Suggestions for Software for Doing a Newsletter

[Az Gardener]

We have been using Corel print house to do our newsletters for several years now. I just bought a laptop and my wife says it is a good time to get a new program to do it on. We have not been able to e-mail them so we would like something we could e mail but also simple to operate. Anyone using something that fits the bill?

[BSDeality]

I enter my customers email addresses into an announcement list (provided by my web host). After the customer confirm they wish to receive it they're put on the list. I then use my mail client to generate some html and then send it out. It is addressed only to one client at a time so they don't see other people email addresses this way. I don't do any printed newsletters, but I suppose I could just print them out if I wished too.

[Team Gopher]

Hi Az Gardener,

Could you use say something like Microsoft Word and then get a PDF printer driver and save the file to a pdf? Then you could email the pdf.

Just a thought.

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[LindblomRJ]

Open office will save files as PDFs and you do not have to download any special drivers and you have a word processer that compares to MS worm for quality of work produced. The best part is it is free.

You could send the email newsletter as a PDF and HTML, as long as the file is not to big.

[Az Gardener]

I should have explained it better. I write it, my wife does the art. She inserts pictures and put them in ovals and fuzzes up the edges. I'm pulling out all the technical terms here. She does color backgrounds and other artsy stuff as well.

[SprinklerGuy]

I have always used MS Publisher.....

[LindblomRJ]

take a look at openoffice.org

Writer can be used for letters desk top publishing and is able to sent as an email.

[Lawnmasters]

LIVE STRONG LINDBLOM !! I am a member of the club also.

[LindblomRJ]

LIVE STRONG LINDBLOM !! I am a member of the club also.
Silly question: T/C or Open Office?

[Lawnmasters]

Ryan,
Sorry, didn't mean to throw you. I was referring to your signature on your posts, "cancer survivor". I am an 18 year survivor myself. I know it's off topic. Just wanted to acknowledge you.

[LindblomRJ]

Hey thanks. I thought so but wanted to be on the shame sheet of music. I am starting to be a bit more open about everything. Its a cause I am willing to devote my time and enegry to.

Now back to our story.

[Lawntek LLC]

AZ,
I've been in the commercial printing and media business for 15 years... LCO on the side.
The industry standard software for publishing newsletters, postcards, commercial brochures ect, is Adobe InDesign or QuarkXpress. Corel and MS Publisher definitely take a back seat to the afore mentioned. Corel and MS Publisher are ok if you never plan to take the file to a commercial printer or copy shop and produce full color offset printing from your files. Many printers and designers won't even talk to you if you are using MS Publisher. If your wife is used to Coral, InDesign would be an easy jump for her. InDesign is packed with quality extras like a pdf driver (creator) for email and can be upgraded to InDesign CS2 which includes Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. From your explanation it sounds like the basic InDesign program would suffice.
InDesign and Quark are a little pricey but you can usually find some bargains on Ebay. Check out their link at www.adobe.com/products/indesign

The other great thing about InDesign is the robust website HTML conversion features. You can easily repurpose your content to your website.
Good Luck!

[Az Gardener]

AZ,
I've been in the commercial printing and media business for 15 years... LCO on the side.
The industry standard software for publishing newsletters, postcards, commercial brochures ect, is Adobe InDesign or QuarkXpress. Corel and MS Publisher definitely take a back seat to the afore mentioned. Corel and MS Publisher are ok if you never plan to take the file to a commercial printer or copy shop and produce full color offset printing from your files. Many printers and designers won't even talk to you if you are using MS Publisher. If your wife is used to Coral, InDesign would be an easy jump for her. InDesign is packed with quality extras like a pdf driver (creator) for email and can be upgraded to InDesign CS2 which includes Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. From your explanation it sounds like the basic InDesign program would suffice.
InDesign and Quark are a little pricey but you can usually find some bargains on Ebay. Check out their link at www.adobe.com/products/indesign

The other great thing about InDesign is the robust website HTML conversion features. You can easily repurpose your content to your website.
Good Luck!


Thank you very much! This is exactly the information I was looking for. Lawnsite member comes through again. :clapping: