Page 2, Chapter 6: A Manager's Guide to Newsletters: Communicating for Results

Challenge

Directly confront the reader's beliefs, facts, or logic - a dangerous course in some circumstances because the effort may backfire. But it may work if significant change is required, and if the newsletter has skilled writers and editors.

It is not subtle; it is confrontational and questions the status quo. It deals explicitly with a problem area and explains your perspective, without apology.

Analyze

Give reasoned arguments in favor of your position or against the position held by the reader. Where challenge presumes a shock assault against the reader's beliefs or knowledge, analyze presumes a calm, let's work together approach, in which you try to persuade by the application of logic. Work through the differences that exist, and help the reader develop a new set of beliefs or knowledge.

Entertain

Make your point indirectly or create a more receptive atmosphere by amusing or diverting the reader. This can increase interest in either the subject or the newsletter as a whole. Entertainment tools include humor, puzzles, contests, and cartoons.

Consult

Exchange ideas with readers, ask their advice, solicit their ideas, or take other measures that lead to a two-way flow of information. Surveys, simple questions, provocative questions, and contests are among the effective consulting tactics.

Envision

Paint a picture of future benefits that come from adopting your position. Help readers see how they will move toward their goals by doing what you ask of them. A vision usually refers to something well into the future, and may minimize current differences.

Empathize

Acknowledge the reasonableness of the reader's current position or sympathize with his situation. To that, add an explanation of how your recommendations lead to a better outcome. Empathy provides a platform for jointly investigating opportunities through which you both benefit. It also provides an atmosphere for analysis or envisioning.

Advise or Inform

Present information without editorial comment, supporting argument, or added context. Simply present the material, or the facts, on the assumption the reader knows the subject and understands the benefits. Two basic approaches to this are expanded information and condensed information. Chapter 12 deals with these approaches.

Teach

Provide information, but go beyond that by transferring functional knowledge or skill to the reader. Newsletters often include instruction, which gives readers information about how to do something. That might include step-bystep details, analogies to something with which readers are already familiar, or even practice in something they can do already, but not as well as they would like.

Interpret

Advise the reader, but explain the meanings of the words or messages as well. In addition to translating from one language to another, interpretation might include providing context, simplifying wording, or explaining relationships among elements that may not be clearly related in the reader's mind.

Solve

Solve problems for the reader. This is another form of advising, with emphasis on removing a barrier that stands in the way of the reader doing what you want, or of achieving his goals. Some tools to consider are shortcuts, elaboration on methods, and presentation of crucial knowledge.

A word of caution

We've noted that teaching is an appropriate tactic for newsletters. But, having said that, we hasten to add that you must respect the reader's desire to learn from you. All too often, we hear from publishers or would-be publishers who feel it is their job to educate readers (or customers, or members, or the world at large) about something they consider important. But we can't educate anyone without his or her permission. Readers will learn from us if they wish to do so - if what we can teach them is relevant, and

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