Coming up with new content for each email newsletter can be tough.  When you are starting with a blank screen or piece of paper, it can be hard to find the inspiration to write quality and compelling articles which encourage your readers to take action.

“What if people don’t like what I write?”

“What if people disagree with what I write?”

Those gremlins in your head are very good at asking cutting questions like these just as you start to bare your soul and sit down to write your next newsletter.

But it doesn’t have to be this scary.  Writing your newsletter article needn’t be tough at all.

The secret to creating content is in the very word “creating”.  Where most small business owners go wrong is they think they have to “write” new content all the time.

The pressure of having to come up with something that is witty, insightful or even just plain practical can be just too much.  So stop thinking about “writing” articles and start thinking in terms of “creating” them.

Here are my 5 top tips:

• Interview an expert in your field – rather than putting all the pressure on yourself, why not go out and find someone to interview.  The fact that you are the one sending the information to your subscribers, will still make you the person or business that they turn to when they need help.

• Check out your sent folder - go through all your sent emails over the past week and look for one that you wrote for a client or customer.  Did you answer a question for them or provide them with a few top tips?  If one client asked you for this info, then your subscribers would probably be interested too.  Turn this email in to a useful article for others to read.

• Review a book or product – your subscribers may be interested in one of the latest tools or gadgets.  Showcase your expertise and give your opinion.  If you are a photographer, can you recommend some photo sharing sites?  If you are an image consultant, are there some new books out on Amazon?  If you are a business coach, can you review some training courses or programmes?

• Create a recommended list of resources – a great way of giving value to your subscribers is to put together a list of recommended websites or resources.  Give your reasons why and show your subscribers why you are an expert in what you do.

• Link it to your promotion – if you are running a special promotion this month or offering a new workshop, write around one of the challenges that you know your clients have before using that product or service. Not only will it provide interesting and useful reading, it will help your subscribers take action on what it is you are offering.

So there you have it.  Don’t try and sit there in front of a blank screen again.  Your email newsletter article won’t get written by itself and you certainly don’t want to lose out on an opportunity of getting in front of your potential clients.

And if all else fails, outsource the writing to someone else.  There are plenty of bloggers and writers out there who offer to write up articles for small business owners just like you.

Email newsletters are a very powerful way of building your own database for your business.  By giving value in the form of top tip articles, latest industry news or practical advice on “how-to-dos” will allow your subscribers to build trust in your expertise.

And you all know that if you trust someone, you are more likely to spend money with them – don’t you?

But having an email newsletter sign up box on your website with the words “Free email newsletter – sign up today” will just not cut it today.

Offering an email newsletter is just not unique enough, because everyone is offering one!

If you are offering an email newsletter and just not seeing anyone subscribe, it may be time to give your email newsletter some much needed personality.

Brand it, name it, give it some value.  Your email newsletter needs to be regards as your most important product to offer because it is the first door that someone opens directly in to your business.

Take some time out to give your newsletter some personality.