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What Makes a Company Newsletter Work?

by Nancy Rathbun Scott

A monthly newsletter may be a company's best marketing tools.

How far can a newsletter reach? A marketing director at a New Jersey company,relates two vivid examples of her newsletter's widespread appeal.

"I went to a customer to renew my auto insurance. I was sitting in the little lobby, and

on the end table there were the usual insurance industry magazines, but right on top

were the current and previous editions of Commentary. Another time, I went to a small

restaurant. There, getting out of her car almost simultaneously with me, was a womancarrying our newsletter-I wished I had a camera with me-and I said, 'I thought people

only read the local newspaper at lunch' and she said it was her 'day with CommentaryI

read this thing cover to cover. We pass it around the office.'''

In this article, four marketing professionals describe features of their newsletter andtell how the newsletter is used to market the company.

What's works in a newsletter

Effective newsletters begin with effective content, say those we interviewed.

"The newsletter is very important, very critical" says one editor. "It gives up to the

minute news, spotlights products, highlights upcoming corporate and communityevents. We also have news updates and the newsletter's a good tool to let cusomtersknow we're out there. Also we feature new customers and include a monthly calendar."

Not every company treats newsletter features the same way, of course, but pros

generally agree on the marketing value of the following newsletter items-both forpromoting new and selling current products and serviceds.

Photographs. Because of their human appeal, photographs get a lot of attention

where plain copy might fail. Says one newsletter editor, "We do a lot of photos. Weeven like to do the center spread as a photo spread. It's a real 'thank you' page to

customers."

Guest columnists. Bringing in outside experts adds an air of authenticity andprofessionalism to newsletter content. Fortunately, companies need not pay for

qualified columnists. "Say it's tax time," says an editor. "One of our customers who'sexpert in that field will write a column."

Hot issues. Whether it stems from community, legislative or simply internal corporate

issues, a little excitement keeps current and prospective customers involved. "Themost important part of our newsletter is page three-the 'hot issues' page," says one

executive.

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Product promotion. Every company interviewed uses the newsletter to promoteproducts and special events. Some add inserts, while others make event

announcements part of the format. And, when the promotion is over, follow-up stories

may inform those who missed the event.

Blurbs and highlights. Many companies condense information about customers and

community events into short, easily digestible bits. Says one editor, "Our Briefs are

written in blurbs. It's the most popular section, because it's short and sweet, newsyand gossipy and people enjoy that.

President's message. Many newsletters feature an article from the president orchairman of the board. This is an ideal place to promote new products and services

because the column is generally upfront and personal.

New member information. Both current and new customers like to read about other

customers "People like the New Customer Profile because they want to know who'scoming into an area," says an executive.

Writing this column doesn't have to be a burden if you follow one company's lead. "We

like to have the new members introduce themselves with an article about theirbusiness," says an editor in Montana.

Calendar. Most companies include a calendar of events in the newsletter. No wonder.

This is an unfailingly popular item. "A lot of customers use the calendar," confirms anexecutive in California. "We did an informal survey and asked if people read the

newsletter and almost everyone said 'yes.' Then we asked about the calendar and,again, most everyone said they found it very useful."

Professional Information. Articles in the newsletter need not be original. Many

organizations will allow companies to reprint articles. "If you find a message or anarticle that can help your customers, include that," suggests an executive in

Massachussetts.

Customer news. Customers are a bottomless source of newsletter content, and usingwhat they submit makes both editorial and marketing sense. In Montana, any client of

a professional services firm with upcoming events to announce can be featured in thenewsletter. Says one editor, "It seems that the most popular thing in our newsletter is

our feature on customers each month. They can talk about who they are, what they'vedone for the company or what the company's done for them. The customers really get

fired up over that.'

Customer recognition. Recognizing customers in print is a favored technique of smartmarketers. One editor says,"If a customer has a grand opening, or if there is a

promotion from within, or a customer lands a big client and wants to brag about itweprint a picture and a press releaseWe feel it gives them identification with the company

and they are going to stay customers."

Another California company is also eager to help members promote themselves."Customers have an opportunity, once they join, for a free ad or an article writtenabout them. We can show them the back page where we print our Community Notes, if

someone wins an award, or is appointed to a board or committee," reports the editor.

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Distribution is important to marketing too

Some companies reserve newsletter distribution exclusively for customers or clients.

"We have set our newsletter up as an 'in-house' piece just for our clients," says oneTexas executive. "Our clients are the only market. We have no outside features."

More often, however, companies distribute the newsletter broadly. "We have 750

clients and about 1,000 mailings," says one editor. "The newsletter goes to all thecustomers, the city council, the city managers, and we take bundles to the library, the

hospital, the community center, and some of the coffee shops where people are apt topick up a copy and browse through."

Here are some innovative newsletter features to consider:

1. Health and fitness tips

2. Recycling and environmental updates

3. Baby pictures of employees

4. Insurance changes and how-to-file articles

5. Volunteer needs and news

6. Book and movie reviews

7. Recipes for working parents

8. Children's drawings of relatives at work

9. Swap/sale/barter

10. Ways to improve efficiency and work habits

11. Promotions, transfers, new employees

12. Old-fashioned home remedies

13. History-corporate, local, world (20 years ago this month)

14. Cartoons or customized comic strips

15. Community involvement and awards

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16. Company activities

17. How to get in touch with: local, state and federal elected officials; school board

members; radio and television news directors; newspapers; emergency centers

Nancy Rathbun Scott is a business writer living in the Washington, D.C. area. She can

be reached at author@nancyscott.com. Visit www.nancyscott.com for moreinformation.