Guest Author - Kristin Peoples
If you are in business, you may be considering starting a Newsletter or Ezine. It is a great way to get your business in the front of your customer and potential customer’s hands. They can read it at the leisure. You don’t have to be there speaking with them or on the phone with them but they can hear your voice. This type of product works best when you have an audience that you are trying to reach also. You may decide that you want to target a certain group of individuals. You can’t go to visit all of them so your Newsletter or Ezine will do the talking for you.
Email or Hard Copy
Next you need to decide if your Newsletter will be and Ezine or a hard copy. If the customers you are targeting use the internet a lot, an Ezine may be your best bet. An Ezine can be an email or a full blown Newsletter format, but just in the email. If you decide to use a hard copy, you will need to include postage and copies in your mailing budget. There may be a mix of both in your customer base. Decide which works well for the majority of the people. You can also do a survey of your current customers. Which one do they enjoy? It’s a good way to advertise that this type of product is coming and have them help you decide which one is best.
Frequency
How often will you write your newsletter? Will it be weekly or monthly? It’s best to determine the frequency in the beginning and stick to that plan. Your readers will know when to expect the Ezine or Newsletter. If they cannot count on you for frequency, they may begin to stop reading the Newsletter. Frequency provides predictability. Readers enjoy a product that is predictable.
Length
When you are just beginning your Newsletter or Ezine, you may not think about the length of the final product. Don’t make the mistake to start off with a 10 page newsletter for the initial printing and then drop down to three or four. Whatever length you choose, stick to it each month. The length of the final product provides predictability as well.
Starting a Newsletter or Ezine takes some planning. Once you get the template down, it will not take as long with each subsequent issue.
