The Power of Email Newsletters: Tips and Tricks

Nov 18

What if someone told you that a simple type of investment could get you a 3600% ROI? Once you determined the investment was a legit, time-tested strategy and not a get-rich-quick scheme, saying yes to numbers like that would be a no-brainer, right?

That’s the power of email marketing, with the latest stats showing that for every $1 spent, there’s an average return of $36.

Of course, business owners can’t expect to simply fire off a couple of sales emails and automatically see those kinds of numbers right away. Effective email marketing requires strategy, consistency, authenticity, and engagement.

That’s where the power of email newsletters comes in. Today on the blog, we’re diving into what makes newsletters so crucial for holistic wellness brands especially, and we’re sharing tips and tricks to see more results, more quickly.

Why Email Newsletters Are So Effective for Wellness Brands

The health and wellness market is oversaturated and highly competitive. We know, not exactly breaking news. So how do you stand out in a sea of competitors?

Answer: Authentic relationship building.

Think about it in terms of real-life human interaction…

When a person hears your message or sees your offer and says “yes” to signing up for your emails, it’s akin to someone moving beyond the cursory polite nod as they pass you on the sidewalk.

It’s the moment when they extend their hand and introduce themselves because they see something in you they want to know more about.

So what’s your next move?

Is it to immediately usher them into your storefront, asking them to buy your wares?

Or is it to kindly introduce yourself and make conversation as you get to know a little more about one another?

In most situations, that first scenario would result in the polite stranger getting an immediate “ick” factor before walking away forever.

When you extend the analogy to the relationship between small businesses and potential customers they encounter online, it sheds a new light on email marketing.

The whole point of email marketing is to build relationships. And a regular newsletter is the perfect way to accomplish that.

It doesn’t work to respond to the slightest bit of interest with a full-on sales pitch; instead, it takes time and nurturing, which is what happens in effective email newsletters.

How Do Email Newsletters Differ From Other Email Marketing?

Before we get into the specific ins and outs of email newsletters, it’s worth understanding how they differ from other types of emails that are typically used in a marketing strategy.

Unlike promotional emails, which have specific goals like driving sales or getting event sign-ups, newsletters are all about building relationships.

They’re designed to keep your audience engaged over time by sharing updates, insights, and helpful resources on a regular schedule—whether that’s weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.

It’s a place where you can share value-driven educational content with your community, which helps you establish your brand as trustworthy and worth listening to.

Let’s compare that to promotional emails. Those are much more sales-focused and usually tied to a specific campaign or event. They tend to be short, to the point, and packed with urgency to get your audience to take action right away—think “Buy Now” or “Sign Up Today.”

Newsletters stand out because they’re not about selling or reacting to a specific event—their sole mission is connection. For health and wellness brands, newsletters are a chance to share your story, inspire your audience, and deliver value without the pressure of a hard sell.

Newsletters build the foundation of a strong email strategy, helping you stay in touch with an engaged audience that’s eager to learn more about you.

Tips for Creating a Newsletter that Resonates & Connects

A great email newsletter does more than land in an inbox—it creates a connection.

To make that happen, you need to know your audience inside and out. In the health and wellness space, your subscribers are likely seeking guidance, inspiration, or solutions to their challenges. Take the time to understand their goals, struggles, and interests.

What questions are they asking? What problems can you solve for them? The better you understand their needs, the more your newsletter will feel like a personalized resource instead of just another email.

Aside from having a crystal clear picture of who you’re speaking to with your newsletter, you need to have a clear picture of who YOU are. What’s your mission? What are your brand values? Do you have a clear and consistent voice?

All of the above comes together to create authenticity.

Your audience isn’t just buying products or services—they’re buying into your mission. Consumers today don’t want to be sold another product, they want to be sold on your vision for the greater good.

If your brand is about holistic wellness, let that shine in your tone and the topics you cover. Be consistent, transparent, and human.

When your readers feel like they’re hearing from a trusted friend who cares about them and the world around them rather than a faceless company, they’re much more likely to stay engaged and eventually open up their wallets.

How to Craft Engaging Email Content

So what does great email newsletter content actually look like? There are certain elements that are important to keep in mind as you craft your newsletters.

Let’s look at each important piece: catchy subject lines, engaging content, clear CTAs, and meaningful visuals.

Subject Lines

You can write the best, most engaging email newsletter in the world, but if it never gets opened (or worse, it lands in the spam folder), it’s all for naught.

That means you’ll need a subject line that’s catchy and attention-grabbing without veering into clickbait territory.

Think of it as your email’s first impression—it needs to intrigue, spark curiosity, or promise value.

For example, instead of saying, “Check out what’s new this week,” try something more specific like, “Stressed? Open for 5 Ways to Feel Calmer.” It’s clear, enticing, and invites the reader to open up for a solution to a problem.

Play around with tone, personalization, punctuation and emojis. Asking a short question in your subject line can often be a good choice as well.

Most email marketing software allows you to run A/B split tests, which means you can try out two different subject lines with your audience. The software will randomly split your list in half to test which subject line performs better. This can be a great way to discover what resonates with your audience (and what doesn’t).

Engaging & Relevant Content

Once a subscriber opens your email, the content should first and foremost deliver on the subject line’s promise.

As for the type of content you include, variety is your best friend here. Some ways you can mix up your content include sharing:

Personal stories that show the human side of your brand
Practical tips that your audience can apply right away
Spotlights on your products or services
Announcements for upcoming events or past media appearances
Testimonials from happy clients.

Content diversity keeps your newsletter fresh and ensures there’s something for everyone.

CTAs

Clear calls-to-action (CTAs) are another must-have.

Your readers shouldn’t have to guess what you want them to do next. Whether it’s booking a session, clicking to read a blog post, or exploring your latest product page, make your CTA easy to spot and irresistible to click.

Use action-oriented language like “Discover More” or “Schedule a Consultation” rather than vague phrases like “Click Here.”

Visuals

Finally, don’t underestimate the power of great visuals. High-quality images, funny memes, short videos, or clean infographics can take your email to the next level, especially in the health and wellness space, where aesthetics matter.

A calming photo of a yoga session, a colorful shot of fresh ingredients, or a quick video tutorial for a mindfulness exercise can immediately capture attention and reinforce your message.

Video content is especially impactful for building authentic, human connection with your audience. In fact, studies show that adding video can increase your click-through-rate by up to 300%!

When these elements come together—catchy subject lines, engaging content, clear CTAs, and meaningful visuals—you create emails that your audience can truly connect to.

Tips for Building and Growing Your Subscriber List

Now that you know why and how you should create effective email newsletters, let’s make sure enough of the right eyes see them. Here are a few tips for growing your email list with the right kind of audience.

One of the most effective strategies we use here at On a Mission Brands, for ourselves and for our clients, is promoting lead magnets that help our ideal clients with a key pain point we can help solve.

Think of this as a little gift in exchange for an email address. For health and wellness brands, some popular options include meditation guides, recipe collections, or mini e-books packed with actionable tips.

An example of one of our main lead magnets at On a Mission Brands is the A to Z Simple Branding & Marketing Checklist. We know that small business owners struggle to create strategic, consistent content, so we created a resource to help spark ideas they can implement and test.

Once someone signs up for the A to Z checklist, they enter our subscriber list, and if they choose to stay subscribed, they’ll receive valuable weekly content about branding, marketing and content creation. The ultimate goal is that our agency will be top-of-mind for them when they are ready to outsource or get help with their marketing.

The key is to make your lead magnet relevant and valuable.

Beyond lead magnets, consider where you can place opt-in forms to invite people to subscribe to your newsletter. Place them strategically across your website. Some places to consider include:

Homepage banners
Blog post footers
At the end of LinkedIn articles
In your social media bios
QR codes at in-person events
Website pop-ups (be careful to use these sparingly & strategically!)

Once you’ve got people on your list, consistency is everything. Set expectations early by letting subscribers know how often they’ll hear from you, and stick to that schedule.

Whether it’s a weekly wellness tip or a monthly roundup, regularity builds trust and keeps you top of mind. Consistency also helps turn casual subscribers into loyal readers who look forward to your emails.

By combining irresistible lead magnets, strategic opt-in forms, and a reliable schedule, you can grow your email list while creating a sense of connection and value for your subscribers.

How to Know If Your Newsletter Strategy is Working (and what to do if it’s not)

Once your email newsletter is up and running, the next step is figuring out what’s working—and what’s not.

Tracking the right metrics is essential for fine-tuning your strategy. Here are some key pieces we recommend checking on regularly.

Open Rates

Open rates tell you how many people are actually opening your emails. If your open rates are low, it might be time to rethink your subject lines or the times of day/days of the week you are sending out your newsletters.

You should also make sure you’re following your email platform’s best practices to make sure your emails aren’t getting dumped into the recipients’ promotions or spam folders.

Making sure you have things like a double opt-in to ensure consent, up-to-date privacy controls, and a list full of active subscribers can help you avoid the dreaded no-mans-land of email.

Click-Through Rates (CTRs)

Click-through rates (CTR) are equally important because they show how engaging your content is. The rate is measured by how many people click on the links within your email.

A high rate means your content is interesting enough that people want to learn more, which is great! Whether they are clicking to read a blog, watch a video, check out your product page, or answer a brief survey, that click shows that your email is being read and the reader finds it relevant enough to explore further.

Some factors that lead to high CTRs include:

Personalization (using subscriber’s first name)
Simple design (make it easy to click!)
Direct, clear CTAs (tell the reader what you want them to do)
Mobile-friendly emails (most emails are read on mobile devices
Embedded videos (these get lots of clicks!)

If people aren’t clicking on your links, revisit some of these areas to see if you can make some tweaks to improve performance.

Conversion Rates

Conversions are the ultimate measure of whether your email is driving the results you want. Put simply, the conversion rate is the percentage of people who complete the action you want them to:

Signing up for a webinar
Registering for an event
Buying a product
Getting on a waitlist
Downloading a PDF

The list could go on, but the point is: Does your email inspire action?

If not, you’ll want to look at many of the same factors mentioned above in the CTR section. More holistically, though, ask yourself if the content is still relevant to your audience. If you are seeing a big disconnect here, it may be time to revisit the content you’re sending out. It could be that your audience’s needs have shifted.

Keeping an eye on metrics like your open rates, CTRs, and conversions will help you keep tabs on how your content is landing.

Audience Feedback

This one may take a little more legwork, so to speak, but it can be a pure gold mine for you: ask your audience directly for feedback.

Surveys are a great way to find out what your subscribers love—and what they could do without.

Keep it simple: ask which topics they want to see more of or what kinds of resources would be most helpful. This not only helps you create content they’ll enjoy but also makes your readers feel valued and heard.

By tracking key metrics, experimenting with different approaches, and listening to your audience, you can continually refine your email strategy and ensure your newsletters are as effective as they are engaging.

Conclusion

Email newsletters are a powerful tool for building authentic connections, especially for mission-driven brands in competitive industries like health and wellness. By prioritizing connection over conversion, you can capture the true power of email marketing to build relationships and drive sustainable growth.

We hope the tips and tricks you’ve found here will help you grow your reach and foster an aligned community that supports your brand’s mission.

For more deep dives like this one to grow your holistic wellness business, subscribe to the On a Mission Momentum weekly newsletter.

Lori Young