When it comes to layout, simplicity and consistency are crucial.  Remember that it’s the layout that drives the content, not the other way around.  The IMN Layout Editor lets you achieve a unique look and feel for your company’s newsletter.  To get a few ideas, look through your company’s website and other marketing materials for visual elements that might work well in a newsletter.  Start collecting e-newsletters that other companies have sent to you, especially if you like the way they look. 

Here are some additional guidelines for creating an effective layout:

• Keep your newsletter’s style and color scheme consistent with your company’s website and other marketing materials.  You can match hex-decimal numbers from your company’s color scheme, or use the IMN color palette to replicate the colors from your other marketing materials.  Try not to include more than three or four different colors that play a major role in your layout.  One technique in creating a color scheme is to include variations on one particular primary color.  This way, you avoid the “Technicolor look”.

• The visual elements of your newsletter should be simple, subtle, and professional.  Think of the page like a good book, or a film.  The content is the main storyline, so most of the layout elements should focus on articles or navigation to articles.  One or two “subplots” (like surveys or banner ads) will add to the depth of the reader’s experience, as long as they have meaning within the general context of the newsletter. 

• Maintain a logical balance of text and images.  You should use images to add life to the page.  However, like any other content in your newsletter, images should be informative and useful to the reader.  Including an illustrative image in an article will draw the reader in to the subject matter and drive home your point.  One great way to add images to articles is by using the HTML editor then adding an article (see below).

Remember, the goal is to create a layout that will serve you well in the long term and will not need additional attention after the first issue.  A little extra effort in this area goes a long way.