The Art of the Newsletter
Posted on 9th March 2023 at 10:46
For those of us in the business of words, there is a strong sense our world is moving rapidly on with software now able to create written-word content using artificial intelligence (AI).
As discussed in a previous Artus blog, we are a busy digital marketing agency and we are looking at the pros and cons of these tools for the content work that we create for our clients.
The jury is still out but it has given rise to conversations about communications and one mechanism that may hark back to an earlier era and yet still has impact - the newsletter.
Small and Perfectly Formed
Newsletters are small magazines often between two and seven pages long carrying news, features and photos about a business or organisation. They are not a substitute for a blog or an up-to-date website but rather they can be a simple and effective addition to your communications toolbox.
They can be published daily, weekly, monthly or even less frequently and they can come digitally as an email or they can be easily printed and produced as a hard copy.
Targeted and Cost-Conscious
The beauty of a newsletter is that it can be a targeted and cost-conscious way to engage with existing customers and clients and also serve as an introduction to potential new ones. You can tell readers about new products and services you are launching or use it to publicise your business activities such as organising or attending events and conferences.
And with digital newsletters, by the way subscribers navigate around the pages and the links they may click on, you can learn about them too; what interests them and what does not.
Setting the Tone
Newsletters help set the tone of the way you want to be perceived as a business. You can focus on products and services, or you can take the human interest angle and include more items about your people.
The key is to think in the bigger picture about the messages you are giving out and the way they are being communicated. You may prefer a lot of copy because you believe you have a lot to say or you may favour a newsletter, which has short punchy news stories with lots of photos, the choice is yours.
Small Downside
If there is a potential downside it is that newsletters require commitment. Publish the first one and you will need to publish a second and so on, as customer expectations are now raised.
Likewise, although a marketing agency will do the hard graft for you, writing, editing and designing the newsletter, you will need to ensure that you send it the content.
Often, including the newsletter as a standing item on the team meeting agenda makes that easier as minds are focussed and discussions then take place about content opportunities.
Brave Old World
In this brave new world of communications, some principles of the brave old world remain. Software can now produce copy, but the editorial skills of the content writer are still required.
Newsletters showcase those skills very well and, at the same time, provide you with an effective and targeted communications tool to engage your customers. For more information, contact Artus today!
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