Newsletters are often thought of as easy, do-it-yourself communications projects. The reality is different…and that can be discouraging.

Developing a good newsletter concept can be difficult and time-consuming. It takes market intelligence -- and maybe research -- to find out what people will read. Then it takes careful planning, discipline and skill to crank out something worthwhile on a schedule.

Why bother? Because the rewards are there for those who enter the newsletter game.

1. Build loyalty: Send out a regular newsletter to your customers to build loyalty. Better informed customers are better customers.

2. Educate: A regular newsletter can educate distributors, sales reps, or even prospects.

3. Boost credibility: Publishing a newsletter is a way to send out great information with your name on it.

4. Stay in touch: Advertising not in your budget? Exhausted your public relations options? A newsletter can keep your name in front of a small, well-defined audience.

5. Repeat your message: Repetition is an important facet of a successful communications program. A newsletter is another way to deliver your message.

6. Control. Control. Control: Audience. Message. Timing. You control it all with a newsletter.

7. Cost efficiency: Send out an electronic newsletter, and you can save on time, printing and postage. Plus you can use it as content on your web site.