Top 7 Steps To A Great Newsletter

A newsletter can be a wonderful, economical way to communicate with prospects, customers, employees or distributors. Just follow these easy steps for newsletter success.

1. Define Your Audience
   
   Who are you publishing for? Clients (customers) – present, past and prospective? Employees? Your audience will define your content.
   
   
2. Set Objectives
   
   Create a solid foundation for your newsletter by writing down what you want to achieve.
   
   
3. Plan Content
   
   What interests your audience? Build your newsletter around whatever that is. Plan content at least half a year at a time. You can always make changes along the way.
   
   
4. Establish a Budget
   
   Newsletters can be cost effective, but they’re not FREE. When you set a budget, consider start-up as well as ongoing, per-issue costs.
   
   
5. Decide On a Schedule
   
   Like any new habit it takes time to establish a pattern for a newsletter. But DO establish a pattern. Your reward will be consistent readership.
   
   Keep it going. Be disciplined.
   
   
6. Develop a Name and Design
   
   Determine format and length. Brainstorm a relevant name. Then select a simple design – and stick with it.
   
   
7. Build Your Audience With Promotion
   
   There are lots of ways to build internal or external readership. Use them.

About the author

Claire Cunningham, president of Clairvoyant Communications, Inc., has 20+ years experience developing and implementing successful marketing and communications programs. Sign up for Claires monthly newsletter, Communiqué, at http://www.clairvoyantcommunications.com Claire can be reached at 763-479-3499 (Fax: 763-479-2809, e-mail: )