Q: “Denise, I am thinking about supplementing my mailing program with a twice-monthly emailed newsletter which will include stats from about 10 different neighborhoods (once a month) and a community focus which will include an interview with a local business as well as information on local events with photos. My challenge is that I want to really broaden my reach from more than just my database but am unsure as to how I can get those email addresses. Should I buy a list? Can you do that? And should I use my own email system or something like MailChimp or Constant Contact?”

A: I love the idea of supplementing your newsletter with an enews piece. I do hope you are also posting this information on your blog so people who are not on your email list can view it. I love the idea of the neighborhood stats and the video. Use titles and descriptions wisely and you should get some good traffic from these.

In terms of what to use and how to get email addresses, I recommend a platform like MailChimp for starting out. The interface is easy to use. It is free for basic use and up to 2,000 email addresses, and creating an enewsletter is easy from a design perspective. If you have done a brand with us, you can email us and we can create a custom template for you! Just email Nicole in our design department: [email protected] and she will get that going for you.

However, if you are going to use a system like MailChimp, they have rules against buying email addresses. Your recipient needs to have somehow opted in to receive that information from you. So you can use Facebook ads or a direct mail campaign to get more email addresses.

Great job and please add me to your list!