Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Product promotion. Every company interviewed uses the newsletter to promote products 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, newsy and gossipy and people enjoy that. President's message. Many newsletters feature an article from the president or chairman 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's coming 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 their business," 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 an executive 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 an article that can help your customers, include that," suggests an executive in Massachussetts. Customer news. Customers are a bottomless source of newsletter content, and using what 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 the newsletter. 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've done 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 smart marketers. 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 itwe print 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 written about 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.
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
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 more information.