Finding Ideas For Your Email Newsletter
Issue # 114
1> Create An Idea Bank
2> Ask Readers For Ideas
3> Write It All At Once
1> Create An Idea Bank
You would be amazed at how much you know about what you know. Create a filing system for all of your ideas. This can be as simple as a folder on your network labeled “content ideas” that everyone at your company can access. Every single idea you have goes in the folder. Over time, similar ideas will collect into complete concepts, giving you a ready-to-write newsletter. Don’t forget — a good newsletter is short. You only need a single big idea per issue, and you have much more knowledge about your topic than your readers.
2> Ask Readers For Ideas
Your readers can be an overwhelming source of story ideas. Ask them to submit their favorite experiences or good advice. Don’t promise to print everything you receive — you’ll get more than you want. Thank your contributors in the newsletter. People love to see their names in print, and they will send in stories by the bucketful.
3> Write It All At Once
If your newsletter is not on a time-sensitive topic, you should consider writing a year’s worth all at once. You only need 52 pages of text to fill a weekly newsletter for a year. A good freelance writer can do that for you in a few weeks. Hiring a writer for one big project is usually much cheaper than week-by-week fees. Once the project is done, all you need to do each week is insert any advertisements and send the newsletter. Much less work, much less stress.
