So You Wanna Write a Newsletter?

I was recently pondering ways that PR companies can touch their clients and offer reassurance during these choppy economic times.  My friend and business colleague, Jon Praet from WritingHelp.com, suggested that this is the perfect economic climate (i.e., stormy and unpredictable) for newsletters.  They offer a connection to the past and remind your clients that you are there for them with good ideas and a willing spirit in good times and bad; they are a low cost way to touch and reassure your clients that you are a reliable partner for them; and they are a way to give back, to share your knowledge and expertise with an eye toward cementing long term relationships instead of meeting this month’s billing.

And I thought: “Damn.  That’s a lot of good stuff for a relatively small investment.”  And, of course, Jon agreed.  But then, in his best Elmer Fudd imitation, he said: “But you must be vewy, vewy careful.”  All too often, people just slap at newsletters as if they were rushing to check off a box on their “to do” list.  The truth of the matter is that newsletters can hurt your business and your credibility as much as they can help.  Well.  Gulp.  That said, I asked him to give me more particulars on this, and this is what he sent me.

So You Wanna Write a Newsletter?

Bravo.  Newsletters are a cost effective, smart way to keep your brand in front of your clients and prospects.  They are an unobtrusive way to touch, to gently remind the people that matter that you are out there and can deliver the goods when they need you.  For those of us who like lists, here are some of the things you get from writing a newsletter.

•    The means to present yourself as the expert.  The subliminal message should read:  “Come hither when this is what you need.”

•    The ability to control the agenda.  You’re writing it; you decide what gets in and what doesn’t.  This is your “I love me” mural; your chance to answer questions in a way that places you in the best possible light; and a way to inform, beguile, and amuse.

“Ok…I’m sold.  Let’s get started.” Well, not so fast.  There are some downsides, you know.  Fears to overcome and matters of competence.  For example:

•    What if I’m boring? In the PR world where creativity is the coin of the realm, boring is just, well, boring.  It’s not your brand.  It’s not always easy to find clever topics, and it’s harder yet to write cleverly about them.  Smart topics presented in a smart appealing way.  This may, in fact, take more time and effort than you want to commit, especially if you are not consistent or reliable about it.

•    And what about reliability? One of the key benefits of a newsletter is its gentle, dependable nature.  This is not the time to jar a client, to grab him by the scruff and shake vigorously.  It is a time to reassure, a time to be reliable.  And that means people need to know when you will be publishing your newsletter, and they have to trust it.  In other words, if you are going to publish a quarterly newsletter, do it.  This is the kind of thing that is cumulative; it helps you build up credibility layer by layer.  If your quarterly newsletter ends up being every six months or arrives on a random, unpredictable basis, you lose the very credibility you wrote this for in the first place.  The point is, a newsletter is not a casual, hit or miss thing.  If you take it on, it’s ongoing.  Be aware of the commitment you are making to your business and your clientele.  It is not a one-time splatter, is the steady, brick by brick construction of a home.

“No problem.  Now let’s get started.” Great, I commend your enthusiasm.  What’s your plan?

“My plan?  My plan is to write the damn thing.  And you, Sir, are now officially a downer.” My apologies, and I am sure you’ll do a great job.  Just keep these few points in mind.

•    Make sure each article is likely to interest at least some segment of your readership/clientele.  This is for them, remember.  Not you.  Ask:  “If I were a member of the intended audience, would I read this article?”  Let that guide your content.

•    Is my writing readable?  Personally, this is my favorite topic in the world.  You must consider your audience, determine what tone/voice is appropriate, and enter the fray boldly.  Straight forward, plain language.  No jargon, please.  Short sentences, (especially after you just indulged in a long one), are best.  One sentence paragraphs and sentence fragments are fine, provided your grammar, spelling, and punctuation are otherwise correct.

•    Uh oh….spelling, grammar, and punctuation…. Those damnable words.  The truth is, how you say something can matter every bit as much as what you say.  And if you’re thinking:  “Ha.  I’m a PR pro.  Don’t need no stinking grammar,” you would be wrong.  Make your reader remember the depth of your thinking and the readability of your writing, not the mangling of your grammar.

This is not the end of the story.  The message here is that newsletters are not an afterthought to tag onto your business or website.  They can hurt as much as they help.  Treat your newsletter with the affection, dignity, and respect it deserves, and it will reward you many times over.  Take it for granted, and it will become a bridge troll ready to make your life miserable at every turn.

Helpful Resources
• Microsoft Office offers a large selection of free downloadable newsletter templates
• Stock.Xchng is one of the leading free stock photo sites
• iStock photo, while not free, has a tremendous selection of royalty-free photos at extremely low prices
• CampaignMonitor.com has a nice selection of Free HTML email templates
• Constant Contact makes it easy and affordable to create and effectively distribute your e-newsletter

Bob Schiers is President of RAS Associates Public Relations, LLC; a full-service PR agency serving local, regional, and national clients from its home base in Hainesport, NJ, just outside Philadelphia, PA.

Jon Praet is President of Writinghelp.com located in Ocean Township, NJ.  Unlike Bob, Jon is a fanatic about grammar, and he often bemoans the abuse his beloved English endures.  WritingHelp.com handles the most intractable, gnarliest writing chores for many businesses across the land.