A newsletter can be an effective outreach tool if a business is trying to achieve specific results, has the necessary resources for the task and has identified a target audience with a need for information. But if your goal is to sell a specific product or service or to reach a wide, undefined audience, you might find more success with a different promotional option.

Judging from the number of newsletters on the market (thousands are printed and more are online), there are a number of very good reasons for choosing this viable messaging tool. Newsletters are:

• A very low cost way to reach a highly targeted audience
• Viewed as an information source rather than a promotional message
• A reliable way to deliver a valuable and essential service
• Sent on a regular basis to clients or prospects without being seen as a repetitive message
• A means to position your company as an expert and a resource for future use
• Evidence of your commitment to an objective, cause or profession
• A tangible demonstration of your understanding of client needs
If a newsletter meets your personal criteria and you decide it’s the right media for you, there still are other factors to consider before you can start the production process. Before you start compiling content or coming up with catchy column names, ask yourself these questions:

• Do you have the time to create a newsletter?
• Do you have the technical expertise necessary to do the job?
• Can you write in a clear, concise and professional manner that will engage your readers?
• Do you have the necessary equipment, design skills and production capabilities to complete the newsletter?
• Are you willing to make a commitment to meeting deadlines on a continuing basis?
• Do you have access to a continuing source of information and content?
• What is your budget? And is it adequate to produce and distribute the product you want?
• Have you identified a target audience and do you have access to a mailing list?

Let’s say you’ve considered these questions and found no obstacle that would prevent you from taking on the newsletter challenge. But you’re not out of the woods yet – you’ve determined you want to build a newsletter, but you still need to consider whether your audience needs a newsletter. Ask yourself:

• Are interesting or innovative things happening in my selected field?
• Is the target audience connected in such a way that they would have similar needs or interests?
• Is my chosen subject sufficiently broad to maintain continuing interest?
• Do I know something my audience doesn’t know?

If a few of these questions have dampened your enthusiasm, don’t worry. No one person is an expert in every facet of the process. If you know your subject matter but are unsure about your writing or design skills, consider using an outside marketing firm like Bells to polish your ideas, edit your copy and sharpen the "professional edge" of your publication.