying toys? Or are they looking for new ways to bond with their pets?
If you sell health supplements, are they only buying yours because they like your logo? Or are they looking for ways to stay healthy?
Consider: HealthStuff Newsletter vs. The HealthStuff Guide To A Healthier You
- Inspire Action With Your Updates
While most newsletters are going to have some amount of necessary information – sales, discounts, origin stories – you’re running a business. To a certain extent, you rely on customers taking action.
Whether that’s buying your new product or maintaining a subscription, maintaining their active interest is important. And as a word, newsletter doesn’t inspire much interest.
If you’re a marketing agency, you have the task of providing value to existing clients and also writing something that could be useful to new clients.
Consider: The Marketing Agency Newsletter vs. Show (Don’t Tell) Strategies For Success
If you sell running shoes, you’re likely sending regular updates with new shoes, but you could also be writing about running form, where to find local races, and more.
Consider: The Run Shop Newsletter vs. Run Around Town
- Write To The Customers You Want
If you include the group of people you’re writing to in the name of the outreach, they’ll feel like you’re writing directly to them. That kind of title suggests you know what they’re dealing with – as a business owner, as a runner, as a student, etc. – and that you likely have the answers they’re looking for.
If you’re selling study guides or time management tricks for students, why not address them directly?
Consider: TimeHackers Newsletter vs. College Students Guide To Great Grades
If you’re marketing an accounting software to entrepreneurs, are you better off selling the features of your latest software… or the benefits the entrepreneur gets from using them?
Consider: MoneyMax Newsletter vs. Financial Freedom for Founders
- Create The Content First
Maybe you’re not sure the angle your updates will take. Maybe you’re not sure how often you can sustain a regular update. Maybe your customers want different information than you were expecting.
Consider writing a few issues first. By getting your ideas down on paper, you can see the kind of letter it’s shaping up to be, rather than forcing the content around a name you think is good.
- Ditch The Newsletter
At the very least, you can look for alternative words for newsletter (and ‘letter’ and ‘news’ don’t count).
A word of caution: don’t just flip through the thesaurus (or the thesaurus.com) and pick a word at random. We all remember the kid who dropped synonyms in all of his high school essays. Don’t be that kid. Quick tips for avoiding sounding forced: rhyming is great, alliteration is awesome.
Other words for newsletter than newsletter:
- Digest
- Strategies
- Tips
- Tools
- Update
- Review
- Insider
- Behind the Scenes
- Daily
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There’s a lot that goes into naming your newsletter. Still, it’s a great process that when done well will position your brand positively to grow with each successive update.
Now how about you? Do you write regular updates to your customers? What do you call it?