Writing Digital Newsletters (or e-zines)



Digital newsletters (or e-zines) are a powerful, cost effective way to communicate with your customers and potential customers and promote your company and products.

This one-day course will teach you to write well written, well targeted digital newsletters which promote your brand and are valued by your readers.

The course uses a combination of practical exercises and theory to help you build a dynamic editorial strategy and teach you to write articles and features for your e-zine that will engage your customers and promote your company.

Pre-Course Requirements

No previous experience of writing digital newsletters is required.

  • Introduction
    • Why produce a digital newsletter?
    • Becoming a publisher: the importance of a name, a brand and a strapline
    • Engaging blends: how a successful editorial strategy works

    Defining your digital newsletter
    • Who are your audience?
    • Who is going to read your digital newsletter?
    • What will you promise your readers?
    • How to create audience demand and expectations
    • Creating an digital newsletter that's a useful practical resource
    • Choosing the right tone and voice
    • Determining the length and frequency of your newsletters

    Before you start to write
    • Building your editorial strategy: choosing topics and regular features
    • Finding ideas for features
    • Using bite-sized content to create editorial value
    • Keeping the right balance between promotion, selling and useful editorial content
    • Essential housekeeping elements: date, contents, subscriptions and contacts
  • Writing features and copy
    • The ideal copy length for digital features
    • How to use the main feature to reflect the expertise of your brand
    • Writing different types of article: case studies, interviews, essential tips, and the classic how-to feature
    • Writing short copy: the value of the inverted pyramid
    • Using images to enhance feature content.

    Promoting your company or brand within your newsletter
    • Writing a company news story
    • Using new, relevant and engaging stories to reinforce your message
    • Finding the right angle to generate the greatest interest

    Links
    • Linking articles to your website
    • The pros and cons of referencing external sources.

    Before you send
    • Proofing digital newsletters
    • Choosing the email subject line