New Business Announcement Tips

New Business Announcement Tips to Impress

Business start-ups are at an all-time high primarily due to folks needing a side hustle to help ends meet. But how can you have a “business” if no one knows about it?

As with anything, there is a right and wrong way to make potential customers aware of your new enterprise. So, what is the proper way to announce a new business?

Creating Your Announcement Plan

Would using BCc: be too impersonal?
Is there a proper way to send a mass mailing so each individual is noted in the “To” field?
How do you protect the privacy of your contacts?

These are the type of questions I get asked by new business owners. I understand their excitement about wanting to get the word out. But in doing so (the wrong way), many compromise their first opportunity for a positive impression.

Sometimes, people want technology to be one-size-fits-all. They want it to work based on what they are willing to do, spend, or learn. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way.

No solution compensates for every possible owner’s skillset or lack thereof. So, if you want personalized notices, you send individual emails or use a service that provides that perception. Either way, there will be a learning curve to do so correctly.

Send a mass email, and it’s just that — impersonal. You won’t stand out or be memorable. Or worse — you look spammy.

New Business Announcement Considerations

Other considerations that can make a difference in your approach are:

For example, did those on your “list” specifically give you their email addresses so that you could send them such notices?
Are they really interested in your new business?
Or are they just generic contacts?

The answers to the above questions should make a difference in your approach. Why send it to folks who have no interest in what your new business has to offer? That, again, makes you no different than a spammer.

Next come all those contacts you’ve collected over time, many of who may be just acquaintances that you have no current relationship with other than possibly meeting in the past. The same question applies to those you once knew but haven’t been in touch with for a while.

Not all contacts are qualified leads. Nor will they be interested in your latest venture.

The one thing you don’t do is email anyone about your business that you don’t know and didn’t ask for your email. One must tread carefully when “cold-calling” online. Otherwise, you risk your website being blacklisted, not to mention dinging your reputation.

First Impressions Encourage New Business

You want to be more concerned about making a stellar first impression—one that is targeted to the recipient and will encourage them to do business with you.

Since this is a new business/commercial announcement, I recommend using any available professional email announcement services. I recommend ConvertKit to my consulting clients.

It helps you personalize your mailing by adding a little snippet of code in your notice to add the recipient’s First Name wherever you like.
Includes an unsubscribe feature at the bottom of every email so those you send to can easily get off your list if they don’t want to receive future emails from you.
It is free for up to 10,000 subscribers on one list. If you want more features, it costs $25/month. (If you can’t afford this important customer communication tool, is your business really a viable one?) With easy templates and design options, you can project the image of professionalism and tech-savvy.

In your initial mailing, you should include a statement stating that this is the first announcement about your new enterprise. Then, note how easy it is to unsubscribe if they want to.

There’s no point in sending it to those who are not interested, right? Plus, you’ll have a great building block for your mailing list already in place with interested parties.

The next step is to put a subscribe field/button on your new business website to grow your list even further. Make sure it is in a place that site visitors can’t miss. Explain why they should subscribe and what they can expect.

What to Include in Your Announcement

Address each contact by name, if available.
Introduce your business and tell your story.
Impart your business’ personality.
Why did you start your business, and what do you plan to accomplish?
What’s in it for the recipient?
Why should they be interested in your new business?
Offer a discount, special or unique opportunity for recipients only.
Include a strong Call to Action.
Don’t forget your website’s URL.
Share your plans for your business and what they can expect moving forward.
Let them know how often they’ll hear from you.
Link to your email or contact form so recipients can easily reach out.
Include links to your business social media accounts.
Thank them for reading, and let them know how to unsubscribe.
Proofread, read out loud, and then proofread again before clicking send.

Don’t be Lazy

Starting a new business takes a lot of work and dedication. The decisions you make now will, consequently, contribute to your successful launch.

Don’t take the lazy way out and mass mail such an important announcement. You have a one-time opportunity with new business announcements, and you don’t want to blow it.

So rather than using mass mail, use a service that covers all the bases while allowing you to just worry about that all-so-important “check out my new business” message. Taking advantage of the personalization technology offers is key to attaining and maintaining customers.

New Business Announcement Wrap-up

Qualify your list.
Create a personalized engaging notice.
Reply promptly to any responses.
Rinse and repeat.

Many marketers will tell you the money is on your mailing list. This is because your mailings are that one venue where you can communicate directly with your customers and let them know what is going on with your business — and what benefits them by doing business with you.

That’s how new business announcements lead to subscribers, especially those who anticipate your updates.