Making The Most Of Newsletters

Newsletters can be wonderful tools for communicating with your customers or prospects. Because of their format, they're often infused with more credibility than traditional brochures. If your newsletter is little more than blatant self-promotion, however, it's likely to hit the wastebasket before it hits your target's desk.

By following a few basic tips, you can cultivate interest in your newsletter and make it an effective marketing tool.

Keep it interesting. Whether you're informing prospects or current customers, provide useful content and avoid the temptation of use a hard-sell approach. For example, include a how-to article about some aspect of home buying or selling. While these topics relate to your field and reinforce your message, they also offer valuable advice and will help cultivate a loyal audience.

Do it yourself . . . or not. The abundance of desktop publishing programs on the market makes it easy for virtually anyone to create a newsletter. However, poor knowledge of design basics and overzealous use of difficult-to-read fonts has led to more than one design disaster. Before you try to do it yourself, consider hiring a professional graphic designer to create a template into which you or a staff member can input copy. If you still want to give it a shot yourself, pick up a book on graphic design basics before you create your masterpiece.

Find your look. Depending on your budget, you can choose from a variety of styles-from a simple, one-color piece to a multi-page, full-color format. Factors such as the number of colors and pages, type of paper, and paper size can mean big differences in cost, so ask for quotations on different specifications from several printers.

Keep it short. Generally, it's best to limit your newsletter to eight pages or fewer and keep articles at 300 words or fewer. If you have a lengthy or complex issue to address, try to break it up into two articles or one longer article accompanied by a short sidebar piece.

Remember what a picture's worth. Photographs add interesting elements to your piece-as long as you use something more creative than the traditional "smiling head" shots. If you choose not to use a full-color format, keep in mind that photographs reproduce best in shades of black.

Don't ignore the details. Triple-check spelling and grammar. Typographical errors can quickly damage your credibility and distract your reader. In addition to running the document through spelling and grammar checkers, have someone proofread it-preferably someone who hasn't seen the article before. He or she will be more likely than you are to catch any errors.

Include a feedback mechanism. Make it easy for readers to respond by including a contact name, phone and fax numbers, and postal and e-mail addresses.

Cost Cutters

Looking for ways to cut your newsletter costs? Here are a few tips:

Team up with another business that reaches out to similar prospects. Split the content-and the cost-of the newsletter.

Run your rough design by your local post office. Sometimes, simple size changes can cut postage costs.

Get prices from at least three printers, and let them know you're soliciting multiple bids for the job. Competition can help you get a better price.

Offer an e-mail option. This allows you to save on postage and printing, but send it only if customers ask. New laws are cracking down on unsolicited e-mail.

We've found newsletters to be a great marketing mechanism. Keep in mind, if you have truly timely news, you can turn your newsletter into a subscription based newsletter. This can lead to another cash flow source.

We have used newsletters as both a marketing mechanism and a cash flow source. To check out the HBS Digest, click here:

http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com/hbsd_ info.htm

Copyright 2004 DeFiore Enterprises

Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business? Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, visit http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses. No time to visit the site? Subscribe to our "how to" Home Business Solutions Digest, it's like having your own personal coach: mailto:subscribeHBS@homebusinesssolutions.com

In The News:

---

Become a Customer Enthusiasm-Guru!

One thing all successful small business owners have in common... Read More

Dealing with Difficult People

1. Don't get Hooked !!!When people behave towards you in... Read More

Hook Me Up With A Human

Oh, what has happened to the carbon-based organizational interface? Many... Read More

How CRM Software Works -- Creating Customer Satisfaction with a Click

When people ask, "What is CRM?" the literal answer is,... Read More

Customer Service and Marketing that Works

Go into many businesses today and try and get service,... Read More

Making Your Contacts Work For You

The best way to explain this concept is to tell... Read More

Raising The Bar For Online Magazine Subscription Services And Customer Service

After years of flying below the radar in the magazine... Read More

4 Tips Toward Overcoming Bad Customer Service

Customer service is the pits, you say. You are not... Read More

Mastering Challenging Service Situations

During the course of everyday business, many of you encounter... Read More

Making the Connection: Customer Relationships That Build Your Business

Have you ever wondered why you often find a coupon... Read More

Astonish your Customers With These Customer Service Tips

Customer service today is getting worse. Win customers over and... Read More

Are You Satisfying Your Customers?

The latest report from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (Michigan... Read More

The Added Value - Is YOU!

If there was a restaurant in your town that was... Read More

You MUST Sweat the Small Stuff

It's The Little Things That Make or Break a Small... Read More

Empowering Customer Service Vital

It never fails to amaze me how many companies have... Read More

The Drawback of Hacking Off a Blogger Through Weak Process Gaps and Pathetic Customer Service

With all of the recent data theft in the financial... Read More

The Marvelous World of Metaphors

Recognize metaphors from every angle and round up more insight... Read More

Handling Customer Complaints

Even the best business will receive an occasional customer complaint.... Read More

Customers Who Rave About You and Your Service

According to customer service studies by marketing gurus of the... Read More

In the Villa of the Sick Cat -- A Lesson in Customer Care

If you're a pet owner, you know the stress of... Read More

It?s Customer Service Stupid: Delivering Customer Service Training That Sticks

"Society is always taken by surprise at any new example... Read More

Customer Service - How Good Are YOU?

At 8.30 am a wealthy client (on his way to... Read More

Over Deliver - The Key to Customer Satisfaction

Client satisfaction starts with meeting or beating the contractual obligations... Read More

Clients - What They Want from You

A growing number of individuals are finding themselves called to... Read More

Top Ten Strategies for Delivering 5-Star Customer Service

Customer satisfaction is valuable, but customer loyalty is priceless. In... Read More

Get Customers to Stop Calling You--12 Easy Ways to Save Money with Online Customer Support

Despite rumors to the contrary, the Web is not dead.... Read More

How To Keep Your Customers Coming Back -- Understanding Customer Retention

Why do some businesses offer points, stamps or every tenth... Read More

Minimize The Pain of Check Recovery

$350 million in bad checks are written each and every... Read More

The Number 1 Rule for Businesses - Be Professional

Have you ever walked into a store and things looked... Read More

Accountability

The Call Center world is an intense pressure-driven environment continually... Read More

Listen to Suggestions

If you are up to your ears in a stressful... Read More

Customer Service A Chickens Way

Anyone who knows me knows my favorite fast food restaurant... Read More

Listening: The Foundation of Communication

Listening is the #1 communication skill for leadership, selling, customer... Read More