MANY businesses produce a regular company newsletter in order to stay in touch with staff and customers. In it they showcase innovations or products, company news and developments, important updates or changes; and yet it is often the first thing to go on the recycling pile each month without having received more than a cursory glance.
Why is this? What can companies do to move their newsletter from the ‘recycle’ pile to the ‘read me’ pile?
In reality there are only a few key changes needed to instigate this vital shift. In order for a newsletter to be read it has to be informative, accurate and relevant, but most of all it must be engaging.
The biggest mistake companies often make is to assume that, just because they produce a regular newsletter, people will want to read it. Having relevant and beneficial content alone is not enough to ensure engagement. Not even a special offer is enough to get people reading and the reason for this is simple.
Very few people engage with a company newsletter while they are working. Taking time out to read the company newsletter, no matter how relevant, does not, in their minds, class as ‘real work’ and therefore rarely occurs during normal working hours. Instead, it is picked up during a break or after work.
Therefore, it has to appeal to the ‘I’m on my break’ mindset that people have during these times.
In order to appeal to this mindset, a successful newsletter has to deliver your company’s core messages in a fun and engaging manner.
You can get your company newsletter back on the right track with three simple changes.
1) Reflect the human part of the story – people love to read about people, especially if they can relate to them in some way. Therefore, name individuals, give a bit of background, get quotes and bring the story to life.
2) Mix and match – we are more prepared to read the heavy articles if we know there are light ones too. The cartoons in the paper are not just there to entertain the kids; they act as a sorbet for the brain in between sections of serious news.
3) Don’t assume your reader knows what you are talking about – a little bit of background makes your article more accessible to more people. This, in turn, makes your company more accessible.
In order for a company newsletter to be effective it has to be something that people look forward to reading, something that is relevant to them on a personal level as well as a professional level. This is true whether your newsletter is an internal company publication or an external customer publication.
Internal publications often make the mistake of assuming that because the articles are relevant to the business the staff will be keen to know. But staff members know that if something really is important, the boss will tell them. Why spend time reading a newsletter if the boss will tell you what you need to know anyway?
Alter the newsletter so that it engages staff, making them keen to read and respond and you have the potential for buy-in to changes and developments before the boss even sets foot in the room.
External publications often make the mistake of assuming that because a customer has bought from them before, he or she will be interested to hear each and every new development that occurs. But customers are bombarded with marketing mail such as this and your updates could actually be more damaging to the relationship if they are perceived to have no real value.
Alter the newsletter so that it engages your customer, adding value to their original purchase through relevant articles and tips rather than more sales pitches and you have the potential to build a loyal customer base that will return to your company time and time again.
Company newsletters have fantastic potential to create real and lasting change, but simply producing one is not enough. Taking the time to engage your audience is paramount to ensuring the success of this publication and ultimately moving your newsletter away from the recycling pile ... at least, until after it has been thoroughly read.
Lesley Kemp runs Bright Green Copy, a company specialising in effective business communication via newsletters, websites, brochures, annual reports and e-marketing.
Contact Lesley on 08 6102 5377 |lesley@brightgreencopy.com.au |