At the start of each summer, there are certain things I make sure I include in my plans–things like listening to plenty of summery music, going on a picnic, and making sun tea. (In other words, the really ambitious stuff .) This list helps to make sure I “have a summer,” as coach Dr. Humbert says.

As I was going over my list today, I noticed I’d missed something–I hadn’t yet listened to one of my very favorite summer musicians. While searching for her CD before sitting down to write today’s newsletter, I realized this is the perfect time of year, not just for sun tea and picnics, but also for you to try some snazzy newsletter techniques.

Along with your own personal “have a summer” list, (or “have a winter” list), why not try out one of these ways to wrap up the season in your newsletter.

1) A picture is worth one thousand words.
Before the end of the season, employ at least one newsletter power-player (a case study, a client interview, a before & after, or a photo tutorial), but amp up the visual impact.

The key to making these newsletter power-players even better is to use plenty of photos and illustrations. Include at least three great-looking graphics. If you’re using photos, make sure they’re well-lit and large enough that readers will be able to see all the details. For illustrations or charts, make sure they’re clearly labeled and have lots of impact (consider setting them apart with a bold border and attractive caption).

Stay away from clip art that serves simply to break up blocks of text. Require your images to illustrate a particular point, provide information you simply couldn’t through text alone (e.g., show just how messy that garage really was), or to bring in a human element (e.g., a photo of the interviewed client).

2) Boilerplate gets boring.
Perhaps you have a message about reading the newsletter online at the top of each newsletter issue, or maybe you have information about reprints at the bottom–all of that text that’s automatically included in each issue is probably mostly ignored.

Take some time to refresh that text and put it into words that align with your company’s brand. Should it be funny? Trustworthy? Adventurous? Whatever tone is right for your newsletter, set it from the start by upgrading your boilerplate template text.

The change of the seasons is a perfect time to freshen up any static content or graphics.

3) Is it time for homework?
The change of the seasons is a great time to ask readers to reassess. Whether you ask readers to buckle down and take something seriously (which is often a big hit both around the New Year and around the start of the school year), or you invite readers to clean up their act (Spring Cleaning, Fall Cleaning), transitions between seasons are a great time to invite readers to reflect.

For some businesses, the link between seasonal changes and potential reader homework is obvious (e.g., organizers encouraging readers to prepare for back-to-school and spring purges), but just because there’s not a clear tie-in doesn’t mean you can’t relate the changing seasons to your topic. Consider ways the change in seasons is even tangentially of benefit to your readers and offer them guidance on making the most of those benefits.

Whether it’s summer or winter where you are, consider these three ways that you can make the most of this transition in your own newsletter.

How will you celebrate the last few weeks of the season? Join the conversation by posting a comment below!

Images from stock.xchng: Mini Pumpkins and Direction Banner