Want To Join the Bandwagon? Be Sure It Has Wheels!

Here are two to-the-point questions recently posed by several association magazine publishers: "When is it time to launch an electronic newsletter?" and "Just because everyone's doing it, does that make it right for us?"

These are just the types of questions that should be asked by associations and businesses seeking to maximize contact with members, prospects or current customers. The trick is to generate the processes that will allow you to arrive at the right answer for your circumstance.

Take an association that currently publishes two magazines and a quarterly print newsletter. The organization has laid the groundwork (surveys and polls) to ascertain that the information that needs to get into members' hands is getting there through these means (on top of use of an up-to-date website). In this case, an e-newsletter may not be the smart move. Would its content be all that different from what already appears in the print publications? What advantages would the electronic distribution channel offer (more timely stories, smaller production staff) that meet a specific need in terms of information distribution?

For companies that advertise in the Sunday newspaper or on television, the question is whether a direct channel to their most valued customers necessarily generates higher sales or more loyalty. Is the technology appropriate for the audience these companies want to reach (i.e., the ones familiar with computers and e-mail)? And would the ROI merit executing the project in-house or outsourcing to a custom publisher?

A newsletter, regardless of its format, is a potent tool in the marketing arsenal. But there must be an underlying, compelling rationale for undertaking such an endeavor ? a reason for the newsletter to exist as it supports the organization's overall mission.

For the previously described association, until a case could be made that a newsletter would offer information of a different or new nature to members in a timely manner (how to improve business practices, recent court cases that could affect the industry) there is no need to jump on the bandwagon. For a consulting firm seeking to demonstrate thought leadership without making a direct sales pitch, however, a newsletter fits the bill quite nicely. Either way, the key is to have the purpose, goal and role of the e-newsletter firmly established before plans to move forward on the project begin.

Chris Scott heads Hodge Media Group, the custom publishing arm of Hodge Communications, Inc. Hodge specializes in strategic public relations and marketing communications for businesses, entrepreneurs and professional associations. Formerly an award-winning journalist, he brings over 20 years of experience to client engagements. Subscribe today to ommunic@te! our free bimonthly e- newsletter and get a free special report: "Using Buzz To Create a Groundswell For Your Business."

Visit http://www.hodgecommunications.com

---

Franchise Work Vehicles Should Have a Flag on Them

If you own a franchise and have company vehicles, be... Read More

Media Relations: How We Landed on the Wall Street Journals Front Page

Media relations is a great profession.On good days, I earn... Read More

33 Reasons To Do A News Release

News releases are not the best way to get major... Read More

The Non-business Business

Think for a moment! If you were to do a... Read More

Press Releases

How do press releases or interest stories have an effect... Read More

Tough Times, Tough Tactics

When times are tough, it's no time to ignore those... Read More

How to Master Communication Even if you failed High School Grammar

Does the thought of knowing your verbs from your adjective... Read More

Publicity: When Calling a Reporter, Keep it Short

When you are planning to call a reporter for the... Read More

The Four Seasons of Publicity - Building an All-Year Publicity

If you're like most publicity seekers, you probably think oneproject... Read More

Free Radio Publicity for Marketing-Minded Financial Planners

Radio is a powerful publicity tool. Most stations offer news... Read More

The Ten Ps of PR

Everyone is talking about the Ps of successful marketing, so... Read More

Public Relations ? Defining Your Organization from the Inside Out

What do your customers say about your company?Would you let... Read More

Three Communication Secrets of The Great Communicator

I've worked in media and public relations for 20 years,... Read More

Effective Public Relations: Why Did Bec And Lleyton Do It At 3:15AM?

If you are in Australia at the moment, it is... Read More

What? You Havent Got a Capability Statement?

What's a Capability Statement?As the name suggests, it tells potential... Read More

Grow Your Financial Planning Practice by Taking Your Publicity National

Think that you aren't big enough for national media coverage?... Read More

How To Write More Powerfully For PR, Offline And Online

Years ago when my Dad owned a group of local... Read More

Pot Roast and Public Relations (or, How Your Web Site Can Be Your Best P.R. Tool)

Recently I had a craving for... Read More

Ready For A Business Recovery?

Who wants to face the challenges of a business recovery... Read More

Public Relations: Toast?

Could be, when unit managers in businesses, non-profits and associations... Read More

How Managers Hit PR Paydirt

As a business, non-profit or association manager, you'll know it's... Read More

So Whats Wrong With Strategic?

Some folks see the word "strategic" as a needlessly tiresome... Read More

Press Kit Elements That Work

Considering how fundamental they are to the publicist's trade,it's always... Read More

Credibility Lost or Gained, Are you Prepared?

If a reporter approached you about an interview, would you... Read More

Your Online Newsroom: How to Give Reporters a Tip

It's hard to imagine a reporter working today who doesn't... Read More

Why Do You Want PR?

To get someone's name in the newspaper or a product... Read More

Effective Media Relations ? You Won?t be Talking to the Media Without It!

The media's role is to package and spread news, current... Read More

Public Relations: Understanding Educated Gambling

As an entry level position to PR, I found myself... Read More

Media Contact Lists and How to Build a Fantastic One

I got the latest issue of Internet Works in the... Read More

Using the Media - Five Reasons Why

The media has the power to shape public opinion and... Read More

Maybe the Strongest PR on Planet Earth?

Strong for business, non-profit and association managers when they use... Read More

Anatomy Of A PR Campaign

The message is determined by analyzing the brand being marketed,... Read More

PR: Am I Getting a Good Deal?

You are getting a good deal when you accept the... Read More