A newsletter from a local shop works when you write to customers who want to hear from you, keep it short and make a clear offer. Under the Marketing Act, the recipient should as a rule have said yes in advance, and every email must be possible to unsubscribe from.
This guide covers how to collect a yes from customers, what the law requires, what to write and how often to send.
Who can you send a newsletter to?
The Marketing Act (2008:486), section 19, says that advertising by electronic mail to an individual requires that the person has consented in advance. There is an exception for existing customers, which applies only if all the conditions are met:
- You got the address in connection with selling something to the customer.
- You are marketing your own, similar products or services.
- The customer has not objected, and was given a clear chance to say no both when the address was collected and in every mailing.
For many small businesses the exception is hard to lean on, especially if the address was collected without a purchase. The simplest route is to ask: an optional box, not pre-ticked, where the customer says yes to news. Then you can show that you have consent. Read more about what applies to personal data in GDPR for a loyalty club.
How do you collect a yes from customers?
The best moment is when the customer joins the loyalty club. The form has a single box, for example “Yes, I’d like news and offers from you”. It must not be pre-ticked, and the card should work even if the customer leaves it unticked.
Staff can back this up at the till: “Would you like to hear when we have news or offers? You tick that when you scan.” You don’t need to persuade anyone, just ask. Those who say yes also read more often.
Don’t try to trick people in. A small but interested mailing beats a big list of people who never open the email.
What should you write in a newsletter?
The customer should get the point within a few seconds. A simple structure:
- A subject line that says what it’s about. “Tuesdays: coffee and a bun for 49 SEK” beats “Newsletter October”.
- A heading and two or three short paragraphs. Say what’s coming up.
- One clear button. Book, drop by, see the menu.
- Sender and unsubscribe. The email should come from the shop’s name, and there should be an unsubscribe link that works.
Write the way you talk at the counter. And only one offer per mailing, otherwise it gets lost.
How often should you send?
As often as you have something to say, and never more. For a small shop, once a month is often more than enough, and many manage with every other month. Send one mailing worth opening rather than four people just delete.
Keep a simple schedule: a calendar with a few planned occasions a year, for example the start of a season, holidays such as Midsummer and Lucia, and anniversaries, and leave room for spontaneous offers when it’s quiet.
How do you send it in practice?
You can use an ordinary email tool, or one connected to the loyalty club. The advantage of the latter is that the list is always right: only those who said yes, and anyone who unsubscribes is removed automatically.
Fidelia has an email tool in the Pro plan, 599 kr a month excluding VAT. Here is how it works:
- Emails are sent only to customers who ticked the news box when they joined and have an email address.
- Each shop gets its own sender address in the form name@shop.fidelia.se, with the shop’s name as sender.
- Every email has a one-click unsubscribe link. The card keeps working afterwards.
- You can write yourself in a simple editor with building blocks, or let AI write a draft that you adjust. The tool checks subject line, length and links before you send.
- You plan mailings in a calendar. There is no tracking pixel for opens.
Newsletter or a notification on the card?
They serve different purposes. A newsletter holds more text and images and suits something you want to tell. A lock-screen notification is short and suits something urgent, such as an offer that applies today. See push notifications without annoying customers. Both require the customer to have said yes, and it’s wise to treat them the same way.
Summary
Ask the customer first, write short with one offer, send rarely and always include an unsubscribe link. A small newsletter to people who want to hear from you is worth more than a big one to people who don’t. Read more about how to launch a loyalty program or see the pricing.