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.
Friday
Are Your Pages Crammed?
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.
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.
Tuesday
Defining Your External Publication Needs
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?
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
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.
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.
Friday
Thursday
Use Pull Quotes Effectively
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.
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.
Wednesday
Proofreading Checklist
Use this handy checklist
to make sure your publication
gets done right.
Download this PDF and other
helpful tools here.
Tuesday
Boost Newsletter Readership and Company Sales: Maximize Your Newsletter’s Impact by Using a Variety of Marketing Tools
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.
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.
Wednesday
Your Message, Delivered Your Way
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
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
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