Write A How-To Article for Your Newsletter

Jake Alexander

You'd like to start an email newsletter but you don't like having to write a bunch of articles all the time. Good news. You can write a how-to article fairly easily once you have a process in place.

Writing brief how-to articles will let you:

• relate to your readers
• claim expert status
• sell products and services

In short, you can give your readers what they're looking for -- then you'll be the one they come to when they need help.

Here's the process for putting together how-to articles:

Create a standard layout or template for your articles that will appeal to your readers in a consistent way. Decide if you need to include detailed information or just paint a high-level picture that will lead them in the right direction. If your readers need detailed information, consider using a teaser in the newsletter with a link at the bottom that goes to more detailed information.

Once you've determined what your readers are looking for, you can put your content into an article layout. Here's a good format for doing it quickly.

Title - make it short and sweet -- five to ten words. Try to use a verb, start with "how to" or a number, for example, "5 ways", "3 secrets".

Introductory paragraph - simply tell your readers what you are going to be writing about. Don't include a lot of detail, just expand on the title.

Explanatory paragraph - explain the benefits of reading the article by telling why it's important. Establish rapport with your readers. Try to use "we" pronouns when explaining how the information will improve their lives.

Advice paragraphs - make them short and sweet. Use numbers, step numbers, or bullets to avoid the need for lengthy transitions. Keep to your top points, but make sure you live up to your title. Your title is a promise that you must keep. If you said 5 ways, make sure you have 5 ways.

Wrap-up - Quick review of your key points and a restatement of the benefit. Emphasize the most important point. "If you remember only one thing..."

When you write a how-to article, try to keep it short. Use plain language. Those who can read at a higher level won't mind a break for easier reading, especially if the content is useful and helpful.