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Not just another pretty piece: How an internal newsletter helps your organization

What can a newsletter do for you?

Newsletters — whether they're delivered on paper or electronically — are one of the most effective ways to communicate information and accomplish multiple objectives. Whether your target audience is employees, customers or prospects, newsletters deliver high-impact results.

A professional internal, or employee, publication will achieve the following:

Connect employees throughout an organization. “Our Chicago-area LaSalle National Bank branches felt disconnected from the locations downtown until we incorporated them into the newsletter,” says Kim Woods, vice president and manager of internal communications at ABN-AMRO North America Inc., the bank’s parent company in Chicago.
Promote camaraderie between departments or among divisions. “We have several business units, so the newsletter is a valuable way to share what’s going on across the company,” says Heidi Gursky, administrative assistant at Household International Inc. in Prospect Heights, Ill. “With the newsletter, they feel like they belong to the same company.”
Recognize employee efforts or milestones. “We applaud their volunteer efforts,” Woods says. “This includes fund raising and other charitable campaigns they participate in. We also recognize individuals by incorporating their photos into the masthead and profiling them in a regular feature column, including a quote about the most positive aspects of working for the bank.”
Outline the company’s goals and direction. “We feature stories about strategic issues,” says Michele Merrell, manager of public relations and corporate communications at U.S. Cellular Corp in Chicago. “Our goal is to inform the associates about our company objectives and initiatives.”
Improve morale. “We want the associates to be excited about what’s happening here,” says Steve Mulligan, director of communications at Sears, Roebuck and Co. in Hoffman Estates, Ill. “If the employees are happy, their attitudes will carry over into the jobs they do.”
Announce changes in policies or procedures. “If we change the insurance policy for the better, we might highlight that in the newsletter,” Gursky says. “The newsletter is a good way to share what’s happening with company benefits and programs.”
Welcome new employees. “We publish stories on new employees, so they will feel a part of the team and so that others within the company will recognize them,” says Carolyn Tarrant, marketing communications manager at Wheels Inc. in Des Plaines, Ill.
Encourage feedback. “The employees submit a lot of great stories, and in return, they receive prestige,” Mulligan says. “Each year, the employee with the best entry wins $10,000.”

For more information about how The Simons Group can help your organization with print and electronic marketing projects, contact Lee Zoldan at lzoldan@thesimonsgroup.com.