Newsletter - The Book-keepers Forum (UK)

kjmcculloch · Guru

Newsletter

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Hi Kris,

I don't know whether or not it would attract new clients but it certainly comes accross as quite professional if done correctly and also gives you chance to stay in touch with clients without seeming to hound them.

As for contents there normally a few stories that you can pick up from either the Accounting Web or Accountancy age daily newsletters. Also slipping a non offencive finance related cartoon makes sure that it gets read rather than automatically filed in the great round filing cabinet below the desk!

I would at best take it as a loss leader so make it no more than a sheet of A3 folded in two to make four A4 sheets to fill at most once a quarter.

Make it good quality coloured paper that isn't too dark to read the print. Even though it's free the quality of your material says volumes about your practice.

Might help if you can get one or two small local acountancy practices interested in having their names appear in a left or right column on the front page that when you could gain credibility by association and might also pick up some more work from them.

Good luck with it. Sounds a good idea to me.

Shaun.

kjmcculloch · Guru

Thanks Shaun,

I've been building quite a mailing list, mostly of new businesses. I just thought that sending something of use to them rather than 'another sales letter' might capture their interest. I wasn't going for the hard sell just some news, and tips with a small almost advert at the bottom for my services. The idea is more to get my name out there, and have the new businesses I target to see me as helpful rather than another salesman. I know it will cost, but then again so do my sales letters and adverts in local papers.

The cartoon sounds good too, I'll have a look at the viability of this.

Thanks

Kris

BackOfficeGroup · Guru

I used to put together a newsletter on a quarterly basis - more of a marketing gimmick really and not aimed at selling but getting your name out there and it's a 'nice have'. It was based on an A4 sheet printed both sides, with news stories and bits about the company.

We currently use email marketing, whereby we have a template and again its only used to get the name out there (different business but same thing) on a single email but has been used to do surveys etc. The technology is so good, it shows you any bounced emails, shows who opened emails and for how long, how many times they opened the email etc etc

You can also put links onto that email, ie for your site for perhaps somehting specific and you can see who clicked and went and had a look. This is great as you can then call them and say 'I see you did this etc'.

Bit of a cost for one man bands etc and you do need a good database!

P

kjmcculloch · Guru

Thanks for that Philip,

I am looking at a double side A4 newsletter on hardcopy. Mainly because my mailing list consists of physical addresses and very few email addresses. And because I pay slightly more attention to things I get through the door where it takes effort to actually put them in the bin than I do to emails (a lot of which I delete without opening depending on how busy I am).

I am planning on 4 per year. My mailing list is pretty up to date, I signed up to receive lists of new businesses starting in my area every month and they have been pretty successful so far for mailings and phone calls.

Like yourself, I'm not after the hard sell, just putting us in the mind of potential customers.

Kris

kjmcculloch · Guru

Go easy guys, as I know you will. Here is my first attempt at a newsletter. I am open to all views and opinions.

Equally if someone wants to steal it (provided their not muscling in on Ayrshire) and use it, I'm happy to give them it in publisher format.

you can see it at www.kmbookkeeping.co.uk/newsletter/newsletter1.pdf

Most interested in Sheila's red pen on my grammar if you have time.

Kris

-- Edited by kjmcculloch on Thursday 8th of July 2010 11:53:19 AM

Wella · Expert

Hi Kris

As usual, a proactive and well thought out presentation.

Haven't proof read as such but did notice one typo

"No matter how small your
expenses make sure you
post them all. All they 30p
parking tickets or the odd
stamp will add up meaning
less tax to pay."
The word "they" used instead of "those". The word "all" and "All" looks a bit strange too.
Bill

(Sorry - formatting went a bit haywire, when I copied and pasted)

-- Edited by Wella on Thursday 8th of July 2010 12:39:26 PM

BackOfficeGroup · Guru

Kris

Nicely done. Only had a quick though but would be nice to have it on publisher. I thought the left hand column seemed a bit squeezed in?

P

Peasie · Expert

Wella wrote:

All they 30p
parking tickets or the odd
stamp will add up meaning
less tax to pay."

This one sticks out like a sore thumb when written down - but spoken out loud in an Ayrshire accent seems perfectly normal.

kjmcculloch · Guru

I'll edit it a bit then. Difficult to get a good conversational style going and grammatically correct, I'll try again.

Thanks for the input so far.

Kris

semsley · Guru

OK here goes then - not too much though.

Over the next few pages we will try to address a variety of issues etc (would sound better) putting the over the next few pages at the end alters the meaning.

Keep cash coming in column needs justified margin sorting out as it is sticking spaces in words.

Top Bookkeeping tips - If you dont think you will have time to do these things, dont ignore them, use a bookkeeper.

Top Tip - 6 years not year. This makes it (not is) easy

Gardening business Just divert your number to them when youre (not your).
This service starts from (rather than These start)

kjmcculloch · Guru

Thanks Sheila,

I knew if there were any mistakes you'd pick up on them. Thank you.

Kris

additionsbookkeeping · Veteran Member

I think thats a really good newsletter, it looks very professional Kris. It makes my fumblings with publisher look quite amatuerish!! Must try harder!!

I did spot one other error, on the reconcile your bank section it says to do it ever month rather than every month.

additionsbookkeeping · Veteran Member

Just saw another in the same section. It says if you think you wont have time, it should be won't.

-- Edited by additionsbookkeeping on Thursday 8th of July 2010 03:29:03 PM

kjmcculloch · Guru

Thanks to everyone giving up their spare time to proof read my newsletter. I have made the changes suggested.

I have also uploaded the publisher file for anyone who wants to steal it. It's the same address with newsletter1.pub instead of newsletter1.pdf

Thanks folks

Kris

Rhianrach · Expert

Thats brilliant, love the cartoon. :)

BackOfficeGroup · Guru

On the newsletter it says your top 3 tips, then you give 5?+

I also keep clicking on the above URL but does not show any changes.....am I doing something wrong?

P

kjmcculloch · Guru

I will edit that top tips. You may need to hit f5 to refresh. This will be stored in your cache so you'll not be seeing the new one but rather the cached one.

regarding the cartoon, I got it from http://www.cartoonstock.com/ once I pay the copyright notice will disappear, but I didn't want to buy it until I was happy that was the one I was using.

kjmcculloch · Guru

Just thought I'd let you all know. I now have a price for sending my newsletter and a covering letter to 150 people.

The price includes

Printing the letter (colour)
Printing the newsletter (double sided colour)
Stuffing the envelopes
Mailing

It came to £72.60 including VAT.

Not half as bad as I was expecting.

Kris

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

That actually sounds too cheap.

If the quality is up to you're expectations it definitely sounds worth the investment in the P.R. Kris.

As I said before, you are unlikely to get any direct return on the investment but indirectly I expect it to have a real positive effect for you.

Good luck with it.

Shaun.

kjmcculloch · Guru

It's a company called CFH DocMail. I use them for all my mass mails, but I never thought they could handle the insert as well. It would be colour lasered onto 80g white paper so it's as good as I would do myself.

Worth checking out if you do much mailing: www.cfhdocmail.com

Kris

stephen72 · Senior Member

Hi Kris,
Just had a look at the newsletter and it looks great. I hope it works for you
stephen