Staying in touch with your customers: Create an e-mail newsletter in Word

Step 1: Develop your mailing list

Step 2: Set up your newsletter template

Step 3: Complete your e-mail newsletter

Step 4: Send your newsletter

• Gather addresses
• Proofread your list

Gather addresses

First, develop a list of your current customers' e-mail addresses. Currently, many businesses are capturing e-mail addresses along with their customers' other contact info.

If you haven't already, be sure to modify any forms your business uses to include an e-mail address request. This can include forms used at trade shows, online and printed information request forms, product registration forms, and so forth.

You can add the data you gather to an existing database by using programs such as Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, QuickBooks, ACT!, or Goldmine — or you can add it to your Microsoft Outlook® address book.

If you are going to use Outlook to maintain your mailing list, you'll find it's easy to use an Outlook Distribution List to create and update a special list of addresses just for your newsletter.

Create a new distribution list

1. Open Outlook.
2. On the Standard toolbar, click the arrow next to New, and then click Distribution List.
3. Enter a name for your list, such as Newsletter List.
4. Click the Select Members button.
5. Click a customer name, and then click the Members button. Repeat for each name you want to add to the list. When you're done, click OK.
6. To add new customers, click the Add New button. Type their Display name and E-mail address, and then click OK.

   Note  Select the Add to Contacts check box if you want to add the new members to your regular contact list.

7. When you are done with your list, click Save and Close.

Note  The new distribution list is added to your contacts list and to your Address Book in Outlook.

Tip

Depending on the number of customers you have, it might be worthwhile to call any customers you don't have e-mail addresses for and request the information. Most customers appreciate being notified of upcoming specials, events, or new product information. They will also appreciate the fact you are trying to keep your costs as low as possible by using e-mail instead of the more expensive method of paper and postage.

Tip

Proofread your list

Be sure to check your list before using it. Look for and eliminate any duplicates. If you have several addresses going to different people within the same company, you may want to eliminate the extra names and retain only the ones who will benefit most from your newsletter. Finally, try to identify and eliminate any possible typos.

Tip

Once you have gathered the e-mail addresses of all the customers you will be sending your newsletter to, it's time to create your e-mail newsletter.

Next step

Step 2: Set up your newsletter template