CLIENT RELATIONSHIP


subcontracted website services. Tat company suggests topics and Van Der Brink chooses the one he wants to highlight during a particular month. In February, for ex- ample, the newsletter addressed snow removal and fire pit sales and featured images from his company’s product offerings. Wimberg says that while he doesn’t know for certain


how many people read the newsletters, for those who do, “I’m sure it’s triggering something in their mind occa- sionally to call the company about a service.” “One thing we use the newsletters for is to push


certain types of work we want to sell,” he says. “We’ve written about honeysuckle removal and pollinator gar- dens. Tey work as a nice form of advertisement for your services.” Van Der Brink says his company is within a 15% to 17% open rate for emails and newsletters. Wimberg points out that a newsletter can be helpful in establishing a company as an industry expert. “It lets people know you do what most companies


don’t do,” he says. “We have a lot of good staff of people who have been in this for a long time and have a lot of knowledge.” Van Der Brink says the newsletter helps to set him up as an industry expert, not only with his customers, but also with potential customers seeing the newsletter on the internet. “Sometimes there’s information some people don’t


know about the types of services that are offered or what’s good for lawns or bad for lawns,” he notes. Wimberg advises companies that don’t have a news- letter and want to start one to “stick with writing about things you are competent about and focus on your core work.” It also helps to designate someone who is skilled in communication skills and can dedicate themselves to the production of the newsletter, he says, adding that at his company, the task is handled in-house. Van Der Brink advises other companies in the indus-


try looking to start a newsletter to start small. “Start with talking about things your company does


or can do, because not everybody knows what each and every company is capable of or what type of services they offer,” he says. “Companies specialize in certain things. Touch on that in the newsletter.”


Spread the news


Given the manner in which people are inundated with communications on a daily basis, it’s important that a newsletter features content that catches the eye of a cus- tomer or potential customer and retains their interest, says Sally Evans, marketing director for Hot House Digital, St. Louis. She works with many green industry and irri- gation companies writing content and building websites. Titles and subject line wording should be clever and


catchy, she adds. While the subject line is important, it’s also key to be mindful of what would be the first thing someone sees when opening up the email, such as


irrigationandlighting.org


a company logo or an article headline inviting the reader to explore further. “Use the subject line to speak to the broader picture,” she points out. Linda Hamburger, owner of On Call PR and adjunct


professor of marketing at Lynn University in Boca Ra- ton, Florida, says the best content that will make a cus- tomer sit up and take notice of a newsletter is to write about the customers. “Put yourself in the shoes of a journalist and either


interview them or include them as a source in an article you write on the industry,” she says. “Problem-solving, new trends, technology and real-life news on current events are all excellent hooks.” Because space is tight in a newsletter, Hamburger


recommends short columns that address topics such as what you see as the newest trends in irrigation. Write about what differentiates your crew from others, and what they do better than anyone else. Even suggesting movies that feature top-notch landscaping may catch a customer’s eye. “Try to be creative and think outside of the box,” says


Hamburger. Some businesses focus on doing service plugs, talking about their company and its services, says Evans. It’s best to know the audience for the messaging.


GET THE MESSAGE


Picking the right topic for newsletter content can be a challenge, but it’s im- portant to give customers a message they can use, says Sally Evans, marketing director for Hot House Digital, St. Louis. Give them information or tools to help them solve a problem with the solution leading to hiring an expert from the company to help. Topics do well when they tie in to seasonal aspects of the industry, and


newsletters should be planned to address that subject matter at a certain time, she adds.


“Time your messaging with what’s going on and what is going to resonate with people,” Evans says. While a newsletter is generally consumer-facing, it’s a good idea to include company information as well. “Having your certification and being licensed in your state is super important,” says Evans. So is touting partnerships with various manufacturers. Such announcements demonstrate a company is keeping up with the cutting edge of technology and designs.


Tips that enable customers to be a partner with a company in pursuing solutions may involve water audits for the irrigation system “making sure people aren’t wasting money and wasting water and using their systems smartly,” says Evans. “Talking about the things that you’re doing


to keep up with the latest and greatest in your industry is really important and certainly is highlighting your team as far as what they’re doing,” she adds.


Summer 2022 Irrigation & Lighting 29


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