Long versus Short Newsletters
You probably would think that short letters work better that long
ones. People don’t have time to read a four- or five-page letters,
they just skip the letter. The recent researches show that that as a
rule long newsletters work much better.
There are exceptions, of course. About half the recipients, who
answered your letter with an order, had read every single word. The
other half had scanned your appeal. The “scanners” read the first
line, the P.S. and the reply form, your headlines and some
underlined phrases. They didn’t need a long letter. But they wanted
the detailed information before making a purchase.
Your goal is to write for both audiences: your “scanners” and those
who need detailed information.
If the product you are selling doesn’t need much explaining, a short
letter will work best. If a dentist wants to send a reminder that
it’s been about six months since your last check-up, there’s no need
to include a long letter with the description of all his services.
Long newsletters will work best in prospecting, since you are
writing to those who have never heard anything about you, and have
never bought your products. Here your aim is to persuade your reader
to try your product.
The length of your newsletter depends how much you have to say about
your product. The golden rule is to answer all the questions your
reader might have. Try not to bore your reader. Every single word
and every sentence should have a purpose. Highlight the benefits and
advantages of your product.