Newsletter Know-How by The Newsletter Factory

TOP 10 Reasons You Should Have a Newsletter

2011-11-07T06:39:00.000-08:00

A newsletter:

1) Is the most effective, most attractive way of getting your message to your current and potential clients.

2) Provides valuable information about your business and services.

3) Are relevant, timely and welcome, and remind your clients that you are concerned about their interests.

4) Restate the benefits your clients receive by doing business with you.

5) Are a dignified subtle way to promote your business.

6) Give your clients and prospects the opportunity to find out what they may want to know via Q & A columns.

7) Are a good way to introduce new services and products to current and potential clients.

8) Are a welcome handout at meetings and seminars.

9) Are not canned and impersonal and perceived as junk mail.

AND

10) Demonstrate the performance, reliability and consistency of YOU and your company.

Stationary versus Stationery

2011-10-31T08:24:00.000-07:00

When something is standing still, it’s stationary. That piece of paper you write a letter on is stationery.

Let the “E” in “stationery” remind you of “envelope.”

Download Our Proofreaders Marks

2011-09-14T13:24:00.000-07:00

Proofreading Marks

The Value of a Custom Publication

2011-08-25T12:33:00.000-07:00

Traditional advertising promotes a brand. Custom media campaigns take brand building a step further by creating an emotional connection between a company and their customer.

“A 2005 Custom Publishing Council study conducted by Roper Public Affairs found that 85% of all consumers said that they would rather get information through an interesting collection of articles than through an ad. And 75% feel that custom publications show a company’s interest in building good relationships with them.”

Promo Magazine, January 2007

VALUE AND BENEFITS OF A NEWSLETTER:

• Increases name recognition

• Promotes customer loyalty and increases referrals

• Creates an opportunity for a company or organization to make existing clients aware of additional products and/or services

• Generates continual feedback from the customer through an open dialogue

PRINTED NEWSLETTERS:

• Get through the “gate-keeper”

• Have a high retention rate based on perceived value – do not get discarded (newsletters are perceived as news not advertising)

• Newsletters get passed on to an average of 2 to 3 people

• Usually, the newsletter has the highest readership in terms of content versus other marketing material

ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTERS:

• Properly executed – electronic newsletters will get through spam filters

• HTML newsletter will be read based on an effective design and layout with articles of perceived value

• If prepared and delivered on a timely basis the newsletter will realize an increased readership rating

“Custom publishing marries the marketing ambitions of a company with the information needs of its target audience. This occurs through the delivery of editorial content — via print, Internet, and other media — so intrinsically valuable that it moves the recipient’s behavior in a desired direction.”

-Custom Publishing Council

Increase Your Readership

2011-08-22T07:05:00.000-07:00

Dear Big Client,

I reviewed the statistics you sent me for your newsletter and put together some ideas that might help to increase readership.

Your e-Newsletter is a way to show what you can truly offer as a professional in your field, not just sell a service or product. Your e-Newsletter shows that you are a source of information on new trends and an expert in your field.

A newsletter is not just about measuring the ROI of every issue. Nor should a newsletter even be expected to pay for itself with every issue. The role of the newsletter is to engage your readers and hold their attention for years to come. When you interact with your readers, you have a huge impact on their loyalty and the amount of attention they give your publication. There are also a number of ways you can introduce interactive elements to your newsletter.

The return on this investment comes when a newsletter recipient needs to make a purchase. He or she will have options to choose from. And if he or she has been reading your newsletter for months or even years, then you have an advantage.

Satisfied newsletter subscribers are more likely to choose your company, simply because you have held their attention and built confidence and trust in your products or services. You become the obvious or even the only choice.

Once you have built a list of thousands or tens of thousands of subscribers, you will have created a remarkable asset. That is to say, you will have tens of thousands of highly qualified prospects who trust you, listen to you and are willing to follow your advice and recommendations.

• Make your list 100% opt-in with a sign up form on your Web site. When you have a newsletter, it’s tempting to choose tactics that will grow your list as fast as possible. However, the long-term results of such a tactic are almost always negative.

• Include surveys in each issue. Not everyone will participate, but many will. And be sure to share the results in your next issue. People will look forward to reading about the results. Over time you will find the survey results will teach you a great deal about your readers and their core interests. It is a good way to get feedback and to steer your publication forward in a direction that is of interest to your most engaged readers.

• Invite readers to ask questions. The “ask the expert” feature is one used successfully in many newsletters. Invite people to send in their questions, but also make it clear you can answer only one or two questions per issue. People will understand that. One thing you can be sure about: Everyone who sends in a question will open and read the next issue. Also, every one of your subscribers will appreciate that you have taken the time to answer the question and that you are really there — a living, breathing human being.

E-newsletters build relationships over time. While promotional e-mails are designed to solicit immediate responses, the unique strength of a newsletter is its ability to address a growing list of interested customers and prospects over a period of years. While newsletters can certainly include links, which might lead to immediate sales, the editorial content of a good newsletter is created with a view to retaining your subscribers’ attention and loyalty over the long term.

The primary responsibility and purpose of a newsletter is to retain the attention of this growing group of subscribers and to position your company as the expert they can trust most when it comes to making a purchase.

Much like a branding campaign, this long-term focus can make it tricky to measure the precise return on investment. But many organizations have found it’s more than worth the time and energy it takes to produce it.

Call if you want to discuss any of the topics in more detail.

Cassie Maher

Vice President, The Newsletter Factory

770-955-1600 ext. 101

25 Reasons Why You Should Have a Newsletter

2011-08-17T09:12:00.000-07:00

Newsletters:

1. Greatly enhance your image and reputation.

2. A newsletter is the most effective, most attractive way of getting your message to your current and potential clients.

3. Provide valuable information about your business and your services.

4. Are relevant, timely and welcome, and remind your clients that you are concerned about their interests.

5. Re-state the benefits your clients receive by doing business with you.

6. Are a very dignified, subtle way to promote your business.

7. Present a professional, winning image to current and potential clients.

8. Demonstrate the permanence, reliability and consistency of YOU and your company.

9. Display your willingness to serve others.

10. Reward clients by featuring stories about them.

11. Are a good way to introduce new staff, services and products to current and potential clients.

12. Say something good about you on a regular and frequent basis.

13. Give YOU added exposure, thereby increasing your chances for new business.

14. Are not canned and impersonal like junk mail.

15. Are a welcome handout at meetings and seminars.

16. Present YOU in the best possible light to clients and prospects.

17. Educate your clients in a non-threatening way.

18. Improve relations with You and your clients.

19. Motivate clients and prospects by rewarding them for achievements, such as client or prospect of the month.

20. Feature client activities both on and off the job, promoting a happy atmosphere.

21. Give your clients and prospects the opportunity to find out what they may want to know via Question & Answer columns.

22. Promote camaraderie among your clients and prospects.

23. Showcase awards that you or A FEATURED CLIENT, or individual, has won.

24. A great way to present informal news about changes in legislation, etc. to your clients and prospects

AND ONE MORE REASON ...

NEWSLETTERS GIVE YOU GOOD COMMUNITY PR

Happy clients and satisfied customers convey that message to their friends and business associates, and that presents a good image for YOU. Because newsletters generally are read by many more people than just those who initially receive them, your good image will be widespread.

Maximize Your Sales Efforts Through the 3 Steps of Relationship Selling

2011-08-16T07:57:00.000-07:00

While sales are the lifeline of any business, the best sales approach during any economy does not involve a complex or abstract theory, but is based on the concept of simply doing right by your customers and proving that you are their ally in solving their problems. Relationship selling is the means of developing this bond and is built on a three-step process of knowing you, liking you and then trusting you.

“People don’t buy from companies, they buy from people — people they trust,” said Ken Hilderhoff, president of Premier Marketing Resources. “Relationship selling begins with the first contact. Potential clients first have to know you, then they have to like you. Only if you accomplish the first two steps will you have the opportunity to gain their trust.”

Potential clients make the decision of wanting to get to know you pretty quickly – in about 10 seconds. Just think of your last cold call — the response you received after your introduction line probably gave you the indication of whether or not that person wanted to hear more about your product or service.

Part of the getting to know and like you process involves demonstrating your trustworthy character and letting your clients know that they mean more to you than just the sale at hand. By really listening to their needs and offering products or services tailored to those needs, you’ll build their confidence in you as a caring and trusted resource for solving their problems.

A solution-oriented approach to selling, relationship selling adds to your overall value proposition. And the value you bring to the relationship will ultimately make the difference in your future with the client.

Pave the Road to Future Sales with Your Reputation and Reliability

Relationship selling is a long-term investment in your company’s future. While you may not always make a sale right away, the nurturing that you do now will make for an easier sale down the road, and also repeat business and referrals. Relationship selling is a two-way association in which your reputation will be working for you nonstop.

Once the prospect has become a client, follow up after each sale to make sure the client is happy with the product or service. Not only will it help you solve problems in their early stage, it will also provide an opportunity to determine any additional needs they may have.

Maintaining the relationship in between sales is critical, and each contact should not involve a sales attempt. Foster goodwill through regular contact by providing clients with tickets to sporting events or concerts, or simply take them out to lunch occasionally.

Although your company may be not be the least expensive option in your area of expertise, offering a product or service based on the principles of relationship selling will make you the best value.

Newsletters Have Great Retention

2011-08-11T10:02:00.000-07:00

Effective E-Newsletter Writing Keeps Readers Coming Back for More

2011-07-18T12:44:00.000-07:00

E-newsletters are becoming an increasingly popular method of marketing for companies in most industries, and for good reason. E-newsletters are one of the most cost-effective ways to reach potential customers and strengthen relationships with current ones. But how do you keep readers from becoming bored with your publication and clicking the opt-out button?

For starters, it’s critical to immediately capture the reader’s attention, so you’ll need to WIFM right away. A good WIFM (what’s in it for me) statement will make the benefits of reading the newsletter clear up front and it will also entice the audience to read the newsletter all the way to the end. And begin with the subject line of the newsletter. An interesting subject line sets the tone and can serve as a teaser for the great information just waiting for the reader inside; so instead of October Newsletter or 3rd Quarter Newsletter, give a sneak preview as to what is so special about the current month’s message.

In delivering your message, use a friendly, conversational tone in short sentences. It generally takes more time to read on a computer screen than it does to read on paper, so make good use of the white space. Separate information into small reading portions that can be easily scanned by the reader. Too much information in long paragraphs tends to make the reader lose interest. Bullet points are another effective way of conveying information.

While the ultimate goal of your newsletter may be increased sales, your e-newsletter is also a vehicle for you to set your company apart from the competition by establishing your staff as the experts in your field. Be sure to provide relevant, useful information that will make clients want to read the newsletter month after month.

Give a call to action in your e-newsletter, such as links to products and services that your company offers. Also try to engage the reader through special offers, contests, blogs, or just a simple invitation to e-mail your company with questions, suggestions, or comments.

Offer hyperlinks to make the details of any point available to those who would like more information, but try to include these at the end of the newsletter so that readers won’t hyperlink away from your main message; they usually won’t return.

At the close of your e-newsletter, provide a teaser about the content of your next issue. A simple benefit-oriented statement, much like a good subject line, will help make the reader anticipate what’s to come, and it will also help you in building a devoted following.

Finally, be sure to proofread the e-newsletter several times and have others within your organization proofread it as well. It’s always a good idea to send test e-newsletters to several people before sending it to the whole e-mail list to make sure that links are working properly and that there hasn’t been anything overlooked during the proofreading process.

Effective writing is crucial in obtaining your company’s communication goals. Incorporating these valuable tips into your e-newsletter will go long way in maximizing the results.

Why Publish a newsletter

2011-07-13T12:51:00.000-07:00

The primary responsibility and purpose of a newsletter is to retain the attention of this growing group of subscribers and to position your company as the vendor they trust most when it comes to making a purchase.

High-quality newsletters are the marketing medium of the future. More appealing to a reader than a standalone sales pitch, they give companies and organizations a chance to build a long-term relationship with prospects and customers.

Newsletters and e-Newsletters feel personal because they arrive in your mailbox and inbox; you have an ongoing relationship with them. In contrast Web sites are things you glance at when you need to get something done or find the answers to a specific question.

A lot of newsletters are executed very professionally, everything is done well from a practical point but had the editor thought a little more clearly about the purpose of their newsletter, the potential of their newsletter and how to really think it through and get the greatest value from their newsletter for their company, customers, prospects and everyone else.

A good newsletter is written and published to a regular schedule with every issue including valuable and useful editorial content. The subject of editorial content is central to the power of a newsletter. While promotional email campaigns are developed to drive sales, newsletters should be viewed as a tool to educate, inform and engage your audience over the long term.

The role of the newsletter is to engage your subscribers and hold their attention for years to come.

A newsletter is also a remarkable branding tool. This is not in the visual sense (like a brand logo) or the communication of your positioning statement — but as a way to build strong feelings and positive word of mouth about your company.

A newsletter is about: Giving useful information, giving help, and giving advice.

The return on this investment comes when a subscriber needs to make a purchase. He or she will have several vendors to choose from. And if he or she has been reading your newsletter for months or even years, then you have an advantage.

Make your newsletter interactive. When you interact with your readers, you have a huge impact on their loyalty and the amount of attention they give your publication. There are a number of ways you can introduce interactive elements to your newsletter. Include surveys in each issue. Not everyone will participate, but many will. And be sure to share the results in your next issue. People will look forward to reading about the results. Over time you will find the survey results will teach you a great deal about your readers and their core interests. It is a good way to get feedback and to steer your publication forward in a direction that is of interest to your most engaged readers.

Invite readers to ask questions. The “ask the expert” feature is one used successfully in many newsletters. Invite people to send in their questions, but also make it clear you can answer only one or two questions per issue. People will understand that. One thing you can be sure about: Everyone who sends in a question will open and read the next issue. Also, every one of your subscribers will appreciate that you have taken the time to answer the question and that you are really there — a living, breathing human being.

Photoshop Snaffu

2011-07-08T07:18:00.000-07:00

What's wrong with this picture?

I'll post the answer on Monday. Happy Friday and have a wonderful weekend!


Notice anything funny about the girl on the tops nose?

More E-mail Etiquette

2011-05-04T13:22:00.000-07:00

Respond quickly. Reply to each e-mail within 24 hours and preferably within the same working day. If you need more information to respond, send an e-mail back saying that you will get back to them.

Use an active voice instead of a passive voice. Try to use the active voice of a verb when possible. For example, 'We will send a design proof today', instead of 'Your newsletter proof will be sent today'. An active voice sounds more personal, and a passive voice sounds too formal.

Create an e-mail etiquette policy for your company. Create rules and guidelines that you would like all members of the company to follow. A few rules you might want to include are: e-mails should all include a signature bar, on opening an closing salutation and e-mails should be read before sending checking for spelling and grammar errors.

Just a Few E-mail Etiquette Tips

2011-04-26T13:59:00.000-07:00

Read the e-mail before you send it. Reading your e-mail through the eyes of the recipient will help you send a more effective message and avoid misunderstandings and inappropriate comments. As well as allow you to correct any spelling or grammar mistakes.

Do not request delivery and read receipts. Don't annoy your recipient before he or she has even reads your message. If you want to know whether an e-mail was received it is better to ask the recipient reply to your e-mail so you know it was received.

Do not overuse the high priority option. If you overuse the high priority option, it will lose its function when you really need it. Also, even if an e-mail is a high priority, your message will come across as slightly aggressive if you flag it as 'high priority'. If something is really important, it is best to pick up the phone and call someone.

Just a few. I'll send more tomorrow ...

Understanding Newsletter Lingo

2011-04-25T11:08:00.000-07:00

While the content of a newsletter is the main focus for most readers, the behind-the-scenes production is equally important. Newsletters possess a certain anatomy with each part having a name and serving a specific function. And by reading a newsletter through a different eye, you’ll be able to speak newsletter lingo in no time at all.

Setting the Content Stage with the Front Cover

The front cover is made up of several components that serve as an introduction. And serving as the newsletter marquee of sorts is the name of the publication termed the nameplate. Often seen in the form of a logo, the nameplate identifies the publication and often features a motto or slogan. The nameplate also sets the tone of the newsletter as well as the company it represents. Aside from establishing a new company identity, it’s important that the nameplate show consistency from issue to issue.

Often found under the nameplate are the horizontal or perpendicular lines known as barriers and rules. These lines create a separation of the various components on a page making it easier to read.

The folio is also found on the front cover and lists the volume number, issue number and date of publication. Below the folio is typically the table of contents. Common components of the table of contents are the tab or dot leaders - the row of dots that run from the title of article to the page number where the article is located.

Keeping the Audience Captivated Beyond the First Page

Along with intriguing headlines, the article titles may also include other elements to draw in readers such as a newsletter deck. A deck is used to build up the headline and is made up of one or more lines of text located between the headline and body copy. Frequently located above the headline of regular columns are kickers, which are short introductory phrases.

And at the top of each subsequent page of the newsletter is the running head, or name of the publication. Running heads help give the publication a consistent look and feel.

Other writing apparatus used to enhance the message throughout the body copy include subheads and pull-quotes. Subheads break up the article into more bite-sized parts, which keep the reader from feeling overwhelmed with the amount of information. They also help maintain interest in the article. Pull-quotes are another especially effective tool in enhancing the article’s message. Not only do they capture the reader’s attention, they also summarize the main point of the article.

When an article has been continued on a different page, a jumpline, such as continued on page three, lets the reader know where the rest of the article has been placed within the newsletter. And to signify the end of an article, many newsletters include a little graphic at the end of the last sentence known as a dingbat or endmark.

Also found beyond the first page (usually on the second page) is the masthead - a panel that highlights copyright information, the publication’s schedule and purpose, and the publisher’s contact information.

Wrapping it all up on the Back Cover

Many of the same elements seen throughout the interior pages of the newsletter are also featured on the back cover. However, a prominent space is reserved for the mailing panel if the newsletter is a self-mailer, meaning it will be mailed without an envelope. The mailing panel generally takes up about one-half or one-third of the back cover.

Newsletter lexicon provides a universal language for those creating the publications. It also provides a means for consistent newsletter structure, which makes for a smoother reading experience.

What Do You Want Your Newsletter to Accomplish

2011-04-15T06:38:00.000-07:00

Promotional Newsletters

This type of newsletter is frequently used by businesses to promote a product or service. It is also known as a marketing newsletter. A promotional or marketing newsletter is typically sent to current or prospective customers free of charge. Although not a sales pitch, the promotional newsletter does striveto turn prospects into customers and customers into repeat customers.

Relationship Newsletters

Examples of this type of newsletter are customer newsletters, club newsletters, employee newsletters, Church newsletters, and alumni newsletters. They focus on the shared interests of the target audience. Typically distributed at no charge, some organizations may send newsletters only to paid members.

Expert Newsletters

Usually subscription-based, these newsletters generally focus on a specific topic and the recipient is someone who has specifically requested the information in the newsletter and is willing to pay for the information.

Some newsletters may have characteristics of more than one group.

Newsletters Get Results

2011-04-14T07:13:00.000-07:00

Newsletters get through the gatekeeper, get passed along and kept more than other mail.

Proofreaders Checklist

2011-04-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

Make sure your publication is error free with this proofreaders checklist.

Get yours here.

More Tips to Increase Your "Pass-Through" Rate

2011-04-05T09:06:00.000-07:00

Even after you've thoroughly compiled a mailing list, your newsletter must reach its intended recipients to generate the response you're seeking. Remember, new readers will not be as familiar with your company or publication as are current subscribers or clients.

To increase the "pass-through" rate, the likelihood that your newsletter will end up in the hands of its intended reader(s) and not in the trashcan, try:

• Three-hole punching your newsletter. This feature creates the impression that the newsletter is worth saving — increasing the chance that your newsletter will get to its intended reader.

• Jotting a quick note on the envelope or mailing panel. A "hope you enjoy" note is a personal effort that can mean the difference between the in-box and the waste-basket.

• Including a "route-to" box on the mailing panel or envelope. List all the departments you'd like to receive your newsletter, with small check-off boxes next to each listing.

• Including a personalized cover letter for first-time readers. Such letters provide another opportunity to introduce yourself, your company, and your product or service to your new reader.

Get more newsletter tips and ideas at www.newsletterfactory.com.

Happy Friday to All ...

2011-04-01T13:38:00.001-07:00

And have a great weekend!

Streamlining the Newsletter Production Process

2011-04-01T09:26:00.000-07:00

If you’re looking for ways to make your newsletter production more efficient, review each stage of the process to find ways to accomplish this goal without compromising the quality or effectiveness of the publication. Here are a few things to consider:

Reducing Rewrites

• Get all of your facts the first time and avoid having to return to the Internet or interviewees to flesh out incomplete references, data, or sources.
• Use an economy of words. Tight copy saves space and promotes greater readership.
• Create a company style sheet to reduce inconsistencies and editing and proofreading time.
• Proofread carefully. Making corrections after the copy goes to the design stage or printer is expensive.
• Compile a list of common errors to use when proofreading. Use the Proofreading Checklist in the Newsletter Factory Toolbox as a guide.
• Copy changes can cause the layout to change significantly. Have writers sign off on the final copy before it goes to design to reduce unbridled changes once the newsletter layout is in progress.

Budget-Conscious Photography

• Invest in a quality digital camera and take photos yourself. Hire a professional photographer only when necessary.
• Buy royalty free stock photography on Web sites such as istockphoto.com and shutterstock.com.
• If you produce several publications, get more mileage out of your photos by reusing them.

Printing Practicalities

• Don’t cut back on a prepress proof from the printer, it’s an important element in the proofing process because you might miss a typo or other mistake if you eliminate this step. Also use the Printers Checklist in The Newsletter Factory Toolbox.
• Print two sides, if possible.
• Don’t overprint. Plan to keep only a few back issues for your files.
• For even more information on printing, see How to Pull off Your Print Job without a Hitch on The Newsletter Factory website.

Controlling Distribution Costs

Evaluate the distribution method you use to make sure it’s the most cost-effective and suitable procedure. See Does Your Means of Newsletter Distribution Fit Your Newsletter’s Purpose?.

Make sure your distribution list is free of bad addresses.

• Use self-mailers if they are practical for your publication.
• Mail bulk rate instead of first class, if possible.
• Print the mailing permit directly on your newsletter to avoid additional costs at the mail house.

Getting into the habit of cutting corners without cutting quality is easy with a little know-how. And ensuring your newsletter is produced efficiently adds to its credentials as a worthwhile investment for your company.

Shake 'n Bake was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 1976

2011-03-28T09:43:00.000-07:00

This year a number of acronyms were added, including: LOL, OMG and TMI.

Read the full Atlanta Journal Constitution article here.

Newsletter for American Lung Association

2011-03-25T12:34:00.000-07:00

Newsletters Get Results and Get Through the Gatekeeper

2011-03-23T13:50:00.000-07:00

Memorable Leads and Conclusions: Master the Art of Creating the Most Powerful Portions of Your Publication

2011-03-23T08:01:00.000-07:00

The lead is the "hook" in your article. It should be powerful or interesting enough to compel readers to read the article. The conclusion typically includes what you want your audience to do or remember about the article.

Types of Leads

Summary Lead — The standard beginning of a news story, the summary lead answers the following key questions:

What happened?
Who was affected or involved?
Where did the event happen?
When did the event happen?
Why should your readers care?

Blind Lead — Instead of immediately delving into the details like a summary lead, use short succinct generalizations to capture reader interest.

Delayed Identification Lead — A useful tool for personality or human-interest stories, a delayed identification lead includes a person’s name, but saves complete identification for later in the story.

Direct Quote Lead — A once-fashionable method of beginning speech stories, a colorful or emotional quote can effectively draw readers into the story.

Leading with a Metaphor — This technique involves saying that something is something else, as when Mark Twain said,” Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.”

Leading with a Simile — Because similes say that something is like something else, they are useful for opening stories that will compare items or ideas, such as, “ A pretty girl is like a melody.”

Leading with an Anecdote — Analogies help readers grasp complex concepts by placing them in a context the reader can understand. For example, stories about the federal budget deficit begin by saying, “Each American household would have to pay $X to eliminate the nation’s shortfall.”

Setting a Scene — A useful technique for feature stories, these delayed leads craft a mental picture for readers, then link the picture with the main subject of the story.

Posing a Question — As with headlines, a writer must exercise great caution in writing a lead that poses a question to the reader. To involve the reader, and effective question should require comprehensive thought and creates a cut-off point for people with short attention spans or heavy demands on their time.

Tease — A tease can effectively capture reader attention by presenting a puzzle, intentional ambiguity, insinuation or a new twist on a cliché.

Zinger — Zingers draw readers into body copy by setting them up, then “zinging” them with an effective play on words.

In Conclusion Common endings include:

Summary endings, which involve condensing and repeating ideas or information.
Referral endings, which make some type of reference to your lead-in.
Calls to action, or a response ending, which asks the reader to take a specific action.

Atlanta Business Radio Interviews President and CEO of Premier Marketing Resources

2011-03-17T12:49:00.000-07:00

Parent company of The Newsletter Factory.

Take it away boss ...

Listen here.

Start an Idea File

2011-03-15T11:54:00.001-07:00

While you may be busy putting the current issue of your newsletter to bed, you will often times during this process uncover outstanding information for future issues. You may even find that some of the content you slated for the current publication simply won’t fit.

Keep all of this potential content neat and tidy in an “idea file.” Idea files are an excellent way to help you map out future issues of your newsletter while helping to keep track of any thoughts that might surface during editorial brainstorming sessions.

Store your ideas in a binder, accordion file or even on your computer’s hard drive. For quick reference, be sure to name your files according to upcoming issues of your publication.

Keep your idea file stocked with such items as:

Photos
Article ideas
Already written back-up articles
Web site URLs that spark ideas for content
List of content resources
E-mails from potential contributors

Not only will your backlog of ideas be helpful for future issues, it can also save you during any last-minute editorial upheavals. Idea files can definitely help fill any gaps!

Dates

2011-03-14T10:13:00.000-07:00

Dates should always use Arabic figures, without st, nd, rd or th.

Top 20 AP Style Rules

2011-03-11T10:15:00.000-08:00

The Associated Press provides consistency in the world of business communications by establishing a universal set of rules for writers. And in writing newsletters and other business communications, it seems there are always a few words and rules that are frequently problematic. The following are the AP rules for some of the most commonly used business words and phrases:

website is one word and lower case.
webmaster is one word and lower case.
Internet always has a capital I.
Months — capitalize in all instances and spell out when using alone or with a year only. When using a specific date abbreviate only Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., and Dec. When providing a year and month only, do not separate with a comma — April 2008 was exceptionally warm. Month day and year, use commas — March 17, 1984, was the date of the event.
Online is one word with no hyphen.
Co-workers is hyphenated.
Percent should be spelled out.
Time — 9 a.m. until noon and not 12 noon. 12 a.m. is midnight and not 12 midnight.
Age — use hyphens for ages expressed as adjectives before a noun or as substitutes for a noun — the 35-year-old woman was appointed to the committee.
Spell out numbers one through nine.
Health care is two words.
Caregiver is one word.
Boardroom is one word.
Titles — capitalize only when utilizing a formal title such as former President George W. Bush.
Nonprofit is not hyphenated.
Businessmen is one word.
Decision-maker is hyphenated.
Countrywide is one word with no hyphen.
Multicultural is one word with no hyphen.
Regions — capitalize when referring to regions such as the East. When referring to compass directions use lowercase, as in heading west on the highway.

The AP Style Guide adds new entries frequently. In addition to having a hard copy of the guide handy, consider purchasing a subscription to the AP Stylebook Online. Along with having a more comprehensive resource easily accessible, you’ll also receive updates to the guide via e-mail.

Marketing During Uncertain Times

2011-03-11T10:13:00.000-08:00

Ken Hilderhoff, president of Premier Marketing Resources, parent company of The Newsletter Factory, shares his expertise in this Q&A on maintaining and gaining business momentum during a troubled economy.

CC: Many companies consider marketing as a “nonessential” during uncertain economic times. Why is this a mistake?
KH: Marketing is more essential in a poor economy than during the good times if you plan to maintain or increase sales. It is an opportune time to take market share from the competition that is not advertising or marketing their products and services.

CC: What are the most cost-effective ways to market today?
KH: Focus, focus, and focus. It is imperative that you re-evaluate your core competency to determine how to achieve the greatest return on investment. Strategically narrow your market focus and determine where you have enjoyed the greatest success and examine the market to determine what market segments are still growing in the downturn, i.e. health care. It is important to measure your efforts and results to manage the process with the greatest success.

CC: What are some tips to help ensure continued sales in a down economy?
KH: First, pay attention to your existing customers. Customer retention is paramount. Second, develop a systematic selling process that is designed to bring in clients based on your reassessment of the marketplace and your strengths. Make calls to qualified prospects — potential clients that are most likely to pay for your services based upon their profile and need. Be persistent with follow-up and present the best “value proposition” that is centered on achieving their objectives.

CC: What are some ways to keep your current clients happy?
KH: Maintain service and quality! Equally important is staying in contact with them. Let them know that they are important.

CC: How can you expand business with your current clients in this type of economy?
KH: If you don’t have all of their business, go after the other guy’s share. Determine what other products and services that they need that you can provide. First ask for it — then get creative. Consider offering a package for all of their business.

By making marketing efforts one of your business’s top priorities during this volatile time, you’ll not only solidify your current position in the marketplace, you’ll also lay the foundation for expansive growth once the economy improves.

Until, Till and Til

2011-03-11T10:09:00.000-08:00

'Til versus until and till is often argued about in most style guides

–conjunction

1. up to the time that or when; till: He read until his guests arrived.

2. before (usually used in negative constructions): They did not come until the meeting was half over.

–preposition

3. onward to or till (a specified time or occurrence): She worked until 6 p.m.

4. before (usually used in negative constructions): He did not go until night.

Till is considered to be the abbreviation of until. And 'til, according to some style guides, is a mistake although it still shows up in advertising and on TV.

To stay safe, I'd stick with till or until.

Get Your Very Own QR Code

2011-03-10T13:35:00.000-08:00

Here.

Our Very Own QR Code

2011-03-10T05:54:00.000-08:00

A QR Code is a specific matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code), readable by dedicated QR barcode readers and camera phones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded can be text, URL or other data.

Common in Japan, where it was created by Toyota subsidiary Denso-Wave in 1994, the QR code is one of the most popular types of two-dimensional barcodes. QR is the abbreviation for Quick Response, as the creator intended the code to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed.

The Hyphen, The En-dash and the Em-Dash ...

2011-03-08T12:07:00.000-08:00

The hyphen, the n-dash (en-dash) and the m-dash (em-dash).

Use a hyphen to indicate word breaks when a sentence wraps at the end of a line, to connect compound words like "pig-headed", or to connect grouped numbers (for example: phone numbers).

An en-dash is slightly longer than a hyphen and used to describe a range in numbers or time like 2002–2010 or July–October, 2011.

An em-dash is slightly longer than an en-dash and separates a unique idea or separated thought from the rest of a sentence.

TOP 10 Reasons You Should Have a Newsletter

2011-03-07T08:49:00.000-08:00

A newsletter:

1) Is the most effective, most attractive way of getting your message to your current and potential clients.

2) Provides valuable information about your business and services.

3) Are relevant, timely and welcome, and remind your clients that you are concerned about their interests.

4) Restate the benefits your clients receive by doing business with you.

5) Are a dignified subtle way to promote your business.

6) Give your clients and prospects the opportunity to find out what they may want to know via Q & A columns.

7) Are a good way to introduce new services and products to current and potential clients.

8) Are a welcome handout at meetings and seminars.

9) Are not canned and impersonal and perceived as junk mail.

AND

10) Demonstrate the performance, reliability and consistency of YOU and your company.

Our Art Director

2011-03-04T06:20:00.000-08:00

Our Art Director, Kyle Sox, has more creative ideas up his sleeve than any designer I've ever worked with.

Kyle on the weekend.

It's versus Its

2011-03-03T11:39:00.000-08:00

It's is a contraction for it is or it has.

For example: It's up to you. It's been a long day.

Its is the possessive pronoun meaning, more or less, of it or belonging to it.

For example: The company lost its assets

Here is a simple test:

If you can replace it's in your sentence with it is or it has, then your word is it's; otherwise, your word is its.

And there is absolutely, positively, no such word as its'!

Ten Essential Tips to Generate More Leads, Sales and Profit From Your Website

2011-03-02T06:48:00.000-08:00

Tips to Generate More Leads

View more documents from The Newsletter Factory

Interviewing with Ease

2011-03-02T06:38:00.000-08:00

It’s no secret that a good quote can significantly liven up a mostly mundane article. However, conducting the necessary interview is often considered to be a real chore for many writers. Changing your thinking about this essential writing skill is pretty easy by keeping these tips in mind:

Do Your Homework. With most companies (and many individuals) having a Web site these days, obtaining fundamental facts for the article is almost effortless. Other possible sources of information include media kits, press releases, and previous stories written on the article subject. Establishing basic information makes the fact-checking aspect of the interview go more quickly so that more time can be spent on more probing questions.
Develop a list of questions. Finding out as much as possible before the interview helps in developing questions beyond the basic who, what, when, where, why, and how. Try to craft questions that will provide new information on the topic and will result in a different story angle. Also have a reasonable time frame in mind to help keep the interview on track.
Make an appointment for the interview. Call or e-mail the interviewee to set up an appointment. Don’t catch the person off-guard by expecting answers to your questions on the first contact, but have them ready in case the interviewee prefers to answer them at that time. Be sure to provide your contact information in case the interviewee thinks of something later to add to the article.
Consider providing the questions in advance. Being interviewed makes many people feel a bit uncomfortable. Furnishing the questions in advance often helps in easing apprehensions about the interview. And more time to think about the questions often results in more thorough responses.
Keep it Conversational During a Phone or In-Person Interview. Although the subject matter may be serious, the interview process doesn’t have to be rigid and uncomfortable. And be open to the idea of the conversation taking a different direction than what you may have originally thought. Asking open-ended questions will give your story its unique approach and will often raise questions you may not have anticipated.
Take the Time to Get it Right. If you need a moment to write down a quote during the interview, ask the interviewee to pause a moment. It’s understandable that you’re just trying to make sure that it is written correctly. Also, review your notes as soon as possible after the interview. It’s a good idea to rewrite them, clarifying any points that you may have jotted down that could be difficult to “interpret” later.
Mind Your Manners. If you choose to use a tape recorder, get consent prior to the interview, and make sure the machine is in good working order.

After the interview send a thank you note either by mail or e-mail, and arrange to have a few copies of the publication sent to the interviewee.

Interviewing is a great way add a more depth to your stories. With a little less dread and little more practice, they’ll soon become second nature.

The Use of Ellipsis ( ... )

2011-02-21T06:50:00.000-08:00

Treat an ellipsis as a three letter word, constructed with three periods and two spaces, as shown in the title.

Use an ellipsis to indicate the deletion of one or more words in condensing quotes, texts and documents. Be especially careful to avoid deletions that would distort the meaning.

An ellipsis may also be used to indicate a pause or hesitation in speech, or a thought that the speaker or writer does not complete. Substitute a dash, however, if the context uses ellipsis to indicate that words actually spoken or written have been deleted.

Our Editor

2011-02-18T08:50:00.000-08:00

Our editor, Laura Hollenstein, is not only an incredible writer, editor and great person to be around ... she's also a Master Gardener.

If you have a gardening question e-mail me at cassie@pmr-nlf.com.

Or read Laura's blog here.

Don't Make This Mistake

2011-02-14T07:38:00.000-08:00

Please remember to lowercase spring, summer, fall, winter and derivatives such as springtime unless used in a formal name like Winter Olympics. This style for seasons is the one preferred by the The Associated Press Stylebook.

Always use a style guide to maintain consistency in your writing. At The Newsletter Factory we adhere to The Associated Press Stylebook.

The Chicago Manual of Style is another style guide used by writers. Or you can create your own style guide based on the preferences of your company or organization.

Use this questionnaire created by The Newsletter Factory to help create your own style guide.

Maximize Your Sales Efforts Through the 3 Steps of Relationship Selling

2011-02-11T08:47:00.001-08:00

Here is a whitepaper created by our parent company, Premier Marketing Resources.

Maximize Your Sales Efforts

View more documents from The Newsletter Factory.

Our Art Director has Puppies ...

2011-02-09T12:09:00.000-08:00

And boy are they cute. If you'd like one, call our office at 770-955-1600 ext. 105.

Proofreaders Marks

2011-02-09T12:07:00.001-08:00

Download a copy of our proofreaders notes here.

Stationary versus Stationery

2011-02-08T13:01:00.000-08:00

When something is standing still, it’s stationary. That piece of paper you write a letter on is stationery.

Let the “E” in “stationery” remind you of “envelope.”

Compliment versus Complement

2011-02-07T12:40:00.000-08:00

Don't let this grammar mishap happen to you. Know the difference and use each word correctly.

Compliment

1 a : an expression of esteem, respect, affection, or admiration; especially : an admiring remark
b : formal and respectful recognition : honor

2 plural : best wishes : regards

He told her he admired her paintings and she returned the compliment by saying that she was a fan of his sculptures.

Complement

1 something that fills up, completes, or makes perfect

Her gown complemented her earrings perfectly.

In case you didn't know ...

2011-02-04T08:14:00.000-08:00

What is the difference between these three file formats:

EPS: (Encapsulated PostScript)
Predominantly used by design and print professionals. (use this file type if your printer/designer requests a vector file). EPS files are vector based but also contain raster images. Please note that without design software, like Adobe Illustrator, you will not be able to open this file. You can, however, download and e-mail it to someone else.

JPG: (Joint Photographic Experts Group)
Best used with Microsoft programs and for local websites, or on materials that will be printed at your home or office (not professionally printed).

TIFF: (Tagged Image File Format)
Best used for professionally printing photographs or images. Professional designers will use this version if creating something from scratch. Please note that without design software, like Photoshop, you may not be able to open this file. You can also download and e-mail this file format.

If you have additional design questions read our Design Q&A.

Read additional articles about newsletters here.

The Newsletter Factory (NLF) has designed, written and produced highly effective marketing newsletters nationally since 1987.

Give us a call if you need any help or just have a question, 770-955-1600 ext. 101.

2011 Business Planning Workshop: Where are You Going and How Will You Get There?

2011-02-03T09:52:00.000-08:00

Our parent company, Premier Marketing Resources is teaming up with Global Marcoms to deliver the first in a serious of seminars:

2011 Business Planning Workshop: Where are You Going and How Will You Get There?
A Powerful Business Plan Can Keep Your Company Performing at Its Optimum

When it comes to growing your business, there are key proven strategies that must be implemented. We understand these strategies and we work with you to develop the most effective and measurable systems to set you apart from your competition and help you generate new business.

Ken Hilderhoff, president of Premier Marketing Resources, and Kelly Quattlebaum, president of Global Marcoms, team up to present this hands-on event.

In this one-day workshop you will fine-tune your company’s future by:
• Creating an operative business plan.
• Developing effective vision and mission statements.
• Determining your company’s core values.
• Evaluating your company’s SWOT and critical success factors.

Also included:
• Breakfast and lunch.
• Workbook.
• 30-60-90-day action plan.
• One-hour consultation after the workshop.

When: Friday, February 25, 2011
8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Where: The Georgian Club
100 Galleria Parkway
Suite 1700
Atlanta, GA 30339

Cost: $495
Register by February 16 and pay only $445

The 2011 Business Planning Workshop is part of the Small Business Success Series. To learn about additional workshops, visit www.pmr-nlf.com.

Why a Newsletter ...

2011-02-02T08:51:00.000-08:00

The Newsletter Factory

View more presentations from Newsletter1987.

Newsletters Get Results and Get Through The Gatekeeper

2011-02-02T08:26:00.000-08:00

Not Newsletter Related But Very Interesting

2011-02-02T08:02:00.001-08:00

Our sister company, Premier Marketing Resources, has a few Whitepapers.

If you'd like a copy of any of them please e-mail me at cassie@pmr-nlf.com. The topics include:

1) Maximize Your Sales Efforts

2) Tips to Generate More Leads

3) Why Do I Need a Business Plan

For more information about Premier Marketing Resources visit www.pmr-nlf.com.

Where Are You Going and How Will You Get There?

2011-02-01T13:37:00.000-08:00

A Powerful Business Plan Can Keep Your Company Performing at Its Optimum

Does your small business seem to be stuck in neutral? If it isn’t moving along the desired pace, it may be time to have look under the hood to see what needs some work. A good starting point is with your business plan — the engine of every company.

All businesses, no matter how small, need a well-built business plan. The essential manual for success, a business plan is an everyday guide that keeps your business on track with its goals.

While crafting a long-term plan can seem like a rigid and colossal task, by utilizing a standard outline, you can have it on paper and in action in a matter of days.

Visions, Missions and Core Values

Premier Marketing Resources President and Small Business Consultant Ken Hilderhoff conducts small business seminars and shares the formula he uses in his courses for creating effective business plans.

According to Hilderhoff, the next critical step should be developing a mission statement — a comprehensive yet succinct description of your product or service’s purpose. A mission statement should also let customers know why they should choose your company over another.

Constructing a heart-felt vision statement is the starting point of a business plan. Reflecting your passion and your idealistic view of your company, your vision statement is the opportunity to let your dreams shine through. Make sure this statement portrays a vivid image of the kind of business you desire now and in the future.

Concrete core values give your business the horsepower it needs to keep running in good times — and possibly more importantly — in bad times. Your company’s core values should center on the kind of culture you want to promote within your organization that will keep both customers and employees happy. Core values typically consist of a standard customer service ethos along with set policies regarding resource utilization and work procedures. Each member of your organization should practice this belief system on a daily basis to ensure your company’s success.

SWOT You Need to Know About Your Company

Having a thorough and realistic understanding of how your company is operating, and its place in your particular industry, will ultimately determine its long-term success. SWOT, an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats, is a highly effective analysis technique for gaining this insight. By reviewing your company’s strengths you are establishing what your company does especially well that gives it an edge over the competition. If your company is performing poorly, determining your company’s weaknesses will probably reveal why. In examining your business’s opportunities, you are anticipating the future needs of your customers, what you can do better and how you can stay ahead of the competition. Understanding your company’s threats are vital in the decision making process and can include a wide range of factors from market demand to legislative restrictions.

Determining your business’s critical success factors is a crucial component in making your business plan work. Critical success factors are the fundamental activities that must be performed well in order for your company to succeed. And having the appropriate goals and strategies to go along with them are essential in achieving your company’s mission. Ken Hilderhoff explains how goals factor into a company’s long-term success. “Business owners must define their goals in order to achieve success. And for a goal to be effective, it needs to be a well-defined target with quantifiable elements that are measurable,” he said.

Consider your business plan as a constantly evolving concept that can (and probably should) change as time goes by. Revisit your plan regularly to ensure that your company is holding true to your core values and mission statement, and routinely examine your SWOT and critical success factors to make sure they are still applicable.

For more information, visit 2011 Business Planning Workshop.

Checklists Help When Reviewing Printer Proofs

2011-01-25T11:48:00.000-08:00

Once a newsletter has been printed, it's too late to make any changes and you're left with an incorrect run of your publication. Download our checklist (or create your own) when reviewing proofs from the printer to make sure your materials are error-free.

Does Your Means of Newsletter Distribution Fit Your Newsletter’s Purpose?

2011-01-20T09:45:00.000-08:00

Instead of viewing distribution as a means to an end (getting your newsletter into the hands of your audience), think of distribution as a part of the whole package. Like every other aspect of newsletter production, you should select your distribution mode with your audience and your newsletter goals in mind.

If you produce a newsletter for employees, internal distribution probably offers the least costly method. Why spend money on postage when you can simply place a newsletter in everyone’s box or his or her workstation? Or, place stacks of newsletters in the break room and other places where employees congregate. For association/membership newsletters, handing out issues at meetings or stacking them near entrances and exits will afford you similar savings.

If your newsletter is for promotional purposes, try to leave stacks of issues at places where prospective customers, clients or members go to shop or meet. You may have to convince storeowners or other decision makers that offering free copies of your newsletter is another valuable service they can provide to their customers. If you’ve packed your newsletter with news and kept the promotional aspect subtle, you usually won’t have a problem.

If your employees or members are scattered, or if your customer base is such that drop-off distribution isn’t possible, including the newsletter with other mailed materials (also called “piggybacking”) might work. Stuff the newsletter in with paychecks, invoices or whatever else you mail. While this costs more than handout or drop-off distribution, it’s less expensive than mailing several pieces separately.

If none of these methods is workable, or if they don’t appeal to you, mail your newsletter on its own. Though usually the costliest part of newsletter production, a separate newsletter mailing enjoys unique strengths, especially if you need to present your newsletter as the information source for your audience. Similarly, you may have invested time, effort and money into creating a newsletter that conveys a certain message, and piggybacking it or handing it out would take away from that message.

For example, an independent financial consultant marketing to attorneys and physicians would want a newsletter to convey security, trustworthiness, commitment, experience, wisdom and the like. After thoroughly researching each article to make sure it provides the most up-to-date information, such a firm would want its newsletter to arrive separately in the mail, and thereby increase the sense of value that its audience attaches to the publication.

You may even forego the envelope barrier altogether and make the newsletter a self-mailer — you won’t have to purchase envelopes, or spend time and money to stuff and seal them.

If you prefer mailing your newsletters but find it’s too time intensive to tackle on your own, consider utilizing the services of a mail house. Talk with prospective mail house personnel about the various options available to you. If you decide to do the mailing on your own, contact Post Office officials by phone or in person. Post Office and mail house employees know the system and can save you time and money by explaining current postal requirements in advance of your scheduled mail date.

With a minimum mailing of 200 pieces, bulk mail represents the most cost-effective option; however, it will not be delivered as rapidly as first-class mail. Bulk rate or standard presort rates reflect the savings postal employees realize in processing the mail piece, but do not enjoy the immediacy of first-class delivery.

Regardless of the distribution method you use, put careful consideration into choosing the optimum channel prior to designing your publication. After all, the newsletter production process requires constant attention to the primary goals of the publication. Getting the piece into a reader’s hands as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible is crucial to producing a successful newsletter.

A Holiday Wish from The Newsletter Factory

2010-12-17T07:35:00.000-08:00

We wish you luck,
we wish you cheer,
we wish you good health, peace and joy
throughout the year.

When the season is behind us
and we’re back to work again
we’ll do our best to make success
your most reliable trend.

Our writers and designers,
and production people too,
will really strive to make ’11,
a happy year for you.

Best Wishes for a Joyous Holiday Season from Everyone at The Newsletter Factory

Avoid Cliches By Hook or By Crook

2010-11-18T07:21:00.000-08:00

Whether a newsletter or the latest page-turner topping the bestseller charts, people prefer reading something fresh and inventive. In Patricia O'Conner's grammar guide for the grammarphobic, "Woe Is I," the author writes: "Tallulah Bankhead once described herself as 'pure as the driven slush.' And bankruptcy has been called 'a fate worse than debt.' We smile at expressions like these because we're braced for the numbing cliché that fails to arrive."

Writers of newsletter articles face additional obstacles with industry-specific jargon that tends to pepper the prose of corporate communications. Which is fine if you're writing to other like-minded eggheads in a story that's all "wires and pliers," but sometimes newsletters target readers of all experience levels and even of different industries.

Newsletters often serve specific business purposes, but they can and should still be "good reads." Keeping the "moving forwards," "value-addeds," and "ramping-ups" to a minimum will freshen up your copy and pay a compliment to the intelligence of your readers. Although it's difficult, try to imagine new ways to say the things your boss has been telling you for years.

Keep Your Paragraphs Short and Don’t Overstate Your Point

2010-11-16T06:30:00.000-08:00

If you break up a single paragraph, say, 11 lines long into approximately three separate paragraphs, the chunk of text won’t look so impassable when the reader gives it his or her first quick glance (and it will be quick, so don’t scare them away by making it look like they need the mental readiness for “War and Peace”).

While you want your paragraphs short and sweet, they also most flow nicely into one another. If you express a simple idea in one paragraph, as well as one thought per sentence, there is no need to find alternate ways to say the same thing. A common practice is to make a point then restate it in someone else’s words. In a newsletter, space is tight, your writing should be, too.

Getting Your Newsletter Past the Gatekeepers and Into Your Readers’ Hands

2010-10-15T07:47:00.000-07:00

Although internal and external newsletters have differing communication goals, they share the common goal of getting into the intended reader’s hands. Before you design your newsletter, determine how the piece will be distributed. (See “Does Your Means of Newsletter Distribution Fit Your Newsletter’s Purpose?” on our website’s articles page.) Subtle design nuances associated with each method of distribution can make the difference between your publication making its way to the desired audience or ending up in the trash.

Gatekeepers abound in every business. Secretaries weed out “junk” mail, cleaning people remove excess paper from break rooms, and mailroom clerks route incoming mail to appropriate departments and often make judgments on its importance. Having your newsletter stand out above the clutter involves more than high-impact editorial content; it also requires a look that tells the gatekeeper “I am important, pass me along.” The following are a few suggestions that may help expedite the delivery of your next publication.

Design Self Mailers Carefully for a Higher Pass-Along Rate

Newsletters designed as self-mailers generally receive higher pass-through rates because they have no envelope barrier and receive no competition from separate enclosures. The name and address of the intended recipient is printed directly on the piece, eliminating the possibility of mishandling in the mailroom. Routing boxes placed on the mail panel may even increase readership, as they indicate that the newsletter should be passed along to others who may benefit from reading it, suggesting added value to the recipient.

You can design a self-mailer to be sent either flat or folded. Newsletters weighing up to 3.3 ounces and folded down to 8-1/2 inches by 5-1/2 inches can be mailed first- or third-class for the same rate as a piece in an envelope. Yet the odd size has a tendency to differentiate the piece from stacks of mail that we all get every day. If you are able to budget more for postage, newsletters mailed flat are even more eye catching and tend to have an even greater response rate than those that are mailed folded.

Flag the Envelope to Help Ensure Delivery to Your Readers

Self-mailers are not always appropriate. If your newsletter contains sensitive information that you don’t want everyone along the way to read, or if you must include more than one item in your mailing, an envelope may be needed. In those cases, try putting “flags” on the envelope, such as “Personal and confidential,” “Your subscription enclosed,” or “Dated material inside” to convey the message that the addressee requested and is even expecting the mailer. If possible, print the flag in a different color from the rest of the envelope to help grab the attention of the gatekeeper and final recipient.

Create Internal Pieces that Catch the Eye

If your newsletter is distributed to employees through internal mail systems or in common areas, such as break rooms, your challenge involves making the newsletter intriguing enough to draw attention. Considerations of size for postage rates and mail panel designs that will elicit delivery are not necessary. Instead, you should emphasize the nameplate and actual size.

Tabloid designs are extremely effective for this type of newsletter because they look more like a newspaper’s format, and people are trained to look through newspapers for important information. Nameplates that incorporate unusual shapes, such as sweeps and oddly shaped letters, will enable the publication to take on an identity of its own and separate itself from other company literature.

“Getting past the gatekeeper” is a game that people have been playing for decades. No matter which form of distribution you choose, you should design your newsletter for maximum impact. Taking the time initially to brainstorm ways to increase readership will strengthen the effectiveness of the communication goals you set for your publication.

Increase Readability by Using White Space Effectively

2010-10-11T08:02:00.000-07:00

You’ll enhance the effectiveness and beauty of your newsletter when you correctly balance copy and visual elements with white, or empty space.

By adding white space, you open up your pages, making them easier to read. Used as a frame, white space also makes photos, Illustrations and other visual elements more attention grabbing.

So avoid the temptation to fill up every empty area with copy or other design elements. Boost your newsletter’s effectiveness by using white space to add spaciousness and minimize clutter.

Newsletters — Get Results and Get Through the Gatekeeper

2010-10-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

Improve Your Results with the Eight Secrets of Successful Marketing Newsletters

2010-10-06T09:06:00.000-07:00

An effective marketing newsletter generates a positive response from readers, enhances your organization's image and, above all, boosts your organization's bottom line.

To ensure that your publication accomplishes all three goals, follow these basic guidelines:

Educate and Inform
Provide readers with information that helps them make sound decisions. Talk is cheap — education has value.

Avoid Fluff and Nonsense
Factual information wins customers' confidence and respect, which in turn encourages repeat business. Yet each fact you include should support your newsletter's underlying marketing goal.

Emphasize the Benefits to Your Readers
Readers will care more about the information in your newsletter when they see a benefit. For example, stories about how specific customers save money or solve difficult problems will move readers more than simply reporting that a new feature "is more cost effective" or describing the increased stress tolerance of a new manufacturing device. Including a photo of a customer will help readers identify with the message even more.

Target Features to Reader Interests
In addition to increasing the publication's appeal, such features help build credibility for your newsletter by demonstrating a willingness to address "hot topics" or immediate concerns. You can identify appropriate topics by asking salespeople what objections they encounter most frequently, listing concerns that customers have expressed, and reading letters to the editor in other industry publications.

Practice Moderation with Personnel Stories
A photo and a couple of paragraphs will help readers "get to know" the people who make up your organization. After that, you're probably wasting space that would be better devoted to information that is more practical.

Create Designs and Layouts Appropriate for Your Industry
Above all, make sure your newsletter is accurate and easy to read. Remember, you're trying to convey information effectively, not create an artistic masterpiece.

Don't Combine Your Marketing and In-House Newsletters to Hold Down Budget
Just as a "man can't serve two masters," a newsletter can't effectively accomplish two such different goals. If you can't afford both types of newsletters, just do the marketing publication. When your marketing newsletter succeeds, you'll probably get the money you need for the internal version.

Six Editorial Elements that Generate Results

2010-10-05T11:35:00.000-07:00

Like any successful project, a newsletter is a collection of small details that add up to a whole greater than the sum of seemingly simple parts. Often the hardest part is to decide what to include in the newsletter. If it contains only pictures of employees, praise for your company, and details of interest only to your staff, you probably are wasting every penny spent on the project.

Here are six types of stories that can benefit your company, while keeping the interest of your reader. The rules work whether the publication is aimed at your customers or your in-house employees.

Hard news
This is the key to making your newsletter seem to be more than advertising. Hard news must be of real value to the reader. Include items that are new and of interest to the reader and your industry. Look at the front page of your local newspaper for examples.

Features
These articles constitute an in-depth look at a particular product, problem, or situation—any topic that appeals directly to the reader-as-customer. Features tell a story—rather than being “the news,” they are about the news.

Editorials
Not only do opinion pieces unabashedly share your ideas and rally others to your point of view, they also contrast with the “news” articles, giving them credibility. Make sure editorials are attributed to one or a specific group of individuals, not the entire company. Ask for feedback on opinions expressed in these stories.

Regular columns
More informational (think Q&A or process descriptions) than hard news or feature stories. Under the byline of an expert in your company, columns work two ways: by giving the readers information that you want them to have and by making the company columnist an expert simply by presenting him or her as one.

Advertising
Advertising lends credibility to the rest of the newsletter. If you want to introduce a new product, for instance, you can use an ad to make sure it is noticed, and also do a straight news or feature article about the product. When compared to the advertisement, it seems more believable.

Letters to the Editor
Feedback such as letters to the editor demonstrates your responsiveness to the readership. You can respond to complaints with frankness. Also, letters to the editor offer an opportunity to solve problems and lend another note of credibility to the rest of the newsletter’s content.

Increase Readership With Effective Mailing Panels

2010-09-28T13:11:00.001-07:00

Your newsletter faces a crucial moment when it’s made it through the mail and onto your reader’s desk. It will only get opened if the recipient recognizes your name, the publication, or your company and the value that your publication offers.

You can use this moment to entice your reader into the newsletter by utilizing your mailing panel. Shrink your nameplate and position it at the top of you’re address or mailing panel.

Are Your Pages Crammed?

2010-09-24T07:49:00.000-07:00

Visually appealing newsletters maintain a good balance of white space and other elements. By loading your pages with copy and graphics, you risk losing readers’ attention, as well as creating and ineffective page. If an entire page is covered with text and graphics, readers have no focal point. As such, a lack of white space creates a visually unappealing, difficult-to-read page.

So avoid filling space for the sale of doing so — your newsletter will be much more effective if you balance your copy and graphics with a liberal dose of white space.

To set off headlines from body copy, use a font and point size different from body copy, as well as adequate space (known as leading) between the headline, tagline and story. In addition, make subheads distinguishable by using a font and point size different from the main headline.

White space can often “open up” your page and help define other elements by creating areas of visual emphasis. Sometimes a vertical border can create additional white space, as well as draw readers directly to a photo or graphic.

By carefully choosing a photo’s placement and size, you can let readers know the photo is the center piece and focal point of the page.

In addition, by using a vertical orientation, single-column format, a sidebar can take on it’s own appearance and does not “compete” with other text or graphic elements.

Defining Your External Publication Needs

2010-09-21T06:18:00.000-07:00

Newsletters serve vital functions that set them apart from other forms of marketing or advertising. Because they’re perceived as news, external and internal newsletters are cost-effective tools that can help you strengthen and advance your company’s communication goals. Following are some questions to help you get started by defining your external publication needs.

What are the goals of this newsletter?

What will the newsletter promote?

What features and benefits will influence the reader?

How and where do you find new customers now?

How do you retain customers?

How does your competition approach marketing? What competitive advantages exist?

What department will be involved in creating the newsletter?

What approvals are required for articles and regular columns?

Who will take responsibility for final sign off of your newsletter?

Use Standing Columns for a Consistent Look

2010-09-21T06:11:00.000-07:00

Standing columns repeat each issue, cover a single topic, and are placed in the same position (page, placement on page, etc.) By using standing columns, you’ll have an idea what articles you or your staff or volunteers will need to research and write for each issue. Some examples of standing columns include:

Table of contents
News briefs
Letters to the editor
Announcements (new hires, promotions, departures, retirements)
Calendar highlighting upcoming events
Editorials
President’s column
Regular columnists

Keep in mind that the more standing columns you choose, the less layout flexibility you’ll have with each issue. However, you may find this actually speeds the design stage of production as standing columns provide useful format guides.

Proofreaders Marks

2010-09-10T09:43:00.000-07:00

To download a list
of proofreaders marks
click here.

Use Pull Quotes Effectively

2010-09-09T11:01:00.000-07:00

Since many more members of your audience actually read pull quotes than read entire articles, use them as design elements to help achieve the greatest impact while also jazzing up your publication's overall design.

Pull quotes are quotes from the article that appear on the page in a different size, typeface and/or color. You can use either a verbatim quote or an edited version.

Choose an important part of the article to use as a pull quote. That way, scanners (readers who skim your newsletter) will pick up useful information and may even be enticed into reading the article itself.

Pull quotes often effectively relieve a gray, text-heavy page and balance a graphic element.

Proofreading Checklist

2010-09-08T08:07:00.001-07:00

Use this handy checklist
to make sure your publication
gets done right.

Download this PDF and other
helpful tools here.

Boost Newsletter Readership and Company Sales: Maximize Your Newsletter’s Impact by Using a Variety of Marketing Tools

2010-09-07T07:40:00.000-07:00

If you produce an external newsletter, you already know how it helps you achieve your communication and marketing goals. Your newsletter fosters a sense of stability and commitment among your current and prospective customers, while providing them with timely and helpful information.

Of course, the long-term success of your publication (and company) usually depends on your ability to establish and maintain your presence through other marketing and communications means. Your newsletter represents an important supporting element of your overall sales and marketing strategy.

Tying in your newsletter with other collateral materials serves several other often-overlooked sales and marketing functions. This practice:
• Increases name and product recognition;
• Enhances your image as a professional organization;
• Keeps your organization at the forefront of clients’ and customers’ consciousness; and
• Promotes long-term loyalty.

By using a strong media mix, you’ll appeal to a broader range of potential new customers. You can choose from a wide variety of supplementary materials. Some will complement your newsletter’s role as a sales tool, while others will prove equally effective on their own.

All should help bolster your company’s image and achieve your marketing goals.

Brochures

Brochures that showcase a particular product or service are powerful marketing tools that will increase the value and recognition of the product, while reinforcing the value of your company and its capabilities. Depending on your industry, a brochure can also help you create or maintain consistency with the messages you’re sending to clients and customers in your newsletter.

For example, a car dealership can benefit greatly by producing a newsletter to highlight the benefits of buying its cars, and how the dealership can work with customers before, during and after the sale. Supplementary brochures could then provide details on specific product information and model specifications. Such an approach will help cultivate a more personal ongoing relationship between the dealership and buyers.

Seminars

In-house seminars can serve as a low-cost mechanism for delivering important information to clients and prospects. Start by determining (via your customer service or sales staff) areas of particular interest and/or concern to existing or potential customers or clients that would make interesting and informative seminar topics. Next, evaluate your in-house resources. This includes the staff member(s) best suited to lead the seminar and any other materials that will provide seminar attendees with the best understanding. You might consider inviting guest presenters from a non-competitive vendor.

After establishing these criteria, determine how much time you’ll need (usually a half-day or one work day) and solicit attendees from six weeks to two months in advance, perhaps via a notice in your newsletter.

It’s crucial to remember that, while a seminar can act as an invaluable tool for establishing yourself as an expert (and perhaps generating new business), it only benefits you as much as the knowledge you provide benefits attendees. In other words, don’t hold a seminar just for the sake of doing so — make sure it will be worth your attendee’s time.

Website

Your website gives potential clients a first look at your company and its products or services. Your site also gives many clients or customers their first impression of your company. As more and more companies create and grow their Web sites, their competitors — which may include you — need to make sure their own sites are current with regard to both content and design, informative to the client or customer, and that the look is in keeping with the personality of the company.

A website is also an ideal tie-in tool for your newsletter. By putting your newsletter on your website, you’ll give the newsletter a geographically boundless base of readers. Thus, you’ll increase your newsletter’s strength as a marketing tool.

And the reverse also applies: to get more traffic on your website, put your URL on your newsletter. This will compel your readers to check out your site and learn more about your company’s history, products and services.

Company Pocket Folder

This tool can often put your company above the competition by providing a detailed description of your products and services. You could include detailed paragraphs or pages for prospects, and more personalized information for existing clients who might not be aware of some of your capabilities. Taking the time to showcase your
products in this manner will also show clients and customers that your company takes great pride in its services and products. And by including a copy of the most recent issue of your newsletter in the folder, you also increase your clients’ interest in receiving more timely information about your company.

Business Reply Cards (BRCs)

BRCs usually serve as response mechanisms. From a marketing standpoint, reply cards serve another important function: if they’re strategically designed, BRCs can serve as a graphic reinforcement of your company’s message or product — again, increasing name recognition. They’ll also help you capture reader input and other valuable information that will help you improve your newsletter and mailing list.

In today’s highly competitive marketplace you must look beyond traditional marketing methods and provide customers with a variety of marketing materials to maximize your success and response level. Carefully executed newsletters, brochures, seminars, pocket folders, website and BRCs will generate business, and help you maintain your presence in an ever-changing business world.

Your Message, Delivered Your Way

2010-09-01T07:09:00.000-07:00

That level of control is rarely possible if you use press releases or interviews to deal with the traditional media. In addition, because newsletters are perceived as having news value, they have the ability to bypass gatekeepers such as secretaries and assistants who screen out "junk mail." A regular publication builds awareness of your company or brand. Individuals may miss advertisements or interviews, but they'll look forward to the latest issue of your newsletter.

Newsletters enable your business to grow successfully:

Externals Newsletters
Increase name recognition
Enhance an organization’s image
Promote customer’s loyalty
Create opportunities for expansion
Generate continual feedback from customers

Internal newsletters
Promote teamwork
Increase productivity
Support training initiatives
Involve employees in organizational activities
Pave the way for new policies

Why a Newsletter?

2010-08-30T07:21:00.000-07:00

Control
Your messages, delivered your way. That level of control is rarely possible if you use press releases or interviews to deal with the traditional media. A newsletter means the subjects, tone, and emphasis are handled according to your wishes.

Credibility
Do you rely mostly on advertising to build your business? What about people who ignore ads or read them with a particularly cynical eye? The newsletter format boosts your credibility by avoiding the appearance of a sales pitch. In addition, because newsletters are perceived as having news value, they have the ability to bypass gatekeepers such as secretaries and assistants who screen out "junk mail."

Consistency
A regular publication builds awareness of your company or brand. Individuals may miss advertisements or interviews, but they'll look forward to the latest issue of your newsletter.

Use Standing Columns for a Consistent Look

2010-08-26T09:36:00.000-07:00

Standing columns repeat each issue, cover a single topic, and are placed in the same position (page, placement on page, etc.) By using standing columns, you’ll have an idea what articles you or your staff or volunteers will need to research and write for each issue. Some examples of standing columns include:

• Table of contents
• News briefs
• Letters to the editor
• Announcements (new hires, promotions, departures, retirements)
• Calendar highlighting upcoming events
• Editorials
• President’s column
• Regular columnists

Keep in mind that the more standing columns you choose, the less layout flexibility you’ll have with each issue. However, you may find this actually speeds the design stage of production as standing columns provide useful format guides.

Increase Readability by Using White Space Effectively

2010-08-18T11:25:00.000-07:00

Customer Loyalty Building Is Powerful and Informative Newsletters Can Be the Most Powerful Tool In Your Sales Toolbox

2010-08-16T10:18:00.000-07:00

"A good newsletter keeps you in front of your customers, adds value to your services, establishes your expertise and credibility, and saves you valuable selling time," says Elaine Floyd, author, speaker and newsletter expert extraordinaire.

• Do you have good customers you'd like to stay in touch with without interrupting them with phone calls or visits?

• Is your product or service line changing quickly?

• Do some of your best customers not know about your latest product offerings and how each one benefits them? Or have you heard your customers say, "I didn't know you did that?"

• Do your customers like hearing stories of businesses similar to theirs and how they've been successful?

• Can you share information that saves your customer's time and money, helps them get more business or prepares them for the future?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then you needed a newsletter yesterday.

TOP 10 Reasons You Should Have a Newsletter

2010-08-13T07:49:00.000-07:00

Happy clients and satisfied customers convey that message to their friends and business associates, and that presents a good image for YOU. Because newsletters generally are read by many more people than just those who initially receive them, your good image will be widespread.

A newsletter:

1) Is the most effective, most attractive way of getting your message to your current and potential clients.

2) Provides valuable information about your business and services.

3) Are relevant, timely and welcome, and remind your clients that you are concerned about their interests.

4) Restate the benefits your clients receive by doing business with you.

5) Are a dignified subtle way to promote your business.

6) Give your clients and prospects the opportunity to find out what they may want to know via Q & A columns.

7) Are a good way to introduce new services and products to current and potential clients.

8) Are a welcome handout at meetings and seminars.

9) Are not canned and impersonal and perceived as junk mail.

AND

10) Demonstrate the permanence, reliability and consistency of YOU and your company.

E-newsletters Provide an Easy, Inexpensive Way to Strengthen Relationships With Key Constituencies

2010-08-11T09:17:00.000-07:00

Electronic newsletters have become extremely popular with successful businesses and nonprofit groups because they make communicating with their audiences faster and less expensive than ever before.

By eliminating the cost of printing and postage, electronic newsletters removed two of the major obstacles that historically prevented organizations from incorporating newsletters into their communication programs. But these savings alone didn’t prompt a sudden boom in the use of e-newsletters. Many communication experts initially warned would-be publishers that recipients might perceive e-newsletters as spam. Such a perception, they added, might actually damage an organization’s credibility.

The newsletters that attract and retain the most loyal audiences share several characteristics.

• Timeliness Newsletters have always enjoyed a unique status as a communication vehicle because people perceive them as news – something they should “read now.” E-newsletter enthusiasts want even more. They demand relevant information delivered at just the right moment. So today’s most successful e-newsletters provide up-to-the-minute information on highly targeted topics. For example, a number of companies use e-newsletters to distribute information on new products to members of their sales forces. Many retailers and wholesale distributors have also begun using e-newsletters to inform clients about their product lines or special promotions.

• Brevity E-newsletter enthusiasts don’t have a lot of patience for long stories or documents. An e-newsletter should contain only a few screens of information, with links or other response mechanisms that direct readers to more details. E-newsletter publishers should keep copy as succinct as possible. Presently, a headline, summary, and link a long version of the story will satisfy the appetite of most e-newsletter recipients.

• Customized Content Most successful newsletters tailor their content as much as possible for each individual. Experts recommend identifying readership categories and modifying each issue slightly to address the interests of a particular segment of the audience. The needs of readers should also influence the type of technology used in publishing e-newsletters. If the majority of readers plan to print out the publication to read it, they may prefer a PDF document. If readers demand a combination of screen graphics and hyperlinks, HTML offers a better alternative. Publishers should also produce text-only versions for recipients with slower modems or mail systems that won’t allow HTML. After all, if your publication takes too long to download, recipients may get frustrated and delete it altogether.

• Trackability Successful e-newsletter publishers use analytical tools to track readership and response to their publications. These applications provide valuable information on how often an e-newsletter gets opened, who opens the publication, and which stories generate the greatest interest. Collecting this type of information makes it easier for publishers to strengthen content and further customize publications to the needs of their readers.

• Freedom of Choice Most e-newsletter publishers use the opt-in/opt-out model of distribution. In other words, readers agree to accept the newsletter and can discontinue their “subscription” at any time. People who receive e-newsletters without opting in tend to perceive the publication as an infringement on their personal cyberspace. In that case, they may hit the spam button to delete the publication. If enough people indicate you for sending spam, many e-mail services will stop delivering your publication altogether. Publishers should immediately remove those who opt from their distribution lists for the same reason.

Keeping these characteristics in mind will make it much easier for an organization to create e-newsletters that strengthen its relationship with key audiences. Look for additional tips on creating effective e-newsletters in future issues of The Newsletter Factory’s newsletter, Newsletter Know How.

Sign up to receive future issues here.

Stuck? Read This List of Article Themes for Inspiration

2010-08-11T09:06:00.000-07:00

Training How do new people (employees/interns/volunteers) learn on the job? Does your organization have any interns or apprentices? What training opportunities does your organization provide to employees/volunteers? What are the benefits of workshops/courses? What upcoming industry trends may require training.

Computers Who should employees/volunteers call for help in a crisis?

Awards What competitions/awards are in your industry or field? Who entered and who won? How do these competitions/awards affect the industry?

Payroll deductions Explain in detail each deduction that appears on a paycheck. Which are required and why, and which are optional?

Department focus What are the specific functions of each department per article.

Insurance What kinds of coverage does your organization offer and at what costs?

Organizational growth What are plans for new products, services, or programs? Provide updates on progress.

Health Promote health awareness with articles on wellness, nutrition, and fitness. What are some health issues specific to your industry?

New technology What upcoming trends will affect your industry or field?

Professional organizations What organizations support your field? What are the membership costs and who leads the groups? What are the benefits of membership?

Acronyms What are the common acronyms in your field/industry and what do they stand for?

Maintenance Who performs maintenance tasks in your organization and what is their typical day like? What are signs of wear or damage that employees/volunteers can detect?

Cost cutting How can employees/volunteers be more efficient on the job? How does management plan to cut costs? Do employees/volunteers have ideas for cutting costs?

Quality How does your organization define quality (of either services or products)? How are quality standards measured? What are some new techniques to raise quality?

Competition Who is your competition and how do they affect your organization? What are they doing?

Profiles Focus on employee/volunteer of the month, new employees/volunteers, customers, supporters, vendors, retirees, and promotions.

Evaluation How are employees/volunteers and programs evaluated? Wow does your organization evaluate customers, suppliers, consultants, etc.?

Legislation What are laws and proposals that affect your organization or industry?

Customers Who are your customers/beneficiaries and what do they do? Why do they use your products or services?

Resources What resources materials is available in your field? Provide reviews of current resources. What does your library have available?

Suppliers Who are your vendors? How are they chosen and evaluated?

Commuting How do your employees/volunteers get to work? Are there any car pooling opportunities? What are the mass transit schedules? Who has the longest/shortest commute? What do people do when stuck in traffic?

Are Your Pages Crammed?

2010-08-10T11:28:00.000-07:00

Tap Into Typography

2010-08-09T08:25:00.000-07:00

There are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to choosing fonts or mixing different fonts within your publication. However, there are a few guidelines that can simplify the font selection process and generally result in typographically attractive and readable compositions. These guidelines won't always work for your newsletter, but they can give you the results you want with the least amount of trial and error.

• Pair a serif font for body text and a sans serif font for headlines.

• Avoid mixing two very similar typefaces, such as two scripts or two sans serifs. There is not enough contrast and the small differences will be visually unappealing.

• Avoid mono spaced typefaces for body copy. They draw too much attention to the individual letters, thus distracting the reader from the message.

• Limit the number of different fonts used in a single document to no more than three or four.

• Match the typeface to the content and spirit of the text.

Five Guidelines for Using Photos Effectively

2010-08-06T09:57:00.000-07:00

1
Make your photographs large. The bigger they are, the more effectively they’ll serve the purpose for which they were included.

2
“Hand scan” your photos. Minimize differences in intensity by hand scanning your images so that you can correct lighting etc.

3
Bad photo are worse that no photos. No matter how sparkling your copy or how stunning your layout, bad photos will make your newsletter look “low class”.

4
Emphasize action. A photo of someone doing something has greater impact than “head shots” of staff members, snapshots of empty work areas, or portraits of building exteriors.

5
Acquire “free”. professional photos whenever possible If you obtain any information fro your publication from a Public Relation Department, ask them if they can provide photos pertaining to your subject matter. Many have extensive photo libraries and will gladly loan out pictures to get added exposure

Defining Your External Publication Needs

2010-08-06T09:47:00.000-07:00

Flag the Envelope to Help Ensure Delivery to Your Readers

2010-08-05T09:59:00.000-07:00

Self-mailers are not always appropriate. If your newsletter contains sensitive information that you don’t want everyone along the way to read, or if you must include more than one item in your mailing, an envelope may be needed. In those cases, try putting “flags” on the envelope, such as “Personal and confidential,” “Your subscription enclosed,” or “Dated material inside” to convey the message that the addressee requested and is even expecting the mailer. If possible, print the flag in a different color from the rest of the envelope to help grab the attention of the gatekeeper and final recipient.

Create Internal Pieces that Catch the Eye

2010-08-05T09:48:00.000-07:00

If your newsletter is distributed to employees through internal mail systems or in common areas, such as break rooms, your challenge involves making the newsletter intriguing enough to draw attention. Considerations of size for postage rates and mail panel designs that will elicit delivery are not necessary. Instead, you should emphasize the nameplate and actual size.

Tabloid designs are extremely effective for this type of newsletter because they look more like a newspaper’s format, and people are trained to look through newspapers for important information. Nameplates that incorporate unusual shapes, such as sweeps and oddly shaped letters, will enable the publication to take on an identity of its own and separate itself from other company literature.

Here’s A Little Tip

2010-08-05T09:39:00.001-07:00

Create an Idea File and Collect Story Ideas for Your Newsletter All Year Round

Why wait for the editorial content deadline of your newsletter to approach to start collecting article ideas. Create a file for article ideas, pictures, and other newsletter resources that you can collect information in all year round.

External and Internal Newsletters

2010-08-05T09:37:00.000-07:00

Did you know that newsletters are the most effective media of communication within your organization or for external communication with your customers? Internally, they promote teamwork, increase productivity, support training initiatives and involve the reader in organizational activities. Customer newsletters enhance your organizations image, promote customer loyalty, increase sales and generate continual feedback from customers.

The process is simple and affordable for your organization. And, the results are fantastic.

Increase Readability by Using White Space Effectively

2010-08-05T09:34:00.000-07:00

You’ll enhance the effectiveness and beauty of your newsletter when you correctly balance copy and visual elements with white, or empty space.

By adding white space, you open up your pages, making them easier to read. Used as a frame, white space also makes photos, Illustrations and other visual elements more attention grabbing,

So avoid the temptation to fill up every empty area with copy or other design elements. Boost your newsletter’s effectiveness by using white space to add spaciousness and minimize clutter.

Newsletter Know-How by The Newsletter Factory

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Customer Loyalty Building Is Powerful and Informative Newsletters Can Be the Most Powerful Tool In Your Sales Toolbox