Newsletters, E-zines and Brochures Chapter 12 PR 313

Corporate Publications Newsletters Magazines Intranet sites Web sites E-zines

Newsletters

Magazines

Intranet sites

Web sites

E-zines

Purpose To advance the organizational objectives of your client To serve the interests of the employees (who are also the readers)

To advance the organizational objectives of your client

To serve the interests of the employees (who are also the readers)

Editorial Freedom? Unlike a traditional newspaper or magazine, there is less editorial freedom in this genre The client is paying the cost of the publication – it is NOT meant to be “fair and balanced”

Unlike a traditional newspaper or magazine, there is less editorial freedom in this genre

The client is paying the cost of the publication – it is NOT meant to be “fair and balanced”

Beyond Propaganda You should be careful to include content that is of interest to the reader If it is just company “propaganda,” the readers will dismiss the information Include news that is relevant to the readers and their jobs

You should be careful to include content that is of interest to the reader

If it is just company “propaganda,” the readers will dismiss the information

Include news that is relevant to the readers and their jobs

The Shift A shift is occurring from paper to online for corporate publications Online is more cost-effective Print is still popular but costly

A shift is occurring from paper to online for corporate publications

Online is more cost-effective

Print is still popular but costly

Electronic Publishing Tools Microsoft Word Microsoft Publisher Adobe InDesign Quark XPress

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Publisher

Adobe InDesign

Quark XPress

Templates Make it Easy Until you get comfortable with these programs, use the templates Downloadable or plug-in applications that already have the layout design ready

Until you get comfortable with these programs, use the templates

Downloadable or plug-in applications that already have the layout design ready

Think Visual Present the info in a way that is visually pleasing Use bullet points, if appropriate Use graphics and bold fonts Use white space to your advantage

Present the info in a way that is visually pleasing

Use bullet points, if appropriate

Use graphics and bold fonts

Use white space to your advantage

Headlines Most people scan headlines to determine whether they will read the story A kicker can be used to supplement (and contextualize) a headline Example: VOGEL’S LEAVES PULLMAN Popular Clothing Store Closes Down WSU 37 – UCLA 15 Victory for Cougars

Most people scan headlines to determine whether they will read the story

A kicker can be used to supplement (and contextualize) a headline

Example:

VOGEL’S LEAVES PULLMAN

Popular Clothing Store Closes Down

WSU 37 – UCLA 15

Victory for Cougars

E-Mail, Memos, Letters, Proposals & Reports Chapter 14

Strategic Memos As part of your campaign, you may need to send formal memos that brief the stakeholders on the key developments These should be written in an efficient, authoritative style

As part of your campaign, you may need to send formal memos that brief the stakeholders on the key developments

These should be written in an efficient, authoritative style

Internal E-mail Etiquette Get to the point…fast! Remember that e-mail is ripe for misunderstanding Minimize your distribution Never assume your e-mail is private Think before you “send”

Get to the point…fast!

Remember that e-mail is ripe for misunderstanding

Minimize your distribution

Never assume your e-mail is private

Think before you “send”

E-mail Campaigns E-mail campaigns are powerful, but tricky to do successfully Some companies are using e-mail as only part of a larger digital online campaign Mobile phone marketing/Text messaging Blogging Social networking campaigns

E-mail campaigns are powerful, but tricky to do successfully

Some companies are using e-mail as only part of a larger digital online campaign

Mobile phone marketing/Text messaging

Blogging

Social networking campaigns

Cutting Through the Clutter Your e-mail campaign will be competing for the attention of the public According to some estimates, the average worker sends and/or receives 200 e-mail messages a day But the biggest challenge is…

Your e-mail campaign will be competing for the attention of the public

According to some estimates, the average worker sends and/or receives 200 e-mail messages a day

But the biggest challenge is…

E-mail Filters & “Spam” Promotional campaigns via e-mail are often perceived as unwanted “spam” by users Many e-mail filters prevent messages from even reaching the in-boxes of recipients

Promotional campaigns via e-mail are often perceived as unwanted “spam” by users

Many e-mail filters prevent messages from even reaching the in-boxes of recipients

E-mail Campaigns A study was conducted on the use of promotional e-mails It tested variables relating to the opening of promotional e-mails in one’s inbox Of the e-mails sent, 27% were opened Messages that included the company name or brand in the subject line had significantly higher open rates — as much as a 12-point increase.

A study was conducted on the use of promotional e-mails

It tested variables relating to the opening of promotional e-mails in one’s inbox

Of the e-mails sent, 27% were opened

Messages that included the company name or brand in the subject line had significantly higher open rates — as much as a 12-point increase.

E-mail Campaigns Images are not always more compelling than text, according to the study B2B e-mail messages that were mostly text or had an equal amount of text and images generated higher click-through rates than image-heavy e-mails. SOURCE: Silverpop.com

Images are not always more compelling than text, according to the study

B2B e-mail messages that were mostly text or had an equal amount of text and images generated higher click-through rates than image-heavy e-mails.

SOURCE: Silverpop.com

E-mail Campaigns Messages were classified into seven different format categories. One column Two or more columns of equal size Two or more columns of varied size Letter Newsletter Varied cell blocks Postcard The data clearly show that consumers prefer the newsletter format, and businesses prefer the postcard or varied block format.

Messages were classified into seven different format categories.

One column

Two or more columns of equal size

Two or more columns of varied size

Letter

Newsletter

Varied cell blocks

Postcard

The data clearly show that consumers prefer the newsletter format, and businesses prefer the postcard or varied block format.

External E-mail Etiquette Make sure you have been granted permission to email your recipients through an online opt-in process or have been provided explicit permission offline.

Make sure you have been granted permission to email your recipients through an online opt-in process or have been provided explicit permission offline.

External E-Mail Etiquette Ensure the mailing is clearly labeled as coming FROM the person or company that has a relationship with the recipient. If you use a FROM label that a recipient doesn’t recognize, it may prompt them to unsubscribe, even if they are actually interested in your services.

Ensure the mailing is clearly labeled as coming FROM the person or company that has a relationship with the recipient. If you use a FROM label that a recipient doesn’t recognize, it may prompt them to unsubscribe, even if they are actually interested in your services.

External E-Mail Etiquette Give your recipients an easy and obvious way to opt-out or unsubscribe from your mailings and remove them quickly from your mailings if they have already done so. It’s the law and it reflects favorably upon your company when you act in a responsible manner. You don’t need the negative publicity that accompanies the “spammer” tag.

Give your recipients an easy and obvious way to opt-out or unsubscribe from your mailings and remove them quickly from your mailings if they have already done so.

It’s the law and it reflects favorably upon your company when you act in a responsible manner. You don’t need the negative publicity that accompanies the “spammer” tag.

External E-Mail Etiquette Make sure your SUBJECT LINE reflects the content of your email. When recipients think they’re being tricked into opening the email they often become resentful - and unsubscribe in mass numbers.

Make sure your SUBJECT LINE reflects the content of your email.

When recipients think they’re being tricked into opening the email they often become resentful - and unsubscribe in mass numbers.

Structure of the E-mail Campaign Subject Line Salutation First Sentence or Paragraph Body of Message Closing

Subject Line

Salutation

First Sentence or Paragraph

Body of Message

Closing

In-Class Activity Create your own bulk e-mail campaign for your non-profit Write your e-mail pitch Use I-Builder to test your mailing After you establish an account, you will have access to the online tool

Create your own bulk e-mail campaign for your non-profit

Write your e-mail pitch

Use I-Builder to test your mailing

After you establish an account, you will have access to the online tool