Summer is a time when things slow down at my house. School is out and kids sleep late. It’s a time when I can catch up on my reading. I especially like reading magazines and newsletters. They are a great way to keep up on the fast pace of today’s world.

Newsletters are also an effective way to keep up to date with your customers.

Here are some tips to make your newsletters more effective:

1. Be newsy. A newsletter is not an ad. If you have an upcoming sale, it’s all right to mention it briefly at the end. Send ads separately from newsletters. Newsletters should be about 75 percent content and only 25 percent advertising.

2. Be real. Many newsletters state facts, but don’t connect the dots to explain what the facts mean. Your audience doesn’t want to be talked down to, but they might not be up on the latest jargon in your industry either. Tie any facts into relevant examples that apply to your customers.

3. Be interesting. Write your articles in a consolidated way so that you don’t ramble and lose your audience. A shot of humor is a nice touch, as well. Another tactic is to get a dialog going by offering an opinion and asking your customers for their views.

4. Be interested. Write about the questions your customers frequently ask you. Offer your customers a feedback link so they can tell you what they think. Also ask for their opinions about topics they would like to see in future issues.

5. Be helpful. Write topics that are helpful to your customers and their interests. Put in a tip or hint to make their lives easier.

6. Be brief. A newsletter should be short and take no longer than about 5 minutes to read. People are busy and they will look forward to your newsletters if they are concise.

7. Be relevant. Use an anecdote or highlight a customer’s experience (think customer success stories). People like to talk about themselves and will usually easily share their ideas. Also, when your customers see others in your newsletters, they may contact you to be included as well.

8. Be valuable. If you have a topic that can’t be covered in a short segment, link to a longer article on your website. Or link to other authors’ articles for more information on relevant topics. (Get permission from the authors first of course.)

9. Be professional. Only send newsletters to people who sign up for them. Don’t spam. Provide a way for your customers to opt out of your newsletters.

10. Be consistent. Send your newsletters regularly, but not too often. Bi-weekly or monthly are usually good newsletter intervals.

1. Don’t rush. Many companies want their marketing materials yesterday. They are feeling the pinch of not having the right item when it is needed. However, it is better to do an excellent job correctly, than just a make-do-for-now effort.
2. Research. Research your subject and the person you are going to interview before you conduct the interview. This shows your subject that you have a genuine interest in them and makes them more comfortable. It also shows respect because you aren’t asking a lot of unnecessary questions. The story is told of a reporter who once asked Vivian Leigh what part she played in the movie Gone with the Wind. She ended the interview at that point. Don’t let that happen to you. Be prepared.
3. Pick a theme for your interview. When writing white papers and case studies, not everyone fits the profile of the ideal reader. You don’t want to interview the young, female receptionist of a small company when your ideal reader is a middle-aged, male executive. Interview the executive instead, even if you have to wait a few weeks because of his busy schedule.
4. Develop questions. Questions should be open-ended and encourage your speaker to open up to you. Don’t ask yes or no questions. Also plan to let people ramble and sometimes go onto another subject than the one you are interviewing them about altogether. They may surprise you with additional material. Especially with case studies, it really adds a human element to the story.
5. Interview your subject in person, if possible. Visiting in person gives you more information than over the telephone. You get access to non-verbal clues such as body language, style of clothing, hair color, etc. Also try to conduct the interview at your interviewee’s place of business. Furnishings such as style of décor and paintings may give you some opening questions to ease into the interview.
6. Establish rapport. Begin with general, get-to-know you type questions that ease into an interview. If something interesting about the person has been revealed through your research, ask them about it. Above all, listen more than you talk. Studs Terkel said, “I realized quite early in this adventure that interviews conventionally conducted were meaningless. The question-and-answer technique may be of value in determining favored detergent, but not in the discovery of men and women. It was simply a case of making conversation and listening.”
7. Focus on the speaker. Instead of waiting to ask your next question, concentrate on what the speaker is saying. When you really listen to the speaker, you get more information. You respond as if you are interested and new questions will occur to you during the discussion.
8. Record the interview. However, always take backup notes. As I once discovered to my chagrin, a tape recorder is not always reliable – especially if the interviewer (me) is technically challenged. Ask permission to record the interview and explain that is to help you get quotes correct.
9. Be respectful. Everyone is busy so stick to the time frame you scheduled. Also, when people talk they often add lots of ums and other “stuff” that they wouldn’t want to see in print. When typing the interview, use quotes verbatim, but without the ums and ahs.
10. Have fun. Interviewing is a good way to connect with others. So enjoy the experience.

What are white papers?

White papers are essentially persuasive essays written for the Business to Business (B2B) market. They give managers, executives, and other business leaders the needed justification to make required purchases.

White Papers are:

• Often called guides or reports
• Written for the B2B market
• Persuasive essays directed at decision makers
• 5-12 pages long
• Fact-based, using citations as appropriate

White Papers do:

• Focus on the needs of readers
• Begin by describing a problem your typical customers have
• Present generic solutions to the problem
• List criteria of what to look for in a solutions provider
• Highlight your company as the premier solutions provider

White Papers also:

• Establish trust in your products or services
• Give businesses the needed information to make purchases
• Educate and inform with information useful to the reader
• Contain mostly text with a limited use of graphics and/or pictures
• Do not generally use humor
• Shun hard sell tactics
• Are serious in tone, not humorous

White Papers are used to:

• Generate leads
• Close sales
• Establish your company a leader in your industry

The bulleted lists above give you a basic understanding of a seemingly simple document that is really very complex in all that it can accomplish.

1. Put it in a press release. A customer success story (often called a case study) can quickly be abridged and used as part of a press release. Be sure to note in the release that an expanded version is available.
2. Pitch it to a trade magazine. Many trade publications are searching for public interest stories. You can easily present the information in a fairly non-biased way so your company is only highlighted as the specific end-solution.
3. Mail it to current customers. Mailing or e-mailing a true story is a great way to keep in touch. It can also raise awareness about a new product or service, or encourage customers to contact you with their own success stories.
4. Offer it as a bait piece. A case study makes a terrific free giveaway in response to a direct marketing ad. Sending real life examples of how others solved specific problems helps prospects develop trust in you.
5. Give it to your sales department. They can use them in presentations, to illustrate key points, and as a leave behind document. A case study is often more convincing than a brochure.
6. Place it on your web site. Put a “bite” of the story in a sidebar on your front page, with a link to the full story.
7. Highlight it in your newsletter. Success stories based on real-world applications get the highest readership in newsletters because they are compelling and fun to read.
8. Use it as a speaking topic. When an executive needs to give a talk at a meeting, a case study makes an excellent presentation. The content easily converts into PowerPoint slides, and the printed version can be handed out.
9. Utilize quotes as testimonials. Testimonials help make benefits believable. The quotes gleaned from happy customers for a case study can be used in ads, brochures, white papers, and more.
10. Hand out copies at trade shows. Case studies are a great way to break through the clutter of fliers and brochures that permeate trade shows. Before and after pictures are extremely effective in getting people to stop at your booth.
11. Feature “live” examples in a webinar. Most people love being a guest, so include a customer with a really compelling success story as a featured speaker.
12. Put three shortened stories together for an ad. These always get read because they are true stories about real people.

Saturday is quick tip day, so here are 5 things you can do in 5 minutes to give yourself a lift:

1. Get your heart pumping. Do jumping jacks or jump on the trampoline with your children.  Take your dog for a quick run around the block, or jog in place while you watch Oprah.  Just 5 minutes of an elevated heart rate will give you more energy and help you feel a bit perkier.
2. Drink 16 ounces of cold water. Often times we are feeling a little sluggish because we are a bit dehydrated.  Drinking some water will help your body feel better, and give you more energy.
3. Meditate. When life gets too busy or noisy, take a few minutes to stop and clear your mind.  (If you have young children this might not be possible, and can be a real challenge because even the bathroom isn’t sacred.  You might have to wait until naptime or bedtime.)
4. Make a gratitude list. List all the things you are grateful for.  Focusing on our blessings helps our attitude to change as we realize how many wonderful things we have.
5. Pet your dog. Petting a cat works well too.  Petting an animal has been shown to reduce feelings of stress. “Among other things, animals contribute to raising self-esteem, significantly lowering anxiety levels, improving attitude toward others and opening lines of communication.” (Leanna Skamulis quoting K.C. Cole, Medicine Net.com)

Everyone can make 5 minutes in their schedule to do a few things to feel better. Try it today.

Choose a better mood today,

Julie