We interviewed Akshaya about how can company newsletters become more engaging with a personal touch - and not boring!
Akshaya Chandramouli is all about newsletters (and dogs). She creates newsletters at Paperflite and also hosts some of the coolest independent newsletter creators out there at her ‘The Newsletter Nerd Show’ podcast which talks about the approach every other writer takes in their newsletter to make it personal, relevant, and subscribe worthy.
At Paperflite, her newsletters are really loved by people. She writes for a B2B audience but is breaking the notion of B2B = boring.
Her approach: Picks up a theme that could resonate with the audience and more than that, resonate with the creator. Something that she has experienced in her personal life - like pets, Harry Potter, music, etc. Nostalgia is the guiding principle that becomes the foundation of the theme. For example - a mixtape from the 90's
Her process breakdown:
1. Gather product feature updates that went live during the time
2. Identify a familiar concept that the audience can root for (and that the creator could resonate to, too) - “That has worked in the past and that the age-group could relate to", she says.
3. Create a storyline based on the theme and blend it with product features
It sounds simple, right? It is simple, it's all about adding the ‘personal’ in your email. She also shared some tips on how company newsletters can write like an independent newsletter creator.
🗨 For anybody to declare something as their favorite piece of work, it has to be personal. And it will come when the writer has experienced it himself or herself
Tips for brands on writing newsletters that are more personal and engaging:
🚀 Build on your core narrative -- to give you an example - for us, it's the importance of email marketing
🎶 Based on the core narrative, look at your personal experience. And draw from your personal experience to connect and communicate the narrative
🍜 Start writing newsletters with a mix of personal experience blended well with your core narrative.
Note from Akshaya: The idea of personalization has to change - it's not just about the first name.
Check out her newsletter 🐾
