Writing For The Reader
When producing a newsletter, try to focus attention primarily on your core readership. By
'core readership' I mean a representative group of readers that stay in the forefront of
your mind when you are planning and putting together each edition. These are the people you
need to stay with you regardless of other fluctuations in readership and whose likes and
interests you've formulated the newsletter around. Understanding what 'rings their bell'
then, is of paramount importance.
Types Of Newsletter
First, though, you need to remember that different types of newsletter foster different
attitudes towards content. For example, there might be a noticeable difference in attitude
between readers of subscription newsletters as opposed to 'free' ones. Subscribers,
naturally, have high expectations and assume that editorial content will be determined by
their needs and wants. Conversely, in the case of those that are free due to advertising
support, there is often an assumption, rightly or wrongly, that advertisers might try to
influence editorial policy in some way, or even, to dictate content. Worse still, when a
newsletter is free because it is the policy of the owner/producer to shoulder costs, then it
might be perceived as a propaganda tool and the content viewed with a high degree of
skepticism.
For these reasons, reader attitude is an important consideration. In practical terms it
means that the volume of work involved in producing a free newsletter is likely to be at
least equal to a subscription newsletter due to the effort required to overcome possible
negative attitudes on the part of readers.
Subscription Newsletters
Subscription newsletters tend to require more concentrated focus on basic content than
their free cousins. This is partly because the need to entice new readers is not so obvious
and partly because the reader has paid for the content—therefore you are under an
obligation to provide it. An excess of miscellaneous material can be viewed as an irritation
and even, depending on the particular publication, superfluous.
Free Newsletters
On the other hand, free newsletters allow more flexibility. You can use more of the
available space to cast a wider net, in terms of reader appeal, as well as in
trying to overcome any reader resistance, as mentioned above. Humorous pieces, cartoons,
crossword puzzles etc all have their place in most newsletters in order to ensure
balance but you have greater scope in the use of these items in a free publication.
© 2000 Mike Alexander (Revised 2003)
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Mike Alexander is the creator and owner of '101 Newsletter Answers', the 'How-To'
place where the focus is on 'Power Communicating' with newsletters. http://www.101newsletteranswers.com
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