There are so many times when newsletters would serve as the ideal communication solution that it would be difficult to list them all. However, the common denominator with virtually every newsletter is that the readership consists of an easily defined group that have a need for regular news. A list of the types of organizations that might need to communicate regularly with a certain group is not likely to be of great interest but if you happen to fit one of the following scenarios then you should at least be considering a newsletter.
- You’re responsible for corporate, PR or employee communications
- You administer a Club, Association or some kind of non-profit organization
- You’re in business to sell a product or service
- You need to communicate regularly with a common interest group
- You run a Desktop Publishing or Secretarial Services business
- You’re new to computers and want to make yours pay for itself
What If None Of The Above Apply?
There are many other cases where the same applies but OK, if none of the above scenarios seem to cover your situation, you might consider that newsletters don’t fit the bill, and that’s fair enough. However, the above examples are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the possibilities. If you think very carefully, there is every chance you will suddenly realize that there is an area where a newsletter would be the perfect communication solution for you. Newsletters are almost always the best way to communicate regularly with groups. Many people just haven’t, as yet, ‘seen the light’.
A Few Typical Examples
- A church newsletter—news for congregation members
- A company newsletter—PR for customers or suppliers
- An employee newsletter—from the HR department
- A family newsletter—particularly for geographically widely spread families
- A financial newsletter—personal finance, stocks and shares etc
- A health newsletter—by a health food shop, dietitian, health website etc
- A marketing newsletter—promoting a service or product niche
The list could go on and on. Consider the following, just off the top of my head, for example:
- A preschool newsletter
- A quilters newsletter
- A real estate newsletter
- A safety newsletter
- A school newsletter
- A scrap-booking newsletter
- A technology newsletter
- A travel newsletter
Remember also that the word newsletter, in this context, can be transposable to e-newsletter or ezine. The only difference between the two is that the latter is an electronically distributed newsletter. So you might have a health ezine, an affiliate marketing ezine etc.
There are many, many more possibilities.
The ‘Content’ Problem
If you already publish your own newsletter, I would be very surprised if, at some time or another, you haven’t come across this one. Everyone involved in the production of periodicals knows what it feels like. The closer the deadline and the more urgent the need, the less likely it is that some of the items promised for inclusion will materialize. Or, if you are responsible for producing that material, the more things that seem to pop up to hamper your efforts. Or, of course, the problem might simply be a matter of cost. You can’t write everything yourself but the price of copyrighted material for your newsletter may be prohibitive. Or hard to find. In any event, these things boil down in the end to a matter of time or money.
Just Imagine
Just imagine… if you could find exactly the copy you need—and have it exactly when you need it—wouldn’t that be a help? A joke, a one-liner, a quotation that fits, a ‘hot’ tip, a quiz, a quirky fact. But, of course, you can’t be an expert on everything. Nobody can.
Or, imagine… if you could find usable written material whenever you need it without having to pay a fortune in royalties! A technical article, a crossword, a ‘series’ feature—wouldn’t that be a help! Of course, but who would practically give away something that normally costs a fortune?
A Simple Solution
There are many websites on the Internet that provide resources for newsletter publishers. The very same resources I’ve mentioned in this article are all available on a website somewhere. Probably on many websites.
The vast majority make no charge whatever for the use of the articles they offer, and indeed, the list itself, which in effect is a directory of directories, is also free. Isn’t the Internet wonderful?