I’ve been publishing this newsletter since 2010. In fact, this is my 62nd issue. But writing it is no easy task.

First, I have to come up with an idea. Next, I have to figure out how to write about the topic. After that, I focus on procrastinating as long as possible. (That refrigerator isn’t going to clean itself and hey, those baby photos could probably be better organized!). Finally, I sit down to write.

After writing, there are content changes, editing, formatting and testing in Constant Contact. All in all, it’s an exciting but potentially exhausting process.

So, I decided a while ago that if I’m going to go through all that, I need to get as much mileage as possible from my newsletter.

Here’s what I do…

• • I work at growing my subscriber list. When I meet someone new I ask them if they’d like to get my newsletter. Whenever I speak I invite people to subscribe. I do all this because I know that increasing the number of people who receive the newsletter increases its impact.

• • I post the newsletter to my website. The same day my newsletter is published I post it on my website. I want the most current information available to anyone who visits my site. New content shows visitors I’m actively involved with my business and keeping my content fresh helps my site appear quickly in Google and other search engines.

• • I take advantage of social media. A few days after I publish my newsletter I add it to LinkedIn as a post on my profile. This exposes my writing to people not connected to me on LinkedIn – I’m frequently (pleasantly) surprised when I see people I don’t know commenting and liking my content.I also post a link to the newsletter on my business Facebook page and tweet about it a few times the following week on Twitter.

• • I reuse my newsletters. Many organizations are happy to republish your content to their own followers. This is a great arrangement since it provides them with content and you with broader visibility. Many who see your newsletter on their own favorite websites, publications or blogs will want to become your subscribers.

• • I respond to all replies. Watch your inbox the day you publish and respond to every single email that comes in. This is a great way to get to know your subscribers and create a dialogue with them. I frequently hear from old friends and colleagues and this has become something I look forward to on newsletter publishing day.

• • I publish regularly. The more I publish the more impact my newsletter has and the more this effort pays off. Regular publishing helps subscribers remember who I am and better understand what I do, both of which contribute to word of mouth and referrals. Plus, it just makes me happy to publish!

So remember, newsletters are a powerful way to grow a business and there are many things you can do to make them even more effective. Put these steps into action for your own newsletter and watch for the results!