Winter 2007
News About Newsletters
A well-written and well-designed
company newsletter can be an
invaluable tool for communicating
with employees and clients,
distributing information, and
keeping your firm’s name in front
of clients and professional contacts.
Newsletters provide an effective and relatively
inexpensive opportunity to touch base with a precisely
targeted group of people, and to do so in a context where
you have complete control over the timing, content, tone
and style of your message.
Whether you write, design and distribute a newsletter
in-house, or work with a professional firm to assist
with production, your newsletter should reflect the same
professional standards and quality you demand from all
your work. A newsletter is, ultimately, an extension of
your firm’s identity, and a shoddy or hastily assembled
newsletter can reflect poorly. A well-written, thoughtfully
composed production, however, can help foster a sense
of teamwork and camaraderie amongst employees and
present clients and contacts with an important component
of your firm’s professional profile.
Here are some tips to keep in mind when you think about
your next company newsletter:
Try a spoonful of sugar
Humor, fun, and lighthearted content adds interest and
keeps ‘em reading. But keep it clean! Including a picture
from the office holiday party is great, but stay away from
the dirty jokes.
Remember, brevity is the soul of wit
While your newsletters might not quite be Shakespearean
in quality, they should always attempt to follow the Bard’s
advice and keep it short. Short bursts of information deliver
maximum impact without losing your reader’s interest.
Do judge a newsletter by its cover
Whether your newsletter is delivered in an electronic
or printed format, appearances matter! Color and quality
graphics can transform a few dull blocks of text into a
vibrant production piece.
Make it a “must read”
While critical, personal or time-sensitive information should
be conveyed through more formal channels, newsletters
provide a great opportunity to grab your reader’s attention.
By including desirable information, such as holiday schedules
or conference announcements, you can help ensure
that your next issue doesn’t get overlooked.
Always leave them wanting more*
*Watch for exciting examples of how to do this in the
next issue of Who!