Running a small or medium sized business in Africa comes with many issues such as the instability of government policies, lack of infrastructure and the exorbitant costs involved in advertising. These issues have forced entrepreneurs to find creative solutions that will help them advertise their products to a larger audience at an affordable price. As a result of this, they have stumbled upon email marketing and have discovered the usefulness of newsletters  in increasing the reputation of successful companies at almost no cost to them. In Nigeria, for instance, one can send newsletter to about 100,000 active users for only N25,000 ($125).

It is worthy to note that newsletters are more widely read than traditional ads on newspapers as they provide more detailed information about a product, which is important in educating customers about different products.

According to WebTechNaija, here are four reasons why newsletters are vital for businesses in Africa.

1. Getting new customers

If a person finds a newsletter interesting, there is a huge possibility that the person will subscribe to receive regular updates. This would also give them the opportunity to revisit the site and become regular visitors who can become future clients, ideally.

2. Product awareness

Newsletters can be used to boost the sale of products and services. It can be used to create awareness for new products, special offers and various promotions. It is worthy to note that having special offers in a newsletter will enhance its value and encourage customers to read more in the future.

3. Promotes feedback  and communication

A newsletter helps maintain steady contact with customers. This would lead to greater insight into customer behaviour, as well as getting actionable data which can be geared towards research, development and production of the improved item.

4. Boosts company’s reputation

A newsletter can lead to an increase in the reputation of a company. Although it is widely overlooked, newsletters generate more readership than the traditional advertisement. A newsletter goes a long way in providing more in-depth information about a product, which is important for customers who are curious about a particular commodity.

Source:Fumnanya Agbugah, Ventures Africa