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Employee Publications That Get Noticed
November 2007 | Volume 5 Issue 11
If you think that employee publications are on the way out, think again. In this issue of the CW Bulletin authors address the delicate balance of conveying business objectives while showing employees that they are valued. Learn how to marry content and design effectively and why one just won't work without the other. And on the practical side, check out Sophia Dower's article on how to create a newsworthy corporate publication.
Natasha Nicholson
Executive Editor
Amanda Aiello
Assistant Editor |
Features
THE W.E.D. PRINCIPLE
by Sophia Dower
After more than a decade of working in the corporate environment, I have finally accepted that readers need to be enticed by more than the promise of a good read: They need proof. They want a visual two-second test-drive before they decide whether or not to spend precious minutes on a particular page.
This is not to say that corporate readers are not discerning or that sloppy copy reads any better when dressed up with elaborate design. The truth is that in any corporate publication, a great article won't be read if the layout is poor. Similarly, a stunning design falls flat if the content doesn't live up to it.
GRAPHIC DESIGN
by Jocelyn Canfield, ABC
As business communicators, our goal is typically to influence opinion or change behavior in order to achieve business objectives. To accomplish this, we must get people to interact with our message. A page of 12-point Times New Roman text is seldom compelling, so what you are left with to persuade people to read your publication is graphic design.
STORY IDEAS
by Sophia Dower
The only thing harder than having too much news for your in-house newsletter is having too little. The problem is that great stories seldom fall into your lap. Most of the time, you have to go out and dig for them. Here are a few tried and tested suggestions to help you identify great story ideas within your organization.
WORKPLACE JOURNALISM
by Barry Nelson
About 20 years ago, employee publication editors everywhere were under assault from consultants like me who were carping about our colleagues' reluctance to move beyond reporting on employee outings, hobbies and similar fluff. On, we urged, to the serious business of directly helping our organizations win!
Well, be careful what you wish for.
Columns
Web Sites: Where does the buck start? With us!
by Natalie Canavor and Claire Meirowitz
Those of you who've practiced communication for more than a dozen years may remember a world without web sites. How quaint was that?
But now we know that a web site is a "must-have" for any entity doing business, even a one-person operation. We've also learned that a good site evolves. Even if a substantial part of it is designed to be "stable," new features are essential to generate return visits, search engine hits, and response to our product or service. Unlike a print piece, a web site is never finished—it needs to be constantly recreated.
The Best Employees Have Lives Outside of Work
by Judette Coward-Puglisi
Just this week, one of my assistants admitted that she had found her true calling, and it did not involve working long hours in a PR firm. What she really wanted was to go back to school. "I'll have to quit," she stated emphatically, and in one fell swoop I was faced with the prospect of losing an amazing employee. Naturally, I made a counteroffer.
The story ended well, but not all stories do. There are many entrepreneurs who hijack their employee's other interests by encouraging a culture of overwork and stress.
- "Play-By-Play Nuclear Refueling Newsletter," Nebraska Public Power District
- "2006…We're Growing in the Right Direction," British Columbia Automobile Association
- "goodprospects magazine," Prospera Credit Union
- "PG&E@Work Newsletter," Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and ROI Communications
Related Resources provides additional articles and resources for understanding this month's topic of employee publications. You can also find some of these links alongside each corresponding feature article for quick reference. Links include:
- "Employee Publications Are Still Wanted," by Kim Harrison
- "Employee Newsletters for Small Companies," by Robert F. Abbott
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This issue sponsored by:
Media measurement is a hot topic because it's the foundation for tracking word-of-mouth, managing corporate reputation and understanding what kind of coverage your brand and its competitors are getting in the press. The new white paper "Best Practices in Media Measurement" by Professor Paul Argenti of Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business, is essential reading for any PR or corporate communications professional. Download your copy, sponsored by Dow Jones, today.
Interested in sponsoring an issue of CW Bulletin? Find out how to become a sponsor.
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