Free Newsletter Templates: How to Design and Send Them

Andrew Laurentiu
7 min readJul 22, 2020

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Using free newsletter templates don’t require a lot of technical skill. In fact, nearly anyone can make use of these services to create their own unique works of art. Catching the attention of your clients has never been easier, and now you can learn just how accessible these services truly are.

👉 I recommend to try Postcards email newsletter templates.

Today, we’re going to take a look at what it takes to create the perfect newsletter for your needs. You’re just a few steps away from learning how to use these effective — and free — marketing tools.

We’ll also show you where to download newsletter templates that are effective in marketing your brand or business. Email newsletters can be created using email newsletter builders (here is detailed review).

What Is an Email Newsletter?

First things first. While you might not readily know what an email newsletter is, you’ve likely seen them numerous times. If you’ve ever encountered ads in your inbox (and who hasn’t?), you’ve seen an email newsletter.

They can come in various forms depending on the motivation of the sender. For brands, a newsletter is a great way to catch the attention of potential customers in the hopes of making a sale.

This sales strategy is often behind the guise of helpful tips and tricks related to the product said brand is trying to push. Oftentimes, a coupon will be attached to the email as a way to get you to do business with that brand.

Conversely, website owners might send newsletters as a way to attract traffic to their content. When used right, newsletters can be an effective way of reaching new clients and customers.

What Should Be in a Newsletter?

This is where the rub comes in. You can send out newsletters all day to all kinds of people. But if what you’re sending doesn’t jive with their wants and needs, you’re essentially shooting in the dark.

This is why it is so important to research the people whom you are sending newsletters in order to ensure that what you’re sending is capable of grabbing their attention.

It pays to build rapport as much as possible so that what you send is likely to be read. The more your newsletters are read and not overlooked, the better chance they have of being effective.

Depending on the type of business you run, the content of your newsletter is just as important as anything else you do. It’s important to reflect your brand in a positive light, which is one your newsletter’s top priorities.

If you sell shoes, for example, you might consider sending avid shoe buyers valuable information on getting the most out of their shoes. Consumers love tips and freebies, but it’s important that you’re marketing to the right people.

Template Services

Now that you have an idea as to what should go into your newsletter, let’s look at the creation process. If you need help with HTML email templates, you might want to consider checking out this link.

It’s full of useful information related to creating responsive templates that you can send via email. They fast, effective, and best of all, free.

To give you an idea of what it features, let’s take a moment to look at some of the content it offers.

MJML

This customizable service provides its users with free email templates that can built from the ground up. You’ll want to have a pretty good understanding of HTML 5 coding, but there are plenty of templates to test drive.

MJML

Once you have the template you want, it’s easy to complete your newsletter using the MJML software.

Cerberus

If you aren’t familiar with HTML, Cerberus is a great starting point to get your feet wet. It features a good deal of email patterns in HTML that are effective in reaching subscribers.

Cerberus

This is the perfect tool for users who are unfamiliar with the template building process. It is packed full of useful creating libraries that streamline the process for easy understanding and use.

And if you have a basic knowledge of HTML, you’ll find that Cerberus has features that let you play with HTML and adjust your newsletter in ways that other services can’t.

Postcards

Looking for something a bit easier in the creation process? Postcards features a template generator that allows you to build upon its foundations for easy creation and control.

You’ll have access to colors, designs, and more. Best of all, if you can drag and drop, you can use Postcards! It sports an easy-to-use interface that is perfect for beginners.

You get well over 100 customizable templates to work with, making it easy to pick the right build for your needs.

And you don’t have to be at a computer to use this service. Postcards is designed so that you can use it from any device, and with any email client.

For more information on the Postcards App and other template building services, check out this link. You’ll find a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips for easy navigation.

HELM

This open-source freebie is incredibly responsive and effective. It works by using HTML in the building process to create robust, attractive newsletters.

If you’re unfamiliar with the HTML process, this is a great tool that eliminates the hassles of building your newsletter from scratch.

And, if you’re just trying your hand at email marketing, you’ll find this tool to deliver a user-friendly experience that’s quick and simple.

Builder

Looking for even more responsive email building? Builder is a great way to create responsive HTML email templates in only a few minutes.

If you need to make a template in a hurry, this is the service for you. You can even reuse past templates so that your marketing remains succinct and in order.

It’s a great way to stay connected with valuable readers so that you stand a better chance of producing numbers.

Best of all, you don’t need any previous skills or knowledge to use Builder. Knowing how to code isn’t necessary, and you can have a working newsletter in minutes.

Foundation

Foundation is made up of several platforms. This gives their clients a huge amount of tools to work with for creating robust newsletter templates. Having a knowledge of HTML 5 is a good idea, as this service is pretty robust.

Foundation

You start by working with a grid in which to build your newsletter. From there, you get all the tools you need to get your newsletter built, and up and running.

This is the perfect service for those working in business branding. Those in e-commerce will also find it highly effective. And best of all, all of its services and tools are free of charge.

If you’re needing to start an effective newsletter on the cheap, this is the way to do it.

Getting Started

Now that you have an idea of what’s out there, let’s go over the steps needed to create the newsletter of your dreams. These are some important tips and tricks for creating a newsletter that will stand out to your readers and potential subscribers.

When building a template, it’s best to start with formatting the newsletter. This will give you a baseline with which to work on. You want your newsletter to be easy to read, so it’s important to avoid a configuration that’s confusing or hard to navigate.

You want your newsletter to fit a certain width and height. Thankfully, templates make this easy and painless. You don’t have to worry about too much about the specifics of anything other than content and the style you prefer.

Things to Consider

You want to make sure that what you are sending out to your readers is catchy and valid. That is, it’s important to ensure that you are giving your readers something worthwhile.

  • But aside from a coupon or tips, what else can you do? You might want to consider starting a blog if you don’t already have one.
  • This is great way to continually connect with potential customers. WordPress is an excellent platform for getting a blog off the ground and running. It’s incredibly easy to use and is an effective way of getting reader’s attention.
  • By incorporating your blog with your free newsletter, you stand a much better chance of becoming recognizable. And that, after all, is the whole motivating factor behind sending out newsletters.
  • You may also want to consider making your newsletters mobile-friendly. More and more people check their email from smart devices, so it’s important that your newsletters be mobile-responsive.

If you’re an avid user of WordPress, there are countless themes available that tie in with your newsletter template.

Having this kind of succinctness is important in marketing your brand. Remember, you’re trying to get people familiar with your business.

If you have contrasting styles in your website and newsletter, you run the risk of confusing people and alienating them. Your goal is to draw them in, not push them away.

Other Tools to Think About

In the fickle world we live in, consumers are quick to avoid what isn’t comfortable to them. That’s why it’s important to stay with the same style, coloring, and format across the board.

Once you have gotten familiar in people’s minds, you might then consider switching things up slightly to keep things fresh.

If you’re running a special promotion, this might be a good time to try something new so that you really grab the attention of your readers.

If you need help getting your brand out there, you may need to do more than just use templates. Consider using a service that helps you connect with your readers. Once you have established a relationship, your email templates will have a better chance of being effective.

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