If your employees are out of the office a lot, work different shifts or rarely meet in person to exchange ideas you will probably find that publishing a newsletter is a good idea.
A newsletter makes people feel connected to each other, particularly if it has a personalized aspect.
So why are so many company-published newsletters ignored or thrown away after a quick glance? Most company newsletters are boring.
There may be one part that is a favorite with most people and once that is read the newsletter is discarded.
Employees usually don't care much about sales figures even though they know that their paychecks are partly dependent on those earnings.
It's just too dry and boring to keep their attention.
However, if you mention the statistics in the context of a contest for the best sales promotion suggestion your employees are probably going to read the whole article.
You have captured their interest with the promise of a reward while effectively soliciting suggestions for your next sales promotion.
A newsletter should also entertain.
People rarely read anything that doesn't entertain them in some way, either with illustrations or humorous or interesting content.
Consider featuring an employee pet of the month, a brief G-rated joke or a silly photo.
Humor breaks up the flow of serious information and encourages the reader to finish the newsletter.
It also provides fodder for conversation and can spark creative ideas.
You should also consider including a brief health tip or practical ways to save money.
For instance, most people don't know that drinking alcohol raises their triglyceride levels and affects their cholesterol.
That fact is interesting and relevant to most of your employees.
Do they know that they can freeze mashed potatoes without compromising the flavor or texture? That is information that can save money, time and provide some convenience for quick dinners.
It also keeps employees reading the newsletter.
Another interesting item in most successful newsletters is employee contributions.
An employee can submit an article about his or her profession, their hobby, how the business affects their life or how they are working to achieve their professional goals Some businesses prefer to distribute newsletters via email to save the costs of printing.
Most people who read newsletters, though, prefer printed format; they can take it home to share with their family or read it later on the bus or train.
It doesn't have to cost a fortune to print a newsletter when you have a continuous ink supply system.
Rather than buying individual cartridges your printer has a constant supply of quality ink that is less costly than cartridges.
In fact, a CISS can save you up to 90% of your usual printing costs.