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Having a regular newsletter with interesting content is a powerful tool for building a strong relationship with your customers. The hardest thing about starting a newsletter is often writing the first couple of words.

If you are like a lot of people, you get writer's block. You don't know what to write or say or you have an idea but you sit at your computer and stare at the screen hoping the words will come to you. You are not alone. So much for your business newsletter, you think. It doesn't have to be that way.

Creating content is a lot easier than you think. First thing to remember is that people are starving for information. If you don't believe me, check out how many how-to books there are at the bookstore. Look at the magazines at the grocery check out. They are filled with how-to articles. People want to be told what to do!

First thing to do is to buy a digital voice recorder or get a microphone for your computer. If you have a microphone for your computer, you can also record directly to your hard drive. Personally, I like to walk around and talk but do whatever works for you.

Ready to record? Here are 5 tips for coming up with great content:

1. Turn on the recorder and talk about problems your products or services solve. Use conversational English like you're talking to a friend. Don't use "business-speak." Transcribe and edit your comments into several different newsletters.

2. Ask your customers, prospects and friends what they would like to know about what you do. From their comments, write out a list of ideas for topics. Once again, just start talking and record your comments. Now transcribe and edit.

3. Ask someone to interview you about your business and record the conversation. Give them a list of questions that people frequently ask you. I'm a small business marketing expert so questions in my interview might include: "What is your number one piece of marketing advice you would give to a small business owner?" or "What are the most common mistakes you see in small business advertising?"

Record the interview and use the content for articles. You can also burn CD's of the recordings and give them to your customers or prospects as gifts. If the interviews turn out to be really good, you could even package and sell them!

4. Almost every business is impacted by some division of Federal or state governments. One of the things we get for our tax dollars is a tremendous amount of research and information. You can use the information the government has paid to compile and use it for your newsletter.

Here's an example: I live in Ohio and the emerald ash borer is devastating the ash trees around the country. If you go to http://www.ohio.gov and search "emerald ash borer" you will get pages and pages of articles about the insect. If you are landscaper, don't you think your clients would be interested in this?

Visit http://pueblo.gsa.gov for the US Government database of articles. There large numbers articles on all types of subjects. Most are copyright-free and available for you to use. Some are available as free pdf downloads and you can get others for $1.

5. Go to ereleases.com or prweb.com and search for press releases related to your profession. You will likely find hundreds of releases about your topic. Press releases are are public domain and you can use the content. The companies that submit the press releases are happy to have their information distributed.

Another thing about newsletters is that they don't have to be about your profession but it does need to be interesting. You can write about topics indirectly related to your profession. A doctor could write about nutrition, a florist about gardening, an insurance agent about bike safety for children. You see how easy it can be?

Look at the newsletter from the point of view of the reader. What benefit will they receive from reading your newsletter. Will they say "That's interesting or good to know?" or will they say "Wow, that was boring!"

Remember, getting started is the hardest part. These are some ideas you can use to start cranking out your newsletter. There is an author somewhere inside you itching to get out so it's time to get started!

Paul Flood Marketing helps small businesses who are struggling to increase their sales. I implement a powerful "Hidden Marketing Assets" system guaranteed to increase sales and profits by 25% or more in as little as 90 days or less, without spending more money on advertising. If you are ready to literally explode your sales visit http://www.paulfloodmarketing.com Can you afford to wait?