Newsletters that bring clients back
Collect subscribers on your page and send them your news, offers and updates. With push notifications on the installed app, regulars hear from you first. Part of the Video Hub plan.
- A sign-up on your page
- News and offers by email
- Push notifications to your app
Does a small business need a newsletter?
If you have clients who come back, yes. A newsletter is the cheapest way to remind them you exist: the new season, the new menu, the open spots next week, the offer for regulars. One message, and the people who already like you come back sooner.
The big difference from social media is ownership. Your followers belong to the platform, and it decides who sees your post. Your subscribers belong to you. When you send a newsletter, it goes to every person who signed up, with nobody deciding which of them gets to see it.
It starts with a sign-up on your page: a short form where people leave their email because they want to hear from you. Put a QR code to it at your counter, on your receipts or in your shop window, and the list grows without any extra effort.
For your most loyal clients there's one more step. When someone installs your app on their phone, you can reach them with push notifications on iPhone and Android, which show up on their home screen like a message.
Newsletters, subscriber sign-up and push notifications come with the Video Hub plan.
Newsletters: in the Video Hub plan
-
Your card, online
Digital Business Card
$99/ year
One page with your buttons, request forms and photos.
Not in this plan -
A full website about you
Business Showcase
$299/ year
More pages, a blog, a gallery, online booking and QR campaigns.
Not in this plan -
Starts here
App, payments, newsletters
Video Hub
$599/ year
Video tours and walls, your own app with push, payments and newsletters.
Included
How to run a newsletter people open
Small and regular beats big and rare.
Ask before you add anyone
Only send to people who signed up. In Canada and many other places, that's also the law.
Say what they'll get
"Seasonal offers once a month" gets more sign-ups than "Join our newsletter".
Put the sign-up where people are
Your page, your counter, your receipts, a QR code in the window.
Pick a rhythm you can keep
Once a month is plenty for most small businesses.
One main message each time
A new menu, an offer, an event. Not five things fighting for attention.
Write like you talk
Short, friendly, and from you, not from "the team".
Give a reason to act
A date, a code, a limited number of spots, a button to book.
Save push for what matters
Notifications on someone's phone should be worth the interruption.
Ways to stay in touch with clients
Every channel has a job. Only some of them are yours.
Social media posts
Good forReaching followers and new people.
Leaves outThe platform decides who sees each post, and most followers never do.
Group texts and messaging apps
Good forQuick news for a small group.
Leaves outHard to manage as it grows, and people mute busy chats.
Separate email marketing tools
Good forProfessional campaigns for big lists.
Leaves outAnother monthly bill, another login, and the sign-up isn't part of your site.
Waiting for them to come back
Good forNo effort at all.
Leaves outRegulars drift away to whoever reminded them last.
A newsletter on your own page
The sign-up, the list and the news all live with your site, and people with your app also get push notifications.
Used by 33 professions in 9 industries
Questions about newsletters
How do people subscribe?
Through a sign-up form on your page. Point a QR code at it from your counter, your receipts or your window.
What should I send?
New seasons, menus or services, offers for regulars, open spots, events. Things your clients would actually want to know.
How often should I send it?
Once a month is a good start. Regular and short beats rare and long.
Can I add people who never signed up?
Please don't. Send only to people who agreed to hear from you. In Canada and many other places, that's the law, and it's better for your reputation too.
What are push notifications?
Short messages that appear on the home screen of people who installed your app, on iPhone and Android.
Do clients have to install something to get the newsletter?
No. The newsletter comes by email. Push notifications are extra, for people who choose to install your app.
Can I use the newsletter to fill a slow week?
That's one of the best uses. A message about open spots or a short offer brings regulars in when you need them.
Is a newsletter better than social media?
It's different. Social media helps new people find you. A newsletter brings back the ones who already know you. Most businesses need both.
Who writes the newsletters?
You do, in your own words. It's a short note to people who already know you, not an ad.
What's a good first newsletter?
A short hello: what's new this season, one offer for people who signed up, and a button to book or visit. Keep it to a few lines.
How do I get my first subscribers?
Ask your regulars in person, put a QR code to the sign-up at your counter, and mention it on your receipts and in your social bio. Lists start small and grow.
Can I send news about an event?
Yes. A newsletter is a good way to fill an event, and events with registration come with the same Video Hub plan.
How much is it?
Newsletters, subscriber sign-up and push notifications come with the Video Hub at $599 a year. Tell us about your clients and we'll walk you through it.
See it on your own page before you pay.
Tell us what you do. Your free draft is ready in about 3 days.
- The draft is free
- Up to two rounds of changes
- From $99 a year, only if you say yes