In part 1, we addressed the strategy behind a solid newsletter, its title, and its content. In part 2, we'll examine the importance of creative design, printing and distribution, and which medium is best—electronic or print.

Of the many marketing communications vehicles, few have been embraced more than the newsletter.

What makes a good newsletter engaging is its design and layout. More than anything else, design is what draws in the reader. Do some research and collect as many newsletters as you can. Lay them out on a conference table and separate them into piles of the good, the bad, and the ugly. Get a mixed group of people together to examine what you like and don't like about the designs.

Make a list of the colors that appeal to you, the types of graphic treatment that work well, and the font styles you find easy to read. Keep your demographic audience in mind as you do this evaluation. If your readers include people with visual impairments or aging eyes, for example, your font size and color selection will need to accommodate that audience.

If your organization has existing brand colors, using these throughout your piece will reinforce your look. Placing your logo or name on your front cover and again on the back cover will ensure that your readers always know who sent the newsletter.

Decide whether your print edition should be in two or four colors. With today's print technology, the cost to print in full color is about the same as two colors once you reach a certain quantity. Ask your print supplier for a quote based on your quantities to see where your threshold lies. Nonprofits that worry about perceptions can include a mice-type disclaimer statement that explains the rationale for full color; it should dispel the myth that anything more than one or two colors is frivolous.

Decide on the length of your newsletter. Keep in mind that a percentage of your audience will toss it immediately, while others will scan it or read it in its entirety. To help increase your newsletter's readability, try to keep it as professional looking as possible.

Design Don'ts

• Don't skimp on design. Using a relative who has desktop publishing software is typically not your best option. The layout is best when consistent from one issue to another, with some minor modifications. This helps build your brand look.
  
  
• Don't hire a marketing professional or graphic designer until you've had an opportunity to review his/her portfolio to see whether the style is a good match. Checking references will inform you whether they meet deadlines and can understand and meet your needs.
  
  
• Don't expect the marketing professional/designer to understand what you're trying to accomplish without a complete briefing. In fact, preparing a creative brief first allows you to think through your own thoughts, too. This also helps reduce your exposure to rising costs when you later ask for revisions beyond your allocated budget.
  
  
• If you outsource directly to a designer, don't expect him/her to serve as your proofreader. If s/he finds errors and brings them to your attention, that's a bonus. It's best to have someone proofread your copy before you send it to the design stage, and again after the copy is laid out. Ideally, it's best to ask a different proofreader to review each revised version until the newsletter is ready for sign-off. After one or two rounds, it's challenging for any proofreader to be objective. If you hire a marketing consultant who handles all aspects of newsletter production, it will be his/her responsibility to ensure that your newsletter is proofread professionally.
  
  
• Try to keep your use of clip art to a minimum. It can work effectively for organizations and companies related to children and animals, but it may diminish your brand if you require a more serious, professional look. Definitely avoid using clip art that's easily available in common software programs; instead, opt for good-quality photos—either stock photos or your own.
  
  
• Don't use white reverse font on a colored background for long copy. It's hard to read for anything longer than a standout text box.
  
  
• Avoid photo collages. They're not only passé, they confuse the eye. If you want to use a small grouping, use three. Ask your designer for ideas.
  
  
• Don't work with anyone who claims to "own" the creative. Once you pay the bill, the creative belongs to you. If you ever need to find another designer, you'll have the artwork if you ask for the disks in the original software. Having a written agreement is a good safeguard.

Some Do's

• Ask the consultant/designer for a quote based on two or three conceptual design concepts. Once you have your template, it's important to keep it consistent for every issue. If you can't afford professional design for each issue, consider assigning a talented staff person who can work within the designer's template. You may first want to evaluate what his/her time is worth away from other responsibilities. If it takes time away from generating revenue to layout the newsletter, it may not be the best use of time.
  
  
• Find a professional who's willing to commit to a year's worth of issues. Sending out consistent, professional communication affects your credibility and brand. Ensure that you have an agreement on deadlines and commitments. For organizations on limited budgets that may use students as designers, try to allow a long lead time to account for any delays. Work with a practical critical path.
  
  
• Ensure that you have white space and the newsletter isn't crammed with so many images or copy that the reader's eyes don't know where to look first.
  
  
• In print newsletters, use sans serif fonts (e.g., Arial) for headlines, and serif fonts (e.g., Times New Roman) for body copy. Serif fonts are easier to read in body copy. For electronic newsletters, fonts are sans serif for reading on screen. Body copy is best at 10-point and up to 12-point, depending on the age and visual impairments of your audience. The size of each font style will appear different, so experiment.
  
  
• Try to use your own photos rather than stock photography whenever possible. Your work in action will speak louder and may receive more attention than your copy. Adding a cutline beneath photos gives "scanners" something to read, giving them a sense of who you are and what you do, even if they don't read a word of the content.
  
  
• Use a variety of photo treatment. Close-cropping is a nice alternative to a rectangular photo frame.
  
  
• If you have the funds, purchase a mid-priced digital camera to capture your events and features. Even the most amateur photographer can produce a professional-looking photo using a digital camera. For special events or major news, hire a professional photographer if you can. You'll notice a distinct difference in the quality and composition of your photos.
  
  
• In print editions, decide whether you want your design to bleed off the page. The print costs will be higher because the printer will purchase larger paper and trim it down. Each has a different look, and the decision is a subjective one.

Designers—Inside or Outside?

For organizations and companies with internal marketing staff, there's a debate over whether to hire staff graphic designers or whether it's more beneficial to use outsourced suppliers. I've done it both ways when I worked in marketing management, and have found it more cost-effective and advantageous to use freelance designers or outsourced agencies. I always kept a roster of good, reliable designers on hand, each with a different style or specialty.

If you don't have a staff person to project-manage the development of your newsletter, consider hiring a marketing professional or agency to look after all aspects of production. Professionals have the expertise to guide you and keep you on track. They'll have reliable associates or staff that specialize in copywriting, designing, and printing and can work directly with them, taking that responsibility off your plate. They can also make viable recommendations that can save you money, both in the short term and long term.

Printing and Distribution

In most urban centers, there are several print suppliers that can easily print your newsletter. If you live in a rural area or smaller city, large suppliers in major centers can ship your printed newsletters to you directly if there are few local options. The artwork can be uploaded to a printer's FTP site or mailed on a disk by your designer. Depending on the newsletter size, it's also possible to email it as a PDF file.

There are different options available in the printing business, depending on quantity and size. For smaller quantities, a high-end digital color copier can produce excellent results for a few hundred newsletters. Check out your local business store for color-copy specials or look for a print specialist in digital color output. Specialists can also offer you variable data printing—the ability to customize printed materials with information from your database file. This allows you to print recipients' names and any other personal information directly into each document you print.

Once your quantity reaches the thousands, it pays to use offset printing. The more you print, the lower the unit cost, and the more reasonable it is to print in full color. Ask your printer about gang-run printing—a process where your job is added to another customer's print job at the printing plant. Although the final product may vary slightly in color output, the savings may be substantial.

A professional print supplier can score and fold your newsletters so they're ready for envelope stuffing or labels. If you have the funds, consider using a mail house to fulfill your newsletter mailing needs. They can receive the printed newsletters directly from your printer, stuff envelopes or print and attach shipping labels from your database list, and mail your newsletters for you. If you're taking valuable staff time to perform this function, factor in the cost; chances are that your staff has little time to devote to the new task.

Nonprofit organizations in North America are entitled to special postage rates. There are certain requirements, so check with a USPS or Canada Post representative. For other countries, ask the relevant postal agency. Businesses may also be entitled to bulk rates under certain conditions.

Try to avoid stuffing your print newsletter with inserts before mailing it. It's a common practice to insert flyers into envelopes or tucked inside folded newsletters, especially for events or news that didn't make the newsletter's content. As pragmatic as this practice may appear—after all, it can save the cost of a separate mailing—it can also cheapen your publication.