| One of the best ways to stay in touch with | | | | have a steady monthly or bi-monthly |
| current and past clients, colleagues and fans, is to | | | | arrangement, on retainer, to work on editing |
| publish a regular newsletter. Whether you use a | | | | newsletter items. It is also possible to find |
| HTML template tool like Constant Contact, simply | | | | someone who is willing to barter this service for |
| create a good looking text email to send out to | | | | products or services on a regular basis. You can |
| your contacts, or publish something fancy with | | | | also hire someone to handle the design and |
| PDF, it can draw new business simply by making | | | | technical implementation of the content and |
| sure that no one forgets what your business | | | | manage your mailing list. Be creative and consider |
| does and can do for them. For every company | | | | getting help if having a newsletter would bring |
| that benefits from this form of marketing, many | | | | marketing and communication benefits to the |
| more feel they are not good enough writers, do | | | | company. |
| not have the time, or are not comfortable enough | | | | 4) When the subject matter is not commonplace, |
| with the computer to make the effort. | | | | and available in an article database, consider asking |
| There are many ways a small business can | | | | members of specific industries or disciplines to pen |
| develop a newsletter, when the full do-it-yourself | | | | articles for the audience in exchange for credit. If |
| route is not an option. First, keep in mind that it is | | | | it is a complementary service, or related product |
| acceptable that 20-30% of the newsletter is | | | | they sell, it will broaden the information provided |
| promotion and good news about the business, | | | | your audience. These strategic alliances can bear |
| assuming the audience is primarily made of clients | | | | fruit in many ways if we are confident about the |
| and prospective clients. To come up with the rest | | | | quality of what we provide our clients to offer |
| of the content, try these techniques: | | | | them knowledge they might not get otherwise. |
| 1) People who know how to write well, but cannot | | | | 5) Subscribe to industry newsletters and create a |
| think of subject matter can visit one of the many | | | | compilation of the best feature articles there. |
| article databases on the web, and browse for | | | | Your audience will appreciate the effort you take |
| ideas. The idea is to use it for inspiration, and as a | | | | to discern and distill the most useful information |
| brainstorming tool for topics. Once an idea is | | | | for them, and bring it to them in one place. |
| established, start writing for the audience and put | | | | The important thing is that the information is of |
| a unique spin on it. | | | | use to the audience, and that they have the |
| Some of these databases include: | | | | option at all times to stop receiving the newsletter |
| - | | | | if they request it. |
| - [ | | | | Make a realistic monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly |
| - | | | | schedule. Create a plan for how you will |
| 2) Anyone who doesn’t like to write can | | | | accomplish this goal. Determine which route you |
| reprint any of the articles in these databases. In | | | | will take to build your content, and which tools |
| other words, he might decide to do a feature | | | | you will use. Set recurring deadlines. For example, |
| article on, say, logo design, to provide some | | | | put on the calendar that the newsletter feature |
| substance along with business news and other | | | | article is due by the end of the second week of |
| thoughts. This is perfectly acceptable. Just make | | | | every month, and whether writing it, finding it, or |
| sure the author’s credits and bio are | | | | submitting to an editor, it will be ready to go. |
| always included. | | | | With good planning and taking advantage of the |
| 3) For those who know their subjects, and are | | | | resources which are online, nearly any small |
| willing to write but aren’t confident in their | | | | business can develop a solid, informational |
| ability, there is the option of arranging to have an | | | | newsletter to share with their customers. |
| editor. Many freelance writers would be pleased to | | | | |