Writing a company blog or newsletter is a never-ending task. If you do it right, there is always a next publication date. Oftentimes, due dates for posting or publishing can sneak up on you. If you have one unexpectedly busy week which throws you off your usual schedule, your next newsletter can become more reactionary than the planned action of communication you hoped to produce. 

Here are three tips to keep your next newsletter and blog post on time and on schedule.

1. Plan ahead. January is a perfect time to get out a yearly calendar and mark all of your publication dates. Schedule time for writing, review, and publishing. It’s also a great opportunity to look at what general information should be included in each month. Topics like weather safety, company anniversaries and milestones, holidays, and community give-back events can be scheduled to publish at the right time right now. Also, make time on your calendar each week or month to work on not only the most current publication but the next one as well so you’re never starting from scratch staring at a blank computer screen with a looming deadline. If you’re responsible for the company letter or greeting that is included in the monthly newsletter, plan out 12-15 topics in advance. You can scrap a planned topic if something immediate comes up. Then recycle the originally planned topic for next month so it’s never wasted time. 

2. Ask for submissions way before you need them. Probably you are not solely responsible for all content in every blog and newsletter, but instead rely on coworkers and guests to also make submissions. When possible, ask your other authors for submissions two months before you plan to publish. This gives you a backlog of publishable material AND gives you weeks of opportunities to send reminder emails! Also, since you’re planning your content months in advance, you have time to ask for input, find quality photos, and make sure what you have to say is worth reading. If you’re going to be writing about community service spring breaks in March and April, start right now in January by asking what your company has planned. I write for a community resource website and we write months ahead so that content is edited and published in a timely fashion. If you loved that Halloween article because it was well-done and thoughtful, remember we wrote it in July. 

3. Keep some content in your back pocket. If you can find the flexibility, plan time every  month to write or call for articles that you know will not be published in the next couple of months. Giving yourself a backlog to call from means no more panicking about deadlines or blank space. (Your readers are on to you about that giant logo on page six.) Also, keep a digital document open with a running list of topics, outlines, or nearly completed articles for those months when something unexpected comes up, like an illness or someone else misses a deadline. 

Company newsletters and blogs are excellent tools for communicating with your customers, clients, and coworkers. But they are only as useful as you make them. Meeting your own deadlines, consistently communicating through these reliable platforms can build your readership and reach, allowing your communication style to emerge as one of action and strength instead of hurried reaction.