Day 8: My First Newsletter

I spent the weekend working on finishing up my first newsletter.  The format is still a work in progress and will continue to evolve as I move forward.  I spent some time researching newsletter format and content before arriving at mine.  In addition to the content I needed to choose a delivery provider, list manager, etc.  I chose Constant Contact for many reasons including a feature rich product that can grow as my company grows.

I started with a pre-built template and customized for my use to ensure alignment with the look and feel of my website (e.g. color scheme, fonts, etc).  I have decided to have the following sections:

• Introduction - This section welcomes my readers and introduces the theme for that month.
• Leadership Toolbox - Tips, tools, and implementation suggestions to drive action.
• Tool Spotlight - Highlights a tool that supports the main theme.  The tool can be either a piece of software or a framework/methodology.
• Executive Library - A series of books that go into more depth on the theme.  I have linked these to my Amazon Associates account so that if they purchase from my website I get credit.
• Manager Spotlight - A monthly interview with leaders in different industries that focuses on what they do to be successful.

The theme for the first issue is Focus.  I had a great time putting together all the material for this first newsletter and sent if off to the editor today.  I am going to start with a monthly newsletter and see how that goes, although I am a bit skeptical that I can keep up with that pace.  I have included a screen capture of the layout below.

I have also decided that I will repackage my newsletter and blog contents into a podcast in an attempt to reach a wider audience.  I have done a significant amount of research on microphones, software, and techniques for scripting a podcast.  My equipment is set to arrive in the next couple of days and I have scripted out my first podcast episode.  I am excited to try my hand at broadcasting.