Use this checklist to keep you on track to complete all the steps needed to have a successful newsletter. Copy it and paste it into a Word or FrontPage document, revise as needed for your situation and print it out for your reference. You might add a column to reflect your target date for completion, and put the actual completed date in the ____ spot.

Hey, this is your tool. Use it as will help you the most. :)

Development Phase

____ Select a relevant theme for your newsletter.

____ Identify what you want to accomplish with your newsletter.

____ Evaluate available resources to produce your newsletter. Decide on your publication frequency based on that analysis.

____ Select a method of distribution for your newsletter.

____ Determine if and how you will archive your newsletter online.

____ Establish a classified advertising policy for your newsletter.

____ Establish a policy for accepting articles from guest writers.

Preparing to Publish Phase

____ Develop a Table of Contents, including your regular articles and notices.

____ Create a newsletter template containing all the standing elements.

____ Set up the mailing list distribution system.

____ Set up the archived article template for your web site or set up the autoresponders if you archive issues by autoresponder.

____ Set up the mechanism by which those seeking them can find your archived articles.

____ Write 10, 25, 40 and 50 word descriptions of the newsletter, tag line, subscription instructions, etc. to streamline your submitting to search engines, directories and announcement lists.

____ Write a welcome letter for your new subscribers.

____ Write a Thank You and good bye letter for your unsubscribers.

____ Develop a Production Schedule to keep your Newsletter published on schedule.

Publishing Phase - Each Issue

____ Compose your articles in UltraEdit or TextPad.

____ Cut and paste the articles into the standard newsletter template.

____ Spell check the entire newsletter (either in UltraEdit or cut and paste into Word).

____ Send a newsletter to yourself. Check all hyperlinks and look for oddities, such as #160# caused by extra spaces or hard returns. Look at the formatting critically to see if it reads well. Make any necessary changes.

____ Send the newsletter to your mailing list.

____ Put the newsletter into your newsletter archives (including adding to your search mechanism). You may wish to change it to web format for easier reading. Republish your web pages if archived in the web site.

Promotion Phase

____ List your newsletter in newsletter directories and search engines.

____ Announce your newsletter on the appropriate Announcement Lists.

____ Promote via classified advertising in e-zines.

____ Send out news releases announcing your new newsletter.

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