Once you decide that newsletters are a marketing stategy that will work for your business and have come up with content that will pull readers in, the final step to creating a successful newsletter is making it appealing and attractive to the reader using appropriate style, tone, layout and design.

Style and Tone
Newsletters need to be well organized and have a clear navigational structure. This can be achieved using page numbering, headings and sub headings. A table of contents should also appear on the first page in a box or call out so that readers can find the information they are interested in quickly and easily.

For readers to respond positively to a newsletter it should be written in a warm informative style. Make sure your text is written in plain language and avoids the use of jargon. Write as if you are speaking directly to one individual and in the first person (I, we). Using contractions, short concise sentences with few clauses, and words with no more than three syllables will make your material clear and easy to read. As a result, your readers will respond to you on a more personal level and trust you. Your readers are more likely to call if trust has been established.

Layout and Design
A company newsletter is a reflection of your firm’s expertise and professionalism. Therefore its design and layout should mirror the image you want to project. Make sure the layout and design is clear, uncluttered and that there is an appropriate amount of white space. Use good quality images and enough of them to keep the newsletter from being text heavy, otherwise your readers will get bored and frustrated.

The publication should match the firm’s corporate image and include its colours, logos and tag line. Once the design and layout has been chosen make sure that every subsequent issue is produced the same way.

In comparison with traditional methods, newsletters are effective marketing tools if they are done well. If you decide that this is the right choice for your firm, you will greatly increase your chance of generating new business by implementing the strategies above. Just remember that the hardest part is coming up with the first issue, but if you stay committed and focused you will soon receive positive results.

As writer, editor and specialist in the English language, Maja Rehou, founder of WordForce Communications, uses words strategically to help businesses prosper. With an unparalleled knack for language and five years managing the marketing department of a professional service firm she knows how to create marketing materials that generate outstanding results. Email subscribe@wordforce.ca to join her monthly newsletter and receive a free copy of her latest publication: How to Successfully Promote Your Business through Publishing.

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