Creating a Newsletter

What goes into creating a new newsletter?



Newsletters are nothing more than a list of subscribers you send out information to periodically (preferably). This article will be focused on the electronic version of a newsletter (mailing list, ezine) and not the printed (on paper) version. I'll give you a short and easy to read rundown of how the creation could be done and what you need and then I'll share in a bit more detail how this can be done.



First Things First



You need a way to collect all subscribers and some way of actually sending them your newsletter issues. To have a happy list, it should have a theme, allowing the subscribers to feel that they are in the right place when they read your mailings. To add them to the list you need ways to show subscription information or sign-up forms. This is normally put on a site of yours, or other sites. This can be done by using ads or buying space in other places.



To present your newsletter in an easy to understand way, you need a name and a "mission statement" or over-all content direction to allow the subscribers to understand what it will be about. Finally you reach the step when you will create the content, format it, add your own touch to it, and sprinkle the ads and/or product and services offers that will make you money.



A Site



The best and easiest (and cheapest) way to put sign-up information on the net is adding it on your own site or sites. If you haven't got your own site yet, now is the time to get it.



Subscriber List



There are several directions you can choose. You can choose to run it small by using your own email program. Not recommended unless you keep the subscriber number in the tens of persons.



Buy and install a mail/subscriber/email list script on your site. Nothing I recommend either unless you're ready to hand out some money for installation and hosting, not to mention the stress of keeping it working, safe from hackers and live (not blacklisted online).



The middle way in cost but easy way in work! Using a service like aweber.com where you pay a monthly cost and they take care of everything for you! This is without any doubt the choice I recommend.



Writing Content and Formatting



You can, of course, use any type of text editor. Notepad, wordpad, yes, even word when you write your content. But think about it, when trying to drive a nail into wood, do you use the $690 electric tool you bought at the hardware store or do you use that nail driving enhanced, special low-cost tool called "hammer"?



There are "hammers" for newsletter owners on the internet today, created specifically for writing and formatting newsletter content (text) in a fast and easy way. One of the best known is Ziney Pro, and it can be a real timesaver as well as productivity enhancer thanks to all the special built-in newsletter enhancements it have.



Using Templates



If you're going for an html newsletter, the use of templates can save you time as well. Get some free templates to start with and you'll be able to play around with them and see if they will help you or not. My advice is to not go crazy and to keep it simple. Your newsletter content is what makes it run, not how shiny it is!

About the Author

To get more details about naming your newsletter, types of newsletters and Newsletter Templates! . This information as well as much other information you need can be found at the Free Newsletter Templates site!

Free Newsletter Templates

Free Newsletter Templates - Free newsletter templates, newsletter heaven or hell?



In the newsletter community the hunger for newsletter templates is running amok. Every day an increasing number of newsletter owners and managers scavenge the internet on their hunt for new templates to use. Among these templates the hunt for the elusive free newsletter templates has become something like the big game hunt in the real world.



Why Use Free Newsletter Templates?



There are obvious reasons for choosing free newsletter templates over creating them yourself or buying them. Some of the reasons are



* Free newsletter templates are free! * No risk, try and delete if not working * Collect a number and check later



All these reasons for using free templates can be connected to saving money.



Save Time with Templates



So what about saving time by using templates? Contrary to what many may think, free newsletter templates may actually be easier to handle than paid ones, when it comes to formatting. The reason for this is that the free templates are just less complicated. Often when you buy a template (cost can easily rise to $20-$60 per template), you may get a high quality template created by someone with high skills in handling the software used when creating the template.



You on the other hand will most likely not be at the same advanced level of knowledge in handling the needed software (or you would have made the template yourself). The result almost always is the same. You start out using the template and after a while the formatting goes south and it looks like a painting of Picasso. Fixing it makes it look even worse. Sounds familiar to you?



I'm not saying you should never use high quality templates or templates you buy, just that the free templates will let you get up and running without further costs, it won't hurt if you mess it up, and you always have the option to step it up whenever you want to. Can free newsletter templates be found online?



Of course they can!



But as with everything else online today, sites using search terms to capture traffic will pop up all over the search engines and steal your attention and time. Luckily for all newsletter owners, there are sites where the owners have spent their time on chasing sites with templates and even inviting you to download templates directly. So if you find a site where the owners are willing to do all the legwork for you, hold on to it as it will save you a lot of time as well as money in the long run.



Formatting, Naming and Tools



Do not let the thought of templates derail your thought from all the other nitty gritty that comes with owning and running a newsletter. You still need tools for writing and formatting it as well as knowledge and possibly tools to create the content, and last but not least, finding and promoting products and services if you run that kind of newsletter.

About the Author

Kenth Nasstrom manages a number of sites about Affiliate Marketing, Software and Newsletters online. For more information vist his site about Newsletters and Free Newsletter Templates!