Tip! Use ‘Viral Marketing’ strategies to turn one subscriber into five. This is simple, give the subscriber something for free or a further discount on a product or service if they refer four of there friends who may be interested in the newsletter as well.

In order to be successful with a newsletter, specialize in a subject not adequately covered in existing newsletters. A subject which you can give more, or better information on.

To determine what to write about, first look at your ability, experience and interests. Then sit down at the library with the latest edition of the “Directory of Newsletters” and make a note of the publishers of subjects comparable to what you would like to write about. Send for a free sample of each of these to review. Find out how they are put together and whether you can do as good or better with one of your own. Make an analysis of the good and weak points of the various newsletters to build ideas for your own.

Tip! Make reading your newsletter pay-off for your customer every time. Always offer discount links or other value-add information that separates your content from all the ‘value-free’ content on the web today.

Plan in advance how your layout will be set up, what kind of photos or drawings you might use, printing and distribution costs, and all the other business details necessary to launch and maintain a continuing weekly or monthly newsletter. Be sure you have time to handle all the details required to get the newsletter out on time every time! You will need to build as much of the basic information as possible well in advance, perhaps 15 to 20 issues ahead, then feed in the current information between each issue.

You cannot hope to survive against the competition of the large firms who have many different contributing authors, and access to instant worldwide information through computer data centers, etc. So stay away from subjects put out by them unless you can develop a very unique theme to wrap around their information. Most of these firms put out a newsletter without any revenue from advertisements or inserts. Generally the little publishers must develop their newsletters in such a way as to include income from advertisers in order to return a reasonable profit and stay in business.

Tip! When you’re composing your newsletter in your email browser, put everyone’s email address in the ‘To’ field so that when someone receives your mailing they can see everyone else’s address.

Research the market to determine what your “category” of subscribers want to hear in your newsletter. Give it a “stand out” title, price it fairly for both the subscriber and yourself, keep the graphics and printing clean and neat. Develop your own individual style in your writings to give your newsletter its own distinctive “personality”.

How would you present your information to an individual in a personal face to face conversation? Use the same presentation in writing. It will take time to develop an individual writing style, but as the saying goes, “practice makes perfect”! So don’t be discouraged if your first few attempts appear ridiculous to you. A you practice you gain experience and before you know it, you can put out information your subscribers can enjoy and benefit from.

Tip! Get an independent evaluation of your current newsletter strategy from a marketer you trust. Make sure to develop tangible success measurements.

With Internet’s help, you can publish ezines – newsletters sent through Internet. It is low cost and there is postage required for you to reach thousands of readers.

Tip! Post a newsletter form on every page of your website.

An essential task of running a small business is continually gaining and keeping customers. Here are a few ways publishing an informative, timely newsletter can help you meet your business goals:

1. It will keep you in touch with your customers. If you want repeat business, you must keep your company’s name in front of your customers. Reading a helpful newsletter geared toward your business will keep your current customers thinking of you. They will know your phone number next time they need your services, and they will be more likely to recommend your services to friends or family.

2. It can deliver new product information. Keep your customers informed of any new or updated products your business now offers.

3. It can communicate sales information. Let your most important customers know in advance of any upcoming sales, or perhaps kick-backs they can receive from referrals.

Electronic newsletters offer additional benefits for your business:

First, they’re quick. With email newsletters there’s no waiting for printing and mailing. By-passing the mailbox also saves your business money on postage.

Second, they pass your information along word-of-mouse. With electronic newsletters, people can pass-on your information simply by forwarding your newsletter to friends, family or other potential customers.

Third, providing a link for feedback and comments also gives your customers a quick, easy way to reach you. For example, if you own a landscape company you could provide informative articles in your newsletter about caring for and choosing the right plants, when to plant, when to apply fertilizer, weed killer for the lawn, etc. Customers could easy email you with questions or to schedule an appointment.

Tip! Include the ‘Benefits of Subscribing’ to the newsletter, rarely do people sign up to a newsletter without knowing what is in it for them. For example you could write ‘Sign up to my free newsletter to learn all the latest cutting edge secrets and techniques for building a castle out of cards’.

If you don’t feel you can write your own company newsletter, hire a professional to do it for you. Just don’t miss out on the many benefits of this terrific marketing tool.

Diane Samson is a writer with The Lieurance Group, a freelance writers’ cooperative in Kansas City, Missouri. Samson can provide writing, reporting and editing services for magazines, newspapers, corporate communications and especially animal publications. Find out more about her writing services at http://www.lieurancegroup.blogspot.com or email her at dianesamson@birch.net