Do you really think through what you send to your clients in newsletters? Do you have a strategy for appealing to them and to providing real content, not just an offer?

If you don't, you should. It turns out the virtual highway is clogged with what amounts to spam, even if it isn't technically the irritating stuff. In a recent article G. Simms Jenkins discusses how the definition of spam is changing. Jordan Cohen, a Yahoo! representative said, "Operationally, we define spam as whatever consumers don't want in their inbox."

Face it, people are besieged with email every day, and unless yours is helpful, there's a chance your clients may become irritated by your e-communication.

Seriously, it no longer matters whether they've requested your emails–if you're not building a relationship with them instead of just selling to them, they may very well add you to their spam list.

So what should you do?

Make your "offer" secondary, and content primary. You should always offer something of value in your newsletters. Share a skin, hair or body care tip that your readers can take away. GIVE them something they care about so that you create, with each newsletter, an expectation of value. Make them want to open your emails. If they trust you enough to read your tips, they will go looking for ways to do business with you-online and off.

Look at emails with your client base as opportunities to strengthen your relationship, not as simply another way to bombard them with offer after offer, and hope that some of them take the bait. Fishing with dynamite might net you some fish, but you're also offing a fair number in the process, and what's the long-term point of that? It's better to finesse your communications and build trust than to just light the big fuse and hope for the best.

Does this mean you can't include an offer in your emails? Heck no! Just be subtle about it. Always include a mention of your Instant Gift Certificates, and link to your Events page as well.

You can still remind your clients of what you offer, so long as you respect their need to feel special. If you take the time to provide a helpful article with each newsletter, you're acknowledging that you and your staff are professionals with much to offer in terms of helpful advice, and that your clients are valuable and deserve that advice in their everyday lives.

By the way, your subject line is the first place to build trust with your readers. Never ever use an "!", OR ALL CAPS and be sure your words tie directly to the story (rather than the offer) you're sharing in the body of the email. You'll be delivering with your content the 'promise' you made in subject line, which will only add to your credibility in your clients' eyes!

So go build a relationship already!

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