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

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.