 Newsletter Outsourcing vs. In-House Production
So you're considering creating an electronic newsletter? You're thinking: It makes sense. An eNewsletter is one of the fastest, easiest and most cost-effective ways to communicate with clients and prospects. Plus, we could probably produce it in house and save a ton of money. Susan has taken a few college English courses and is a pretty good writer. Our graphics department could probably handle the Web design and programming. And Mary has heard about free software we could possibly use to send out the eNewsletter. Finally, we could transform our longstanding plans for a company eNewsletter into reality. But wait. Before you opt to produce an electronic newsletter in-house, consider all the factors involved. Do you have the expertise, objectivity, creativity, equipment and time to do the job right and...consistently on schedule? Expertise — Electronic newsletter production isn't rocket science, but you need special skills to handle the technical intricacies involved — from conception to production to deployment. Companies that specialize in eNewsletter production can provide high-caliber writers, designers and other professionals with specific skills that relate to your industry and needs. You simply give them direction on what to write about and what response you'd like to achieve, and they'll take it from there. They handle all the interviewing, writing, designing, programming, photo insertion and other technical "leg" work — while you sit back, relax and approve the final product. Objectivity — Internal politics tend to make in-house newsletters self-serving. Inevitably, company writers will generate pieces like "We're No. 1" and "Message from the President". But professional copywriters are trained to create messages that will best satisfy the interests of readers — not company management — so you receive the best possible response to your newsletter. Creativity — As an industry insider, you may be too close to daily issues to generate a steady steam of fresh ideas for your newsletter. An outsourcer uses multiple creative resources and can ensure your publication remains engaging to readers from issue to issue. Equipment — You may be able to buy or use free software to send out your email newsletter. But will it allow you to properly manage and track your campaign's unsubscribers, hard and soft bounces, and open and click-through rate? eNewsletter contractors are equipped to do all of this and more. They can provide meaningful statistics to quantify your campaign's success — and return on investment. Time — Producing a newsletter in house can take up to 50 hours per issue for planning, research, interviewing, article writing, design, deployment and other production tasks. This can pull staff members away from their normal duties and strain company resources. Or worse, it becomes the "thing" no one wants to do and gets passed around from person to person like a hot potato. Eventually it falls through the cracks or becomes a last-minute rush job that winds up being poorly done. Outsourcing will give your staff more time to focus on core competencies. Plus, it will ensure timely delivery of a professional publication to your subscribers' email in-box each month. To learn more about the benefits of having a professional team produce your eNewsletter, email Proven Systems Corp.or call 970-223-6565. | 
