- How is the Construction Break newsletter program different from what others offer?
- What will it cost me to produce the newsletter?
- Are there any "hidden" costs?
- What are your payment terms?
- Will I be the only one in my area using your program?
- Do I need to make a long-term commitment?
- I’ve never done a newsletter before. How will I know what to do?
- Can you design my newsletter to complement my existing marketing materials?
- What materials do I have to provide you for each issue?
- I’m not a great writer. How can I be sure my articles will make the professional impression I want?
- What if I’m short of material for an issue?
- How can I be sure I meet my deadlines?
- Do I have to call the newsletter Construction Break or can I give it another name?
- Can you also mail the newsletters to my clients and prospects for me?
- I’d like to post the newsletters on my website. Can you help with that?
- Where do you get the material for the inside pages of the newsletter?
- Will I see a final proof before my newsletters are printed?
- I’d like to see actual samples of your existing clients’ newsletters. Can you mail me some?
1. How is the Construction Break newsletter program different from what others offer?
While giving you the ability to fully customize the front and back pages with articles and photos about your company—and making it easy for you to do so—the biggest difference between Construction Break and other industry newsletter programs is that your readers actually look forward to receiving it because it’s fun to read! The mix of humor, useful information and tips, trivia and stuff you never knew you didn’t know is the "hook" that gets your newsletter read while others languish in a pile on people’s desks. And because it’s fun, readers remember your company—and call you when they’ve got a project upcoming.
2. What will it cost me to produce the newsletter?
Less than you think, and about 50%-75% less than if you tried to produce it yourself. We’re able to do this because of the economies of scale that come into play in producing newsletters for more than 100 clients each quarter. Our pricing schedule details the costs for two-, three- and four-color options in quantities of 500 and up. Just click on "Request pricing and samples" and we’ll mail you the information.
3. Are there any "hidden" costs?
No. The prices listed include copy editing, layout, PDF proofs, printing and folding. You’re billed for the UPS costs to ship the newsletters to you and, of course, you’ll need to pay for the postage to mail the newsletters to your clients and prospects.
In four-color format, you’ll be billed for the cost of color correction of your photos—a process we undertake to make certain your photos will print properly on the press and that the overall quality of your newsletter is top-notch—the amount being dependent on the number and size of the photos. For most of our clients, this cost averages about $250 per issue; you can control the cost by limiting the number of photos.
There is also a one time initial $175 charge to design your newsletter.
4. What are your payment terms?
Our terms are "payable upon receipt of satisfactory newsletters." In other words, when you receive your newsletters, we ask that you inspect them to ensure there are no problems, and if they meet your expectations, we expect you to promptly cut us a check. Keeping our receivables down allows us take advantage of significant discounts from our suppliers—savings we’re able to pass along to you.
5. Will I be the only one in my area using your program?
Yes. We maintain a 50-mile exclusivity policy for each edition of Construction Break. What this means is that, though obviously the front and back pages of each client’s newsletter are customized, and thus different, no two clients within a 50-mile radius are provided the same interior content (pages two and three). We do have several editions of the inside material, but each is completely different in content and design, thus allowing us to service more than one client in a territory without compromising exclusivity.
6. Do I need to make a long-term commitment?
We do not require contracts with our clients. We believe business relationships work best when based on each party’s mutual satisfaction. Many of our clients date back to Construction Break’s beginning in 1995 and our (and their) success is the result of meeting and exceeding each other’s expectations.
7. I’ve never done a newsletter before. How will I know what to do?
Having run the newsletter program for more than a decade, we’ve ironed out just about all the bugs. We provide each new client with a manual that details not only how the process works and what you need to do on your end, but also provides a wealth of tips and guidelines on how to make your newsletter as effective as possible. The client area of the Construction Break website contains virtually everything you need to know in an easy-to-find format.
8. Can you design my newsletter to complement my existing marketing materials?
Absolutely. In fact, that’s exactly what we recommend. All new clients are asked to provide samples of your current marketing materials and we design your newsletter to look as if it is part of the "family."
9. What materials do I have to provide you for each issue?
It couldn’t be easier. Just send us the copy (articles) and photos you want included. The materials can be sent electronically, and we provide guidelines are how many words/photos will fit in the allotted space. That’s it. We do the rest.
10. I’m not a great writer. How can I be sure my articles will make the professional impression I want?
Not to worry. Our clients are construction people, not English majors. The copy you submit is professionally edited for grammar, spelling and clarity and returned for your approval. You’ll be amazed at how well "you" write.
11. What if I’m short of material for an issue?
While the most effective newsletters are those that include articles about your company, its people and its projects, occasionally circumstances dictate you need some "filler" material. The member section of the Construction Break website contains a library of articles of various lengths, construction-related and other, that you can modify or use as is.
12. How can I be sure I meet my deadlines?
We make it virtually impossible for you to miss your deadlines. In addition to providing a schedule of deadlines a year in advance, we also send you weekly reminders during the period before each deadline.
13. Do I have to call the newsletter Construction Break or can I give it another name?
You can name your newsletter anything you wish. Most of our clients have been quite creative in naming their newsletters, while a handful like and use the Construction Break name.
14. Can you also mail the newsletters to my clients and prospects for me?
No. This is one of the few services we don’t offer. The majority of our clients use local mailhouses to handle the mailing of their newsletters. These mailhouses have the ability to sort your mailing, allow you to use their bulk mail permit (and in some cases even manage your mailing list) at a very low cost.
15. I’d like to post the newsletters on my website. Can you help with that?
For a nominal fee, we can provide you with the necessary electronic files to post the newsletters on your website. Many of our clients do this and keep an archive of back issues on their sites as a means of providing additional information to clients about the company.
16. Where do you get the material for the inside pages of the newsletter?
We spend several hours each day reading a variety of newspapers, magazines, newsletters and scouring the Internet for just the right materials for Construction Break. We seek articles that are interesting, unusual and fun, not simply bland filler. Attribution is always given, where appropriate.
17. Will I see a final proof before my newsletters are printed?
Our process provides you with two different proofs. First, you’ll receive a copy proof containing an edited version of the text you submitted. Once you’ve approved that, later on you’ll receive a layout proof showing the text, graphics, etc., as we’ve laid them out. Once approved, that’s what will go to press.
18. I’d like to see actual samples of your existing clients’ newsletters. Can you mail me some?
Simply click on "Request pricing and samples" and we’ll get a package out to you within 24 hours via Priority Mail. While you can see images of some of our clients’ newsletters on the website, only by seeing them firsthand in their printed form can you accurately judge the quality of the newsletters we produce.