You’re Not Sending a Newsletter. You’re Doing Email Marketing.

When a client says, “We want to send out a newsletter,” what they usually mean is:

“We want to stay in touch, remind people we exist, drive traffic, and maybe get some sales.”

That’s not a newsletter.
That’s email marketing, and the distinction matters.

What’s the Actual Difference?

  Newsletter Email Marketing
Purpose Brand updates, stories, culture Drive action, conversions, or engagement
Tone Conversational, editorial Strategic, segmented, result-focused
Audience Often general / full database Segmented / tailored per message
Cadence Regular (monthly/fortnightly) Event-driven or funnel-based
CTA Optional or secondary Primary and intentional

You can have a newsletter, sure. But if you’re trying to move the needle on traffic, leads, or customer engagement, you need more than a Mailchimp schedule and some “brand updates.”

 

Why Newsletters Underperform (for Most SMEs)

For a lot of New Zealand businesses, newsletters fall flat because:

  • Your audience isn’t big enough to sustain monthly interest
  • You’re sending the same thing to everyone
  • You’re writing about you, not what they care about
  • There’s no clear next step (just… a vibe)

Worse, businesses often spend way too long crafting something beautiful… that no one clicks.

 

Email Marketing Feels Gross… Until It Doesn’t

Email marketing has a reputation problem. It’s been tainted by spammers, dodgy funnel bros, and endless “last chance” sales.

But here’s the truth:

Smart email marketing doesn’t annoy people. It helps them.

Done well, it feels like:

  • A nudge you actually needed
  • A reminder you’re glad you got
  • A perfectly-timed answer to a problem

Think:

  • An abandoned cart reminder that links straight back to where you left off
  • A “heads up” that your subscription is about to renew
  • A welcome series that helps you get the most out of a product

This is what real email marketing looks like.

 

The Strategy Behind the Inbox

Here’s what separates great email strategy from random blasts:

  • Segmentation: Sending the right message to the right person
  • Timing: Triggered flows based on behaviour, not your calendar
  • Value: Each email earns its spot in the inbox
  • Testing: Subject lines, formats, timing, it’s all optimised
  • Conversion: Every message has a point, not just a presence

It’s not about being louder. It’s about being smarter.

 

The Project Seven Email Approach

We help NZ businesses use email to:

  • Nurture leads without nagging
  • Convert browsers into buyers
  • Build trust with segmented follow-ups
  • Simplify sales with automated flows

You don’t need a newsletter. You need a strategy.

And it starts with understanding what your emails are actually for.

✉️ Newsletters = content distribution
✉️ Email marketing = business growth

If you’re trying to stay top of mind, increase leads, and reduce follow-up overwhelm, then email is still one of your best-performing channels.

Just don’t call it a newsletter if you want it to work like marketing.

🔗 Ready to use email properly?
Let’s make your emails feel smart, not sleazy.