Creating a company newsletter can seem daunting but if you bring a sense of fun and creativity to it, it can be an enjoyable task. An excellent way to communicate with your employees and customers, it’s the perfect way to create a loyal community around your brand.

Let’s look at how you can create a newsletter that your readers will be glued to.

Get to know your audience

The first step is simply – know who your intended audience is. Who exactly are they? What are their needs and interests?

Are your readers mainly employees, customers, or even stakeholders? It’s important to specify because different groups require different types of content. Employees are likely to appreciate updates on company policies, but less interested in special offers for loyal customers. While customers could be keen to hear about new product releases, but not so much when it comes to staff memos. 

If you take the time to research your target readers, you’ll be much better prepared when it comes to writing your newsletter. 

Crafting compelling content

Content is the heart of your newsletter. It needs to be relevant, engaging and varied to keep your readers hooked. Methods include;

•             Mixing it up

Variety is the spice of life. You can include a mix of articles, interviews, success stories, upcoming events and even fun quizzes or trivia related to your industry.

•             Staying relevant

Make sure that your content is timely and relevant. Talk about industry trends, company achievements and news that impacts your readers to keep them engaged.

•             Adding a personal touch

It’s always a good idea to include personal anecdotes from leadership or spotlights on employees. They can add a human element to your newsletter, making it more relatable, engaging and putting a friendly face to the information you’re giving.

•             Engaging with surveys

Short surveys are a great way to help you understand what your readers want to see in your newsletter.  Ask them about their preferences on topics, frequency and format.

And why not make it fun by including quirky questions or some humour? Or offering a small reward or shoutout for participating. It’s a simple but very effective way of tailoring your content and building a loyal community. 

Designing for impact

It’s a no-brainer that a visually appealing newsletter is more likely to win your readers’ attention. No one takes the time to read a newsletter that doesn’t reach out and grab you. So how do you make sure you do that?

•             Use a clean layout

Start with a clean, well-organised layout. It will make it easier for readers to navigate your newsletter and see clearly how it’s broken up.  Use headings, subheadings and bullet points so you’re not bombarding your readers with constant text.

•             Incorporate images

Probably the most important element when grabbing reader’s attention is the images you use. Make sure they are high-quality images, clear infographics and videos that can make your newsletter visually appealing and help illustrate your points.

•             Consistent branding

Always remember to keep your company’s branding consistent throughout your newsletter. Using your company’s colours, fonts and logo will mean your readers can recognise your business immediately.

Perfecting the tone and style

The tone and style of your newsletter should reflect your personality and culture as a business. Think about how you want to put yourself across and create with that in mind.

•             Be conversational

A conversational tone makes your newsletter feel more like a friendly update and make it easy to read and understand. Using “you” and “we”  will help you to create a connection with your readers and potential clients.

•             Keep it light

While the content should be informative, keeping the tone light and engaging can make your newsletter more enjoyable to read. Avoid ‘knock, knock’ jokes, but don’t be afraid to inject a bit of humour where it suits.

•          Proofread thoroughly

Now for the fun bit. Make sure you proofread every word before it goes out. Typos and grammatical errors can undermine your credibility. After all, who wants advice from someone who doesn’t know the difference between ‘their’ and ‘there’? So, always proofread your newsletter or, better yet, have someone else review it before sending it out.

Distribution and frequency

So how often do you send your newsletter out and how exactly can you do that? Let’s have a look at the best ways to get your information out there.

•             Choose the right platform

Email marketing services like Mailchimp are great for distributing regular emails as it is all automated. Using a platform like this can help avoid your newsletter being sent late or missing clients out. Or if you prefer a simple in-house email distribution, whatever works for you. Just make sure that whatever you chose supports your needs, including how to track metrics.

•             Find the right frequency

Strike a balance with the amount of times you send out your newsletter. Too often, and you risk annoying your readers, but too infrequent, and they might forget about you! Monthly or bi-monthly newsletters are generally a good starting point.

Measuring success

To improve your newsletter continually, it’s important to measure its success. A few ways to do that include:

•             Track metrics

Not as complicated as it sounds, tracking metrics simply means to check and review reader engagement, by how many clicks your content receives and how long your readers stay on specific pages. This information can help you understand what’s working and what’s not.

•          Gather feedback

Develop a thick skin by encouraging your readers to provide feedback, good and bad. This can be done through surveys or simple reply-to emails. You can use this feedback to refine and improve future editions and feel good when you get positive comments!

Enhance your newsletter with Lyons Tales Editing

Don’t let the stress of newsletter creation bog you down. Contact Lyons Tales Editing today and let us help you craft newsletters with knowledgeable and engaging short courses for copywriters.

Your company’s story can be professionally told – and we’re here to help you do just that. Visit our website and see how our courses can help you elevate your company newsletter to the next level!