This is the first in a series of articles that highlight some email newsletters that I read regularly. While I enjoy the newsletters’ content, I also like to try to learn from them.

Analysing newsletters you subscribe to is a great way of learning how to get your message across. Look at the content and format, and learn from the techniques other people use.

Today I’m looking at two high-profile environmental protection organisations with vastly different approaches to many of the same problems: Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd.

Both organisations send regular newsletters. They keep their subscribers informed about important environmental issues that are left out of mainstream news.

The Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd newsletters include similar things. Such as:

  • prominent appeals for donations
  • highlighted items for sale in their respective online stores, as an important fundraising avenue for each
  • high impact visual design
  • clever placement of ‘call to action’ messages.

The difference is the tone of the content.

Greenpeace takes a more factual, research-driven approach to its articles. Sea Shepherd appeals to the emotions with personal messages from its high profile head, Cpt. Paul Watson.

Both newsletters are very effective, but for different reasons.

Now look at your newsletter. Which style fits your product or service and newsletter audience?