Keeping Costs in Mind
At lot of my clients are not-for-profits with limited advertising budgets, so I try to be creative when setting up cost-effective and business EFFECTIVE newsletters. A newsletter still needs an interesting layout to catch the reader’s eye and a few well-placed graphics to draw their attention to articles that interest them. Color is always a great option, and that can be achieved with color paper and a black ink print, or with color printing. If a newsletter can be emailed or posted to a website – graphics and hyperlinks are highly effective.
If a newsletter is going to be printed and mailed or hand delivered, then those costs are taken into account. Here are a few options some of my clients have used that keep costs down and still get their message out:
- Can the newsletter be mailed with another required regular mailing, such as the annual budget notice? One more piece of paper rarely makes a difference in postage to items that were already budgeted for mailing.
- Can the newsletter be hand delivered by volunteers? Just a few volunteers can print, fold, and place the newsletters in door hang bags, then divide the distribution area for drop off.
- Is there a central location(s) where the intended recipients gather regularly where the newsletter can be left for pickup? Or perhaps a scheduled meeting where the newsletter can be distributed?
- Can the newsletter be added to product packaging so that each customer receives it with their purchase?
There are some newsletter services that rely on advertising dollars to pay for the cost for printing and mailing. This results in about 5 times more advertising than content, but for those with an extremely limited budget, this may be an option to consider.
The printed, emailed, or hand delivered word can be a valuable tool in growing and maintaining your business. Email me today at [email protected] to find out how you can offer interesting, valuable, and timely information that keeps your name active in your customer’s mind.