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Plan a newsletter before you publish:
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By Thomson Chemmanoor |
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Publishing a newsletter is not an easy thing. A lot of planning is needed before you can actually publish a newsletter. If you have published for some time, you have to re-examine what exactly you are gaining or losing through your newsletter publication. This is because most newsletters are a cross between an advertising gimmick and a branding tool; so determine where your newsletter falls! You should have an increase in newsletter sales after four or five issues, instead of running out of steam; then it may be considered that your newsletter is a success!
Before publishing your next newsletter, it is advisable to listen to your readers and advertisers to know their needs. Most publishers make the mistake of publishing what they want to publish, and not on what their audience wants to read. |
You could do this by using fax-back polls or e-mail to solicit their comments and suggestions. However, do make sure that you study the information habits of your audience before actually getting down to designing your publication.
Plan your newsletter in such a way that you reach the readers who have continuing information needs. The best advice you can expect for planing the ideal newsletter would be the advice from the people right in front of you like your printer or your banker. Never feel shy to ask about business suggestions from people whom you respect. If you can afford it, it is always better to hire the services of people with publishing experience to plan your newsletter. The best way of getting ideas for the perfect newsletter would be by studying other publications while getting to know other publishers. You can then try to study what is working for other publishers.
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Before you get to publish your newsletter, befriend influential people in your market and ask them to support your publication by sharing their thoughts in an interview or by helping you understand trends and new developments. Always plan to have a ready stock of resources for the proverbial rainy day of your publication when new competitors come along, making readers change their reading habits. Once you have a trusting relationship with your advertisers and subscribers, it is a good idea to plan to look for add-on or spin-off products to sell to the same customers. |
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Whatever plan you generate for your newsletter, it is important to remember that publications are relatively easy to launch. It is its’ maintaining part that is difficult. So the best thing to do is to always complete your homework of learning as much as possible on publishing while studying your audience and competitors, to define your goals and aspirations. Never go forward without a foolhardy, long-term plan for your newsletter! |
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