5 Tips to Write Corporate Newsletters People Will Actually Read
Thinking of creating a corporate newsletter but don’t know where to start? Heard that corporate newsletters are the must-have tool for businesses but don’t quite know how they could benefit your company?
Worry not. I’m here to help you create the kind of killer newsletter that your staff won’t just read, but will actually enjoy reading.
Why do your employees need to read corporate newsletters?
Before I share my super easy and effective tips on writing corporate newsletters, it’s a good idea to understand why they’re so important.
Put simply, a corporate newsletter contains company news and information to members of staff. They are especially important for larger organizations where team members may rely on them to keep up to date with what is going on in the business.
When they’re done well, corporate newsletters can engage, inform and entertain your staff and in turn, boost morale and productivity.
That’s the good news.
The bad news?
It’s not always easy to do them well.
Related: How to write a stellar email newsletter
Think about it: your staff already spend a lot of time in their inbox. How can you convince them to read what you’ve got to say? It takes vigilant planning, consistent implementation, and a solid understanding of what your staff want to read.
I know what you’re thinking… this sounds great in theory, but how do I actually apply this to my communications?
How can I make a big impact?
I’ve got you covered with the following five tips.
#1. Set the tone
Too many businesses get this terribly wrong.
Here’s the fact:
If you don’t pay enough attention to tone, your newsletter is likely to fall flat on its face.
Just because you’re starting a corporate newsletter, it doesn’t mean that you should start speaking (or writing) in a corporate or formal way. The goal of your newsletter is to offer value and make your staff feel included in your company. So, (assuming you’re a friendly person, of course!) write it in the way you would usually speak to your staff.
Related: ZeroBounce COO Brian Minick shares his best email newsletter tips
Let’s say, for example, you want to use a section of your newsletter to educate your staff on new workflow processes. Instead of writing it in a rigid (boring) way, use the relationship you have with your staff to create an engaging piece on the subject.
Remember that your staff gets inundated with information every day, so it is important that your content stands out from the rest. You already have the benefit of knowing your readers, so use that to your advantage. Speak to them in a way that they like to be spoken to.
Good content writing is not just about what you say, but how you say it. Keep that in mind when you start planning your corporate newsletters.
#2. Get the design right
Corporate newsletters are very simple to design. With a good editor and email templates, you can create an eye-catching newsletter design in a few minutes.
But, and this is a big but:
The key is ensuring your newsletter design is relevant to the content. For example, if you’re using your corporate newsletter to spread the word about your upcoming Christmas party, it’s a good idea to choose a festive-themed design.
The trick is finding a balance in design that not only represents the occasion but also your company branding, incorporating elements of both.
If you’re an IT company and you’re including a section on .ae domains or email retargeting, then you may want to select some designs that specifically link to the subject.
The goal is to make your staff read and engage with the newsletter’s content. The more relevant you make your design, the more likely you are to attract and maintain your readers’ attention.
#3. Appeal to their competitive side
Most people have a competitive side to them, and let’s be honest, everyone wants to impress their boss. Creating corporate newsletters is a great way to run internal competitions that will get your staff involved and engaged with the company.
Launching a new line and wondering how to attract customers to buy your product? Getting a member of staff to represent your company in a race or an external contest is also a really good way to increase your brand awareness.
Finding competition ideas is easy – you could plan it around popular sports such as running, swimming or cycling or even hobbies like cooking or baking. The trick is to make your competition about something your staff really enjoy doing. The more fun you make it, the more likely they are to get involved.
#4. Advertise new jobs
Nothing quite makes your staff feel valued than providing them with opportunities to grow and progress within the company. Corporate newsletters are an effective way to highlight job positions in your business. You can also tailor your content to educate and inform your staff about the kinds of available positions.
If we were looking for a killer salesperson to promote our domains, it would be a good idea to write a piece on what makes people buy ai domain. Similarly, if you’re looking for a member of staff with specific skills, such as graphic design or email retargeting, use your newsletter to create an engaging piece of copy about what the job entails.
Looking for inspiration?
Day-in-the-life stories always work incredibly well in corporate newsletters. Why not set up an interview with someone who works in the position that you’ve filled? As well as providing useful information on the job role, your staff will certainly want to know what John over in Accounts or Sue in Marketing does all day.
The more interesting you make your content (even for serious subjects such as job advertisements), the more likely your staff are to engage with what you have to say.
#5. Give away free resources
Everyone loves a freebie, so why not use your corporate newsletter to highlight all the free tools and resources that are available to your staff?
Think about the things that you have available for your employees, such as online course subscriptions, training opportunities, or video recordings. You may wish to raise awareness of your cycle to work scheme or private healthcare cover or other non-tangible employment benefits.
In our corporate newsletters, we may include information on our marketing resources. We may reiterate and highlight information that may help our employees to be more productive at work, such as including a section on “what is .io domain?“
When thinking of ideas to include in your corporate newsletters, show off any resources that will improve your employees’ professional or personal life. Remember that your employees will base their willingness to read your corporate newsletter on how beneficial it is to them.
What’s next?
By using the tips in this article, you can start to create the kind of corporate newsletters that your staff won’t just read, but actually enjoy reading.
But here’s one more…
(Yes, I’ve saved the best for last!)
Try to think of problems and challenges your staff may be facing outside of work – and provide advice and guidance to help them tackle them.
Sounds a bit “vanilla”?
Here’s the secret:
You need to tweak this type of content to make it into a regular-themed feature that focuses on a member of staff.
For example, Chuck from Payroll who just happens to be super awesome at DIY could offer his top tips on assembling flat-pack furniture. Rachel in HR could provide some brilliant baking advice.
This kind of regular feature offers your employees a break from work-related content, offers helpful advice, and gives your readers an insight into their colleagues’ lives.
Trust me, your staff will love it!
Author: Lisa Baltes is a part of the marketing team in OnlyDomains, an ICANN accredited registrar that provides top-of-the-line domain management solutions for business owners. She’s the definition of a jack of all trades. Lisa enjoys content writing, social media marketing and is always looking for opportunities to learn. Based in Sankt Ingbert, Germany, she enjoys hiking in her free time. Here is her LinkedIn.