More and more small businesses are discovering the value of newsletters. In fact, you could say that they are a public relations, sales and marketing tool all rolled into one. However, if you’re the one responsible for creating and producing it, good customer communications require lots of hard work to go from the initial planning stages to a finished piece that’s a joy to read.

Map out every task that has to be done with a scheduled date for completion. Then stick to the schedule!

A good place to start is to develop an action plan. Who will write the articles? Who will edit? Will the design be handled in-house or by an outside vendor? Map out every task that has to be done with a scheduled date for completion. Then stick to the plan.

One of the key components of increasing the readability of your newsletter will be to effectively define your target audience and write articles directed at them and their interests. The more it relates to their needs and interests, the more likely they are to read it.

Good design is crucial to success as well. If it looks interesting and appealing, the chances are greater that readers will read the articles. For best results, have a graphic artist design a “template” that will act as a style guide and format reference. The result will be a consistent look for your newsletter that can be maintained from issue to issue.

After the design stage, you’ll face many decisions that will impact the final product. Paper stock selection, photographs, illustrations and colors are just a few. Each element should be chosen carefully with one eye on the budget and the other on what benefit it will bring to the finished piece.

These tips remain useful whether you use a printed or an on-line version.