You probably get given many company newsletters and it's likely you discard some without a second glance, and yet others attract you. When a person is given a copy of your newsletter you probably have a few seconds for the person to decide whether to bother looking at it, or put it in the trash.

Count to three; that's the time it's likely to take a person to make a decision about your newsletter. Your newsletter's message must be presented clearly and concisely on the front and take no longer than three seconds to read. Don't put lots of information, it's confusing and boring; simplicity is the key to get someone interested.

Remember that as a person opens a newsletter they don't automatically look on the reverse side of the front page. Their eyes glance at the inside right side first, so to keep them interested you need to put your next message there. A couple of informative short paragraphs work well. Once the page is read they will look at the left side. Here you can give further details and include some relevant photographs to back up the text.

Now the newsletter has been read people always tend to turn over to the back page. This is where you clearly state all your contact details. Make the details clear.

Use a professional designer that can provide you with examples of previous newsletters and if possible one that has a track record of retaining business from the same customers. A designer that has an understanding of your business will be able to produce a better newsletter.

Use quality paper. People think more carefully about putting good paper in the trash. If it feels like a newspaper, then it's easily discarded.

Ensure you maintain consistency with other printed marketing material. It means your newsletters and brochures are easily recognizable.