When considering an online newsletter, you may initially think that people are just as inundated with emails as they are with paper, and that one more email from you may get deleted faster than its print counterpart can reach the recycle bin. But, if you prepare your customers properly, and create a meaningful, useful information source for your clients, you may be surprised how many people will actually read them and even look forward to receiving them! Here are a few things to remember before you begin.

Prepare Your Customers
About a month prior, let your customers know that you are going to launch an online newsletter and tell them what they can look forward to in it. Make sure you're offering something they need or will be able to use. For example, if you own a computer repair shop, you may say, "You'll get two great articles each month containing tips for keeping your computer running smoothly, and minimizing your repair bills." Let them know when they will be receiving the first edition; "Expect your first copy of 'Conrad's Computer Tips' on February 15th!" Let them know how to add your address to their server's safe list - or you'll likely end up in the SPAM bucket. In your preparation email, say something like, "In order to ensure you receive this valuable online newsletter, please contact your server and ask them to put the address: 'newsletter@xxxxx.ca' on your safe list." And, let them know you want them to contact you if they do not receive it on the 15th, or if they have any trouble opening it. Close with an exciting tag line - "Take advantage of this great newsletter to keep your computer in tip top shape!" Finally, make sure to offer your customers an 'out'. Add something like this to your email and to the newsletter itself  "If, after looking over your first edition on the 15th, you decide you don't want to continue receiving the newsletter, email us and we'll take you off our list." If your customers have all the pertinent information up front, they'll be more likely to take a look when it arrives in their mailbox. One final suggestion - send out an announcement the week prior to the launch to remind them it's coming.

Create Your Newsletter
There are a several ways you can go in creating your newsletter. The first is to create a template that you can turn into a pdf and add as an attachment. This will require that you have software that can both produce a template and save as a pdf. Some of the higher-end desktop publishing software programs allow you to create fantastic-looking documents, but they are expensive and difficult to learn if you've never used them before. There are a number of less expensive software programs that have ready-made templates that are easy to use, even for a desktop publishing novice. Check them out to see if any of them might work for you. The key is to look for software that allows you to save your files as a pdf. Most newer versions of Microsoft Word allow you to save as pdf from your print menu - so you could even create a really simple newsletter in Word, save it as a pdf and use it as your template. Once you've created your template, all you have to do is replace the information and photos each month and save your file to pdf to send as an attachment. Some advantages of going this route are that pdf files are very stable and easy to email. It also allows you to use fairly inexpensive software to create your files each month. One disadvantage is that people are getting more wary of opening attachments and unless they are confident in the sender, may choose not to open them.

The second option is to create an actual html file that you can use as your template and embed it into your email. This will initially require hiring someone who knows html to create a template for you. Software programs such as Dreamweaver or Adobe Go Live allow you to take that html file and edit it each month with your own information. You can then send your customers a link to that html file. The advantages of this option are that there is no scary attachment for people to worry about opening, and html files are small and tend to download quickly. Disadvantages are that you will probably have to hire someone to help you get it all set up, and will have to spend money on software that will allow you to edit your files each month.

One final option is to find a company who can do all the work for you. I recently came across a fantastic site called www.simplynewslettersonline.com. This cutting-edge technology allows you to choose from a variety of ready-made templates, and even has a bank of already written articles and photos on a wide variety of topics you can choose to put into your newsletter. Or, you can use the templates and add your own articles and photos. You can even do both - use some articles from their data bank and add some of your own. It's super easy, takes just a few minutes to set up each month, and the best part is - they take care of all the details for you - from document creation to mail out. Of course it costs you to subscribe, but at a reasonable price of roughly $15 per newsletter it's highly affordable, and will cost you far less than purchasing some of the software I talked about earlier. Simply Newsletters Online also offers a free trial so you can try it out for free to see if you think it might work for you. Advantages of using a system like this are obviously the ease of use - someone's already done most of the work for you, flexibility and the fact that it is a huge time-saver. You may see having to pay for the newsletter each month as a disadvantage, but you'd have to spend some money on either of the first two options as well. Also, you'd have less control over the final look and feel of the product if you're choosing to go with ready-made templates rather than being able to create your own.

Choose an option that makes sense for you - and begin the process of effective online communication with your customers, keeping your business top of mind with them every month. In the second part of this article next month, we'll look at some do's and don'ts of putting together an online newsletter in terms of content and layout.

Top

Success with customers
Simply put, blogs can be an informal, effective and easy way for you to communicate with your potential and current customers. Blog posts allow you to position yourself as a trusted resource in your industry by addressing your customers' needs, desires, questions, or concerns in a relaxed way. It is interactive so you can respond directly to their comments right on the blog site and talk about how your offerings might solve their problems. It can also be a great way to collect testimonials as customers share their success stories about your product or service. Just make sure you ask for their permission though, before you use someone's comments for marketing purposes.

Success with employees
Blogs can be a vehicle through which your employees share and contribute information in an easily updateable web-based location. A blog might even replace your staff newsletter, help you communicate important business practices, or give your employees an opportunity to share their expertise with each other. A blog is also a good way for potential employees to get to know your company and determine if they might want to work on your team. As the business owner - it can also help you take the temperature of how things are going with the employees on your team.

Success with your web site
Blogs can be a great way to attract search engine attention and bring traffic to your web site.  Your blog posts and any user-submitted comments are likely to contain keywords and phrases that will help you achieve better ranking in the search engines, and more traffic to your site means more potential business.

Success with your competition
Checking your competitor's websites and blogs can be a great way for you to see what important topics they're discussing. You may learn from their latest challenges and find great ideas to reinforce your own USP and set your business apart from the rest. There's no end to the things you can learn and adapt to suit your customer's needs and create a place for yourself as an industry leader.

Success with advertisers
You may be interested to know you can make money from your blog. Find complementary businesses that might benefit from your customer base and seek their advertising dollars. You'd be surprise how many people might be willing to advertise on your site to a ready-made audience of potential customers.

Getting Started . . .
Do some initial research- there are plenty of free blog sites online where it's as easy as typing in your info, adding photos and hitting the publish button. Try googling "free blog sites" or other similar terms and check out some of the blog hosting sites for yourself to see which one would be right for you. Most of them have a very simple sign-in process and you're off to the races quickly.
Make sure your website has a link to your blog - draw some attention to the link by adding a catchy caption like "To learn more about . . . check out our blog at . . . ."
Ensure the content is interesting but not self indulgent - while many personal blogs can go on and on about the individual's feelings on specific topics, you want your blog to be relevant to your audience. Perhaps your customer blog can offer a Q & A section, allowing them to ask questions about your product. Or you can offer a "Tips" or "How to" section of helpful information they can use every day. For your employee blog, communicate upcoming business news, job postings, financial information, events, etc. Give them opportunities to share information with each other.
Update your blog regularly - blogs are only effective if they are constantly updated. The only reason people come back is to read new stuff. This doesn't mean you have to post something every day, but do it regularly. Twice a week if you can manage, or even once a week. Just make sure it's regular.

A business blog may or may not be for you, but don't assume it's not until you've checked it out for yourself. You may have the opportunity to become a leader in your industry by starting a blog when none of your competitors have one. It's not as much work as you might think, and the potential benefits may far exceed the small amount of effort you'll need to regularly post a few thoughts. To blog or not to blog for your business? Take the time to make an informed decision, or you may be left in the dust as this popular communication tool grows.

Top

Stuff You Buy

• Establish purchasing guidelines to encourage waste prevention (durable, concentrated, reusable, high quality items)
  
• Consider length of warranty and availability of repair services when purchasing equipment
  
• Purchase items with less toxic materials (e.g., vegetable-based inks, water-based glue, markers and paints)
  
• Order merchandise with minimal packaging or layers of packaging
  
• Request that deliveries be shipped in returnable containers
  
• Order supplies by voice mail or electronic mail

Stuff You Ship

• Eliminate unneeded packaging or extra layers of packaging
  
• Use reusable boxes and mailbags for shipping
  
• Reuse packing materials (e.g., foam peanuts, bubblewrap and cardboard boxes) or donate them to someone who can
  
• Set up a system for returning cardboard boxes and foam peanuts to distributors for reuse
  
• Return, reuse and repair wooden pallets and spools

Printing/Paper

• Make double-sided copies whenever possible
  
• Route or circulate memos, periodicals and reports, rather than distributing individual copies
  
• Use voice or electronic mail or post memos on a central bulletin board
  
• Make scratch pads from used paper
  
• Use outdated letterhead for in-house memos
  
• Use central files for hard copies
  
• Proof documents on screen before printing Donate old magazines or journals to hospitals, clinics, or libraries

Stuff You Use

• Rent instead of buying equipment that is used only occasionally
  
• Use remanufactured office equipment
  
• Institute maintenance practices that prolong the life of copiers, computers, and other equipment
  
• Reclaim reusable parts from old equipment
  
• Use refilled or rebuilt fax and printer cartridges
  
• Replace incandescent with fluorescent, or better yet, energy-saving lights

Food and Personal Services

• Encourage employees to bring their own mugs and utensils
  
• Buy company mugs; stop providing disposable cups (you can spend as little as a few dollars per mug and think about how much less waste you'll create)
  
• Buy reusable coffee filters or unbleached disposable filters
  
• Consider using cloth roll towels, hot air dryers, large paper rolls in restrooms, or buy lighter/smaller-sized recycled paper towels

Consumer Choices

• Teach your customers about the importance of waste prevention (promotional campaigns; brochures and newsletters - remember to use recycled paper; banners; newspaper ads; product displays and store signs)
  
• Encourage customers to bring their own bag(s) and compliment them when they do.
  
• Offer customers waste prevention choices such as:
  
  • Items in bulk or concentrate
    
  • Items in refillable bottles
    
  • Solar-powered items, such as calculators, and flashlights
    
  • Durable and repairable merchandise
    
• Encourage customers to return reusable items (e.g., metal hangers to dry cleaners)

It's the little things we do every day that can make a huge impact on our environment. This year, choose to get "greener" with your business.

Top