You don’t have a newsletter (etc.) but you’ve heard (repeatedly) why you should, and you’re tempted. Or, you have a newsletter and are thinking of starting a second one, for a different practice area, niche, or target market.
Should you?
Will it generate enough business to justify your time? Do you have enough to say to justify a newsletter or a second one? Will it lead to new cases and clients, more repeat business and referrals, or will it cause you to lose focus and regret your decision?
I can’t tell you. But I can tell you how to find out.
Yes, you could try it and see what happens. And how you feel about what happens.
Or you could do a beta test.
Instead of announcing your newsletter (et. al.) and promoting it to everyone you know, try the idea on a smaller scale.
Here are some options:
** Don’t send the first issue of your newsletter to your entire list of 3000 clients and prospects and business contacts, send it to 300. Or 30. What happens? Do you get positive feedback? Do people want to hear more? Are you encouraged and want to continue, or realize it would be a mistake?
** Instead of sending a 1,000-word missive, send 300. Or 100. What happens? How do you feel about that?
** Segment your list. Send one or two issues of your new newsletter to long-term clients who know and trust you and will stick with you even if your plans change. Or, send those first two issues to prospective clients only, who won’t care what happens. Or send it to seminar attendees who didn’t schedule an appointment, or social media followers on just one platform.
** At the end of your next seminar or podcast or mailing, mention what you are planning and call for a show of hands to see who’s interested in your newsletter or podcast.
** Send out a questionnaire, describe what you’re planning, give recipients 3 to 5 different topics (for articles, practice area content, format), and ask which one they would be interested in getting. If most choose the same topic, that’s a clue. If you don’t get many responses at all, that’s also a clue.
** Do a soft launch. Don’t announce or promote anything, just mention the newsletter in a P.S. in your next email or post, and see if anyone clicks.
** Create a tip sheet, short report or audio or video, offer it widely, see who watches, leaves comments, asks questions.
** Ask for feedback. Launch your newsletter to everyone, tell them it’s a test to see if people want to get more like it, and ask for replies or comments.
Your list can help you decide if there is sufficient interest in your idea. If you’re still not sure, find another lawyer or firm that targets your market and see what they do. If your successful competitors have newsletters or video channels, maybe you should, too.
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