Now that you have committed to writing a newsletter you have to decide how often you will write it and what content to include.
Decide on either every 2 weeks or once per month and stick to that schedule. Anything more frequently and it will become a constant chore. Anything less frequently and it won't seem important enough to merit serious attention. Besides, "news" more than a month old hardly reads like news!
Either in your first issue if the Purchasing Department is small enough or spread out over several issues if necessary, include mini-biographies of the employees. Let suppliers who only know you and your team as voices on the other end of the phone or as mysterious faxers get to know something about the people with whom they work. Rapport building always yields positive effects somewhere down the road.
Tell suppliers about major events or seasonal happenings in your industry. Also, try highlighting a different supplier in each issue. It will be fun for them and also a chance for you to praise certain aspects of your relationship with them. That is a subtle way for you to inform all your suppliers of those supplier traits which are particularly helpful to you in your business.
Buyers, please share your ideas as to what you would include and vendors, please let us know what kind of information would be helpful to you.
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