Producing Newsletters and Brochures

1
Producing Newsletters and Brochures

• Chapter 13

2
Death of Employee Newsletters Highly Exaggerated

• Wall Street Journal reported several years ago
  that such newsletters are rapidly becoming
  obsolete
• But even in todays age of cyberspace
  newsletters, brochures and magazines in print
  form are alive and well

3
Reasons Still Produced in Mass Quantities

• Many organizations still find them to be the most
  efficient method of reaching their entire
  workforce especially true when staff/workers
  have limited access to e-communications
• Unique nature of print pubs people can hold,
  touch, share, save, transport them
• Theres just something about a well-written
  newsletter or magazine that gives you a real feel
  for an organization its not a feeling you get
  with e-mail, fax--other more immediate types of
  communication.

4
Drive People to the Web

• Todays printed publications also play an
  important role in driving readers to content on
  the Web
• A print story could highlight the CEOs speech,
  but the story can also direct readers to the
  website where those interested can read or view
  entire speech
• In this sense, traditional and new media nicely
  complement each other

5
Balancing Act for Editors

• Editing a company or sponsored publication has
  been described as something of a high wire act
• The goal is advance and promote managements
  organization objectives and at same time provide
  information that isnt boring to the audience
• In addition you have a responsibility to serve
  the interests of the employees and/or other
  publics

6
Editorial Freedom?

• Many editors, especially former journalists,
  think that they should have the right to decide
  what stories will be covered and in what context
• They may resent anything that smacks of editorial
  interference
• Management, meantime, pays the bills and may feel
  entitled to exercise its rights as publisher
• Editors try to balance the needs of management,
  the interests of readers, and their own
  journalistic standards
• Stories about managements goals and strategies
  should interest employees because of their stake
  in the company they are concerned about job
  security and want to make sure their company is
  staying healthy and competitive

7
Have a Mission Statement

• The best editors seem to understand the purpose
  of their publication and the interests of their
  readers
• Develop a concise, simple mission statement of 25
  words or so that helps both editors and
  management understand the publications purpose
• The statement should cover the publications
  general content, its audience, and its strategic
  role
• See Mission Statement examples-page 354-5

8
Annual Editorial Plan/Calendar

• Important to have a plan that maps out what kind
  of articles and other material you will prepare
  for the entire year
• This will enable you to develop story ideas that
  complement the organizations objectives for the
  year

9
Meeting Audience Interests

• A survey of 40 companies and 45,000 employees
  determined the five topics that interest
  employees most
• Organizations future plans
• Personnel policies and procedures
• Productivity improvement
• Job-related information
• Job advancement information

10
Least Favorite Topics

• The last five choices on the 17-topic list were
• Personnel changes/promotions
• Financial results
• Advertising and promotion plans
• Stories about other employees
• Personal news such as birthdays and anniversaries
  
• (Interest ranges from 95-to-57 percent)
• Conclusion Todays employees are more concerned
  about the health and direction of their companies
  than they are about the fact that someone in
  accounting celebrated a wedding anniversary or
  won a bowling tournament)

11
Newsletter Designs

• May try to reflect their organizations distinct
  personalities
• Reebok Internationals employee tabloid projects
  ruggedness and the great outdoors through its
  modern typefaces, cutaway photos of athletes in
  action, and brown as a dominant second color.
  Stories are set in large type, ragged right,
  surrounded by lots of white space.
• By contrast Lloyds of Londons newsletter
  reflects the conservative nature of its financial
  and insurance business with simple headlines,
  pages jam-packed with small type, and mug shots

12
Online Newsletters

• Many organizations supplement their print
  publications with online newsletters e-zines
• Advantages are easier to produce on a computer,
  cost is less, and can instantly be posted and
  disseminated
• An average printed newsletter might cost up to 50
  cents per individual copy whereas an e-zine may
  cost less than 5 cents per copy
• College of Charleston magazine online
• Portico newsletter online

13
Other Types of Publications

• Brochures and Annual Reports
• Chapter goes into writing basics such as
  headlines, lead sentences
• The pros and cons of various type fonts
• Actual printing is usually put out to bid so you
  would meet with different printers and go over
  your design, layout and format ideas and see what
  various printers can do for you and how much it
  will all cost, etc.
• How to Create Great Publications Tips for
  Success on page 364- broken down by Copy, Layout,
  Type and Color