The Truth About Starting a Company Magazine or Newsletter

I often get calls from companies taking the first step in launching their company publication.  They admit it’s been on the discussion board for years.  It feels overwhelming, which is why I get the call. 

Maybe I’ve been in the business too long, but I find starting a company publication one of the easiest marketing/advertising ventures you can tackle.  Why? Because much of the content needed for your publication already exists.  It’s just a matter of finding a company to pull it all together, dress it up, get it printed, and mail it to your audience. 

To get the ball rolling, ask yourself: Where is your company story being told already? Begin by looking at:

•Your website
•Company brochures
•Sales/marketing material
•Company blogs
•Letters from the President/C-level leaders
•Electronic communications to customers and prospects
•Advertisements
•Press Releases

Every place you tell your story is an opportunity for content. Is it bad to repeat content? Absolutely not!  Your audience needs to hear it over and over in order for your company to remain “top of mind” with your customers and prospects.  You’re vying for a tiny slot of real estate in an over-crowded brain. Build your brand by repeating your message with consistency.

What makes a publication manageable in the long run is having departments or sections, much like the magazines you buy on the newsstands. Take a look through some of your favorites.  There is usually a letter from the editor, and various sections or departments that are there every month, usually in the same spot.  Your company publication should follow a format, and having regular sections makes it easy to think of content to fill those buckets.

If starting a company publication has been on your radar for a while, and you don’t know where to begin, give me a call. A launch takes 30-90 days from concept to mailbox, depending on the size of the publication and content needed.  With the right partner, anything is possible.

Happy Publishing!
Sherry McKinley
President
The Newsletter Company

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