Newsletter Calendar: Creating a Schedule for Your Business Marketing Newsletter

A newsletter calendar keeps your publication up to date. Whether you send it by post or email, creating a regular newsletter for your current and potential customers is an important marketing strategy. However, many organizations struggle to find topics for their newsletters or have trouble publishing newsletters on a set schedule.

To avoid these problems, companies can borrow a technique that magazines have been using for a long time: the editorial calendar. This sample newsletter schedule will help keep your organization’s newsletter on track. Remember, these dates are not hard and fast rules. The most important thing is to find a set of deadlines that you feel comfortable with, not rushed, and stick to those deadlines for each newsletter cycle.

What: Annual Planning

When: every December

Create a list of seasonal themes for the coming year and write them down for each month. For example, a real estate agent might want to include a spring cleaning checklist in April, tips for a greener lawn in August, and strategies for choosing a good school district in September.

What: Editorial Meeting

When: 1-2 months before publication

An editorial meeting typically includes everyone who contributes to your newsletter: editors, writers, managers, and designers. Printed newsletters need more time, so schedule your editorial meeting at least two months before your deadline. Email newsletters may use a shorter time frame. In the editorial meeting, discuss potential story themes, assign writers to each story, and set writing deadlines for each article. Check your annual planning calendar for story ideas, and also incorporate current news and events in your organization.

What: Editing

When: 3-5 weeks before publication

On this day, all articles must be submitted to the newsletter editor for review and approval. Set this deadline based on whether you have a print or email newsletter, and be sure to allow leeway for missed writing deadlines.

What: Design

When: 2-4 weeks before publication

By this date, all articles and other newsletter content should be submitted to the designer for layout.

What: Design Approval

When: 1-3 weeks before publication

While this is not the best time to make edits or changes to the copy, the newsletter editor should take one last look at the newsletter design to make sure everything is formatted correctly.

What: Printing and distribution

When: 1-2 weeks before publication

Email newsletters must be scheduled for publication at a specific day and time, and print newsletters must be submitted for printing and mailing. Then start the cycle all over again!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *