A strategic approach to content
If you've been involved with a newsletter, you've probably heard the question, "What should we write about?" many times. You've probably asked it yourself a time or two. And it's a good question. Finding the right content can take more time and effort than any other single aspect of newsletter planning. It's also the single most important editorial factor in publishing a successful newsletter.
To some extent, we've already started defining the nature of appropriate content for newsletters through our discussions in earlier chapters. And in Chapter 12 we'll look at some very specific sources and methods. In this chapter, though, we deal with a critical issue - a framework for our ideas about content, and a set of criteria for selecting subjects.
We deal with this framework strategically. That is, we want subjects that help us (the publishers) achieve our objectives, by influencing reader actions or attitudes. And, keeping in mind our discussion in Chapter 3, we'll also make a point of serving readers with content they want or need.
Is it possible to do both - to satisfy both readers and publisher - at the same time? Yes! Indeed, that's the essential challenge of non-subscription newsletters. It's easy enough to publish brochures, which deal with just the publisher's needs, or subscription newsletters, which deal with just reader needs.
Finding common ground - to serve both reader and publisher at the same time - may present a unique set of challenges or demands, but it also offers opportunities for effective communication.
A shared environment
This common ground that we've called the shared environment can be visualized with a simple Venn diagram, as in Figure 5-1.
(diagram unavailable)
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