The saying ‘out of sight, out of mind’ finds particular relevance in competitive areas of the corporate world. In an environment where all stakeholders are vying for a bigger ‘slice of the pie’, a company that fails to use any one of the many communication channels available to engage their markets, will ultimately fall by the wayside.

The slump in global economies means that companies and organisations, throughout most sectors and industries, have to dig deep and adopt an innovative approach to operations at all levels.

This requires a well-oiled machine - one that is lubricated by fast, effective, results-orientated communication.

When it comes to the process of open dialogue, be it internal or external, many businesses tend to rely primarily on traditional channels.

These include meetings, internal calls, intranets, notice boards, internal & external memos and standard emails.

These avenues have either been used so often, they are difficult to resist, or there is simply no alternative or no available resources - or there’s no urgent precedent of growth and change in place.

Tough economic conditions and budgetary constraints have, however, forced decision makers to adopt a somewhat different stance.

The use of specific, immediate and automated means of communication has emerged as a pre-requisite and not just a ‘nice to have’.

This is part of the reason for the prolific growth and increasing level of popularity of social networking websites and online facilities such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Plaxo, Myspace and more, as a direct channel to market and business tool.

The undeniable surge in corporate interest in online communication channels, points to the realisation and further establishment of the digital marketplace.

This is essentially what e-commerce is based on, only that it has grown to become a more socially interactive medium and one that marries well with the objectives of commercial/ industry networks.

The evolution of communication channels has also resulted in the maturity of the tried and tested corporate newsletter.

No longer confined to a piece of print destined to gather dust at in ‘file 13’ or a once-off, huge email that servers will simply spit out, this product has been lifted from hard copy to digital and now forms an intricate part of any credible marketing and public relations service.

As one client, Robert Sussman, joint CEO at Integr8 IT, puts it: “Our official corporate newsletters – both internal and external – have developed into a critical element of our overall public relations and marketing strategy. It is an investment that continues to pay dividends.”

Businesses have copped on to the fact that an in-house publication is a dynamic and versatile tool. Now it is being used to attract business, generate sales, inform clients, customers, partners and staff.

Why?

One of the most obvious reasons is technology advancements. The sprint to integrate online resources, the internet and mobility into the workplace, has served as a catalyst for the establishment of the electronic newsletter.

This is a far more pervasive, more effective means of reaching an audience, particularly one that may be diverse or spread out.

A news roundup or details of a launch, or announcement of a major breakthrough for the company, can be easily and successfully disseminated, and feedback generated automatically and instantaneously.

Another key factor behind the investment in electronic newsletters is that it falls very nicely in line with the economic and cost of operation consideration. It utilises less resources and removes pressure placed on existing channels to get a message across quickly.

The cost in terms of productivity with scheduled meetings and announcements, memo writing or distribution, online updates and record keeping is significant – and sufficiently so to make management seriously consider the role of an electronic newsletter.

Today, information means power and the protection of data as an asset remains an issue of considerable importance in any business, irrespective of size or core focus.

The tool a company uses to disseminate this information, can make all the difference.

A strategic online communications plan and the effective use of social networking channels spell exciting times ahead for businesses.

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