A newsletter is just a newsletter without subscribers to read it.  Building subscribers is, often, the only goal most publishers have for their newsletter.  While this is fine in the beginning, it’s definitely not the ultimate goal for your publication.

The ultimate goal of your publication should be to keep your current subscribers interested and active.  Without that, you’re just sending stuff to a list of people and will ultimately get very little back from them except unsubscribe requests or spam complaints.

So while rewarding new subscribers with freebies and incentives is a great way to get those initial signups, it’s also important to reward your loyal subscribers as well.  There are a lot of ways to do this and even accomplish both goals at the same time.

Obviously, if you offer a freebie or incentive to all new signups, you should give the same freebie and incentive to your current subscribers just for being there.  This is the simplest and easiest way to reward your current readers.

If you can get more complicated, you can also set up a quasi-affiliate system where subscribers can be attributed to a current person on your list as their referral.  If a current subscriber gets X number of new signups that stay for Y number of weeks, they get a bonus/payoff.

Other incentives you can use are simple “thanks for being there” mentions.  Do a short spotlight, feature, or just commentary on one of your longest-term and one of your latest subscribers.  So spotlight Joe, who’s been there since Issue 1 and Mary, who just signed up this week.  People love to see their name in “print.”

The spotlight approach is also good for strategic business partners, best clients, and your local community. If you are trying to generate exposure opportunities for your brand, enlarge your network, and increase your newsletter subscribers why not do it all together? By shining the spotlight on another business, individual, and/or cause you are not only helping others but helping yourself as well.  When you show support for others they will reciprocate by either doing the same for you or by sharing your newsletter with their sphere, both options of course are welcome.

Don’t forget to incorporate your spotlight and client appreciation into your blog, this will bring readers from your newsletter to your site and vice versa. You also want to keep this newsletter feature consistent, if you are going to do it monthly, quarterly, or bi-annually then let your readership know and stay on schedule.

Finally, the best way to show appreciation for your readers is to publish a quality newsletter with useful information on a consistent basis.  Delivering quality while engaging your readers through feedback and interaction will be the best way you can show appreciation and build a strong subscriber list.

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