Newsletter Makeover
STOCK HITS THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WITH COLOR

How can you infuse new life into your newsletter and make it more appealing to readers? Try adding color—lots of it.

That’s what longtime Grapevine Communications' client Stock Building Supply did last year. Stock, which specializes in supplying lumber and other building materials to professional contractors and homebuilders, had been sending out two, 2-color newsletters to its California customers and associates on a quarterly basis for years. In an effort to spark more interest, Stock decided to rename and remake their newsletters—and take the plunge into 4-color/full-color*.

“We felt that a full-color design would bring more life to the newsletters and make them something people really wanted to pick up and read,” explains David Dean, of Stock’s Window and Door division and the editor of Inside Stock.

Interest and participation in both newsletters have spiked. Customer attendance at Stock-sponsored events has increased and, now more associates and locations than ever are participating.

"Grapevine has been a great partner for us along the way," Dean says. "They took our vision and really gave it life."

*The term 4-color refers to the four ink colors used in printing to create 'full-color'.

Best Practices
HOW WE DO IT

At Grapevine Communications, great design takes time. Writer Matt Villano recently chatted with our Creative Director Colleen Mucci to get a better sense of how our first-rate newsletters come to life.

Q) What’s the secret to our design? A) Once copy is approved, I read it to get a feel for the articles, then I look in my library for appropriate images that follow the look, branding and concept of that particular client, and collect images that will work within those parameters.

Q) Colleen, we've profiled Stock and how they went from 2-color to 4-color. As a designer, what impact does this have on a newsletter? A) It's all about flexibility. Going from 2-color to full, 4-color means flexibility in everything from having a wider variety of photo/clip art choices to having overall greater color combination usage and possibilities. More colors can further assist what is being communicated in newsletter text, and that is what's most important to the client. As the reader, four colors are simply more attractive than two.

OUR PROMISE TO YOU

With our service you will receive a quality publication that delivers strategic communications that are timely and ensure a consistent voice. We align recognition programs, collaborate to generate a singular voice, drive engagement and inspire people to succeed and exceed.

Visit our Web site at www.GrapevineCom.com or call us at 1-800-GVC-2269 for more information about who we are, what we do and how we can work with you and your company or organization.

Fun Fact
DAYLIGHT-SAVING TIME

Unless you live in a cave in the middle of nowhere, you probably have heard the saying: “Spring forward, fall back.” How did this whole notion of messing with time originate?

Here in the United States, in order to conserve energy resources for the effort in World War I, Congress placed the country on what it called “Daylight-Saving Time.” This move was observed until 1919, but was repealed due to unpopularity. Daylight-Saving Time returned again during World War II in 1942. Across the board, clocks were advanced one hour to save energy, and stayed that way until Sept. 30, 1945.

From 1945 to 1966, there was no U.S. law about Daylight-Saving Time so states and localities were free to observe it or not. This caused mass confusion.

By 1966, Congress decided to step in and end the confusion once and for all. The Uniform Time Act of 1966 created Daylight-Saving Time to begin on the last Sunday of April and to end on the last Sunday of October. Any area that wanted to be exempt from Daylight-Saving Time could do so by passing a local ordinance.

The law was amended in 1986 to begin Daylight-Saving Time on the first Sunday in April. Don’t forget to set your clocks forward one hour this Sunday, April 2!

At Your Service
MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Looking for interesting tidbits or quotes for your newsletter? You have our permission to reprint this article in your own newsletter.

In today’s age of instant information, time is a commodity as precious as gold. With this in mind, there’s no better way to give back to society than by volunteering your time. Along the way, you’ll also gain a great sense of satisfaction knowing you’ve done something worthwhile.

Over time, the art of volunteering is something that has inspired many great minds to share their brilliance with the world. Here is just a sampling of quotes on the subject:

“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.”
- Winston Churchill

“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”
- Booker T. Washington

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”
- Aesop

GRAPEVINE GAZETTE
ONLINE
ARCHIVES

GRAPEVINE
COMMUNICATIONS
YOUR NEWSLETTER OUTSOURCE

VISIT OUR WEB SITE
If you're a busy newsletter editor you'll want to check it out.

CONTACT US

MISSION STATEMENT
Our mission is to help
companies collect,
formulate and disseminate
information relevant to
their employees, clients or customers in the most interesting, engaging manner possible on a timely and consistent basis via a print or electronic newsletter.