WHAT NEWSLETTERS CAN ACCOMPLISH FOR YOU

Newsletters are more than plain-Jane employee publications or mailers that you forgot you were still sending out. A well thought out newsletter, properly executed, can be a powerful form of direct marketing. For instance, they can be . . .

• A way to deliver a marketing message inexpensively in between — or in lieu of — one-on-one visits by a salesperson, selling your products or services in an extremely cost-effective manner.
• A means of establishing your expertise in your field, reinforcing your position in the market and pre-empting the competition.
• A way to present an image of what you'd like to become — not necessarily what you are today, but what you will be in a year, or five years — to customers and prospects who are looking for an alternative to their current supplier.
• A medium that communicates to employees and other stakeholders, not just because we've always done it, but because the organization expects specific outcomes: increased productivity, perhaps, or lower turnover and reduced training costs.

Studies show that many unsolicited newsletters go unread. Why do readers ignore these newsletters? There are a couple of reasons: The reader is too busy to peruse long winded articles about a company the reader may never have heard of, is not high on his or her list of priorities. Second, he or she prefers magazines, articles or books that feature information that's important to his or her career, home life, children etc.

• When there's no clear-cut goal for the publication.
• When the only reason anyone can give is "We've always done it this way," or "Well, I like it."
• When, in appearance or content, the publication projects an image that's not in keeping with broader marketing goals.

OTHER NEWSLETTER ADVANTAGES

When done well and sent to the right people, a newsletter that provides information people want to read will often be saved for later reference, and those who receive it may even look forward to getting new issues on a regular basis. A newsletter can also enhance your image and build your credibility as an expert.

A newsletter also permits you to keep in touch with your customers, give them good news, and announce special products or services. It's a way to offer an incentive, alert customers to important trends in the industry, and, above all, give them an opportunity to know you better. This medium is also a way to convey information you might otherwise find difficult — or even impossible — to report to your customers and prospects, such as news about an award you've received or some outstanding facts about your company.

In other words, having a newsletter provides a chance for you to sell some of the intangible aspects of doing business with you. For example, if there is someone at your office with whom your customers or clients talk by phone on a regular basis, you can ask that individual to write a special column and include his or her photo. There is nothing like being able to put a face with a name and voice.

Two areas that can be especially well handled via newsletter are price increases and product or service problems. Your newsletter provides the opportunity to explain the cause of a price increase and use subtle selling techniques to make such an increase more palatable. It is also a forum in which you can make apologies and explain what a customer can do if he or she encounters any problems. Since such notices can be surrounded by short articles that provide valuable information or positive news about your company, the impact of unavoidable negatives can be softened.

Newsletters are also the ideal way to tell customers about special ancillary products or services you offer that are not usually mentioned in the normal course of your other marketing activities. Furthermore, newsletters can be used to offer special promotions, such as special sales, short term discounts, closeouts, or to promote products or services that haven't moved as quickly as you would like.

On the other hand, newsletters have become such popular marketing tools that your clients and customers may already be receiving many of them every week. You may get a lot of newsletters yourself, and perhaps you've noticed that too many of them are nothing more than sales pieces masquerading as a newsletter. So you'll need to take the time and energy to make your newsletter truly compelling.

TIPS FOR IMPROVING YOUR NEWSLETTERS

1. Define the purpose of your newsletter.
   To be effective, your newsletter should have an editorial purpose other than to promote yourself. So create a mission statement for your newsletter before you begin. This mission can then guide your decisions about the tone, style, and look of your newsletter.

2. Focus on truly valuable information.
   Limit your first efforts to the number of pages you can fill with practical, useful information that will be of high interest to your existing and prospective clients or customers. Tuck self promotional items (like a picture of the CEO receiving an award or an announcement of your new discount coupon) into a corner here or there or embed your promotional message indirectly into your informational content. You might use an example from work you've done to illustrate a particular point or include a list of the top ten problems your clients face with a sentence summarizing how to solve them.

   Almost any information of value to your customers and clients can be grist for your newsletter's mill: industry news, organizational hints, jokes, cartoons, client stories, reader surveys and other information specific to your business.

   One way to find compelling information is to read the trade journals in your industry for interesting tidbits you can pass along to your clients. You may also include legislative activity or industry controversies that affect your readers, accompanied by appropriate comments from your perspective.

3. Select a meaningful name.
   Your newsletter should have a name distinctive from but recognizable as part of your business. It might be some sort of play on your company name or business.

4. Create an effective nameplate.
   Often mistakenly referred to as a masthead, the nameplate or flag for your newsletter consists of your publication name, graphic identity, and other important publishing information including the date and issue number. Its role is to grab the reader's attention and create an identity for the newsletter. It should be distinctive yet compatible with your overall business image. The goal is make your newsletter immediately recognizable to those who receive it.

   Your nameplate should be brief, create contrast, and, most important, provide a reason to read the newsletter.

5. Have a design concept
   You also need one overall consistent look the newsletter itself with recognizable recurring elements, including format and layout that are both readable and distinctive. The pages should be divided into two or three columns for easy reading.

6. Use color if possible
   Consider matching the colors of your newsletter with those on your letterhead.

7. Add photos and graphics
   In order to keep the newsletter easy to read and interesting, use line art, photos, or cartoons.

8. Keep costs down
   To save money some organizations are broadcast-faxing newsletters. Others are sending their newsletters via E mail or posting them on their Web page or on hospitable newsgroups or forum libraries.

   Permitting your suppliers to advertise can help cover the costs of producing your newsletter. If you decide to do this, be sure that all your suppliers have an equal opportunity and that they advertise without pressure, and don't overload the newsletter with advertising.

A UNIQUE OPTION — MEDIA-BASED NEWSLETTERS

Because the information is taken from prestigious, trustworthy publications, and because all the items are based on articles that have appeared in the last 90 days, readers accept the information as valuable— whether or not they agree with its point of view.

To give the newsletter some real sales/ marketing value, one or two articles in each issue are written to feature new programs being offered by your company.

The newsletter also includes "data bits": information spelled out in a short paragraph, perhaps only one sentence, that will be of great interest to the reader. USA Today generates tremendous readership with the data bits sprinkled throughout the paper.

To guarantee that the information is highly appealing to your target audience, Andover Group will review various trade publications (titles to be selected by your executive staff), as well as selected general publications like the Wall Street Journal. This review will be undertaken for three months, and then copies of important or extremely timely articles will be sent to you for review before creating the next issue of the newsletter. Your staff will sort the articles, selecting the pieces that may be of most interest to readers.

After the most significant articles are selected, Andover will edit each one down to less than 200 words. The reader who wants to know more is referred to the publication that originally published the article.

Why can you reprint these articles? Because 200 words from any publication can be reprinted without violating copyright. In fact, publications are pleased when a summary is reprinted because it serves to promote the magazine or newspaper.

BONUS APPLICATIONS FOR YOUR COMPANY

This type of newsletter offers another important bonus. As your executives and staff review the full text articles each quarter, they are made aware of the most important developments in your industry as well as changes and happenings in the industry. This will help your executives plan new marketing strategies and create new products or services.