(Listen to this post, here.)

They recalled my waffles.

I know, this is not exactly big news given all that is going on in the world. Even so, I didn’t even realize waffles had recall potential.

I was wrong.

In a related press release, TreeHouse Foods announced the recall due to, “the potential for listeria monocytogenes contamination … an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections … Healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.”

This may be the first known instance in which it is considered good news to discover that you only have “high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.”

Like all TreeHouse waffle and pancake customers – more than 600 varieties were affected in the US and Canada – I did not learn of the recall from the company itself. Rather, I heard about it on the news.

That’s no surprise. Although I purchase its waffles frequently, TreeHouse does not know who I am.

Plus, it has no direct way to reach me, whether it’s to promote an exciting new product or to let me know of the potential for severe physical discomfort (assuming these are not the same thing).

You and I, on the other hand, do … provided we have an up-to-date and active list of people who want to hear from us.

Your Newsletter is More Than a Newsletter

Nobody launches a newsletter because they want to finally organize all their contacts in one place.

They do it to showcase their expertise, stay visible with prospects and clients, develop a consistent marketing routine, and impress their children with how knowledgeable they are (that last one is pure fantasy).

But in order to do all that, a list must be created and uploaded into some type of email marketing service (my go-to these days is MailChimp).

Once done, something additional and wonderful happens: Not only do you have a way to publish your newsletter, you now also have a “communication machine” – a way to reach all the people in your professional world for additional purposes. You know, in case you accidentally expose them to listeria or whatever.

Other, more likely examples…

Strategy consultant Barry Horwitz sent an announcement to his newsletter list when he published a new book.

Executive coach and leadership trainer Theresa Hoffman sent an announcement to her newsletter list to launch a new cohort of her Women of Influence program.

I’ve used my list many times to let readers (like you) know about all the fabulous webinars and products I offer whenever I’m low on cash.

You get the idea.

Some Guidelines

Of course, the fact that you can send other types of information to newsletter readers doesn’t mean you should do so willy-nilly.

Some things to keep in mind….

Be useful

If most of what you send is useful, whether that means helping people live their lives or do their jobs better, you are on the right track.

So while it’s fine to occasionally (I said occasionally) send promotional or self-congratulatory messages to your list, the vast (I said vast) majority of your emails need to be of value to readers.

Be consistent

I received an announcement just this week from someone I had not heard from in literally 10 years. It was all about some new thing he was promoting.

That’s a problem. If the only time I hear from you is when you want to sell me something, well, most people are going to ignore you.

You gain and maintain trust by publishing regularly.

Tread lightly

The power of a newsletter is that it keeps you in front of the people you know, over and over again, until that happy day when somebody shares you with someone they know or, even better, hires you themselves.

The ongoing nature of publishing continually removes timing from the advertising equation.

But there’s a risk. Every email you send carries with it the potential for someone to click that “unsubscribe” button, a button which, once clicked, removes them from your list forever.

So try to avoid “overpromoting” ancillary things: books, webinars, announcements of your accomplishments, etc.

A little bit is fine. Too much kills the golden goose.

Here’s the bottom line.

One of the (many) benefits we have as small professional service firms and solos is that we know who our colleagues, clients, and friends are.

But unless you develop a way to identify and communicate with these people, quickly and easily, you may as well be selling tainted waffles in the supermarket.

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Discussion Questions:

1. Do you think willy-nilly would be a good nickname for Willie Nelson?
2. Which is more likely to lead to food contamination – waffles made in a treehouse or cookies baked by elves in a hollow tree? Explain.
3. Have you ever used a newsletter list for other purposes?

Share your answers below…

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