How to conduct a publications audit in 5 easy steps

Is it time to trash your employee newsletter?

In Part I of this series, I discussed the importance and benefits of a publications audit. But how do you actually do one?

My approach is to follow the five C’s. This article only focuses on print materials, but you could use the same steps for a combined online/print approach.

1. Collect

Find all print promotional materials that exist in your organization: brochures, case studies, newsletters and the like.

To do this, visit your supplies/inventory “closet.” No idea where that is? Talk to your marketing and communications people. Is your company spread across several buildings? If so, speak to the administrators at each location. Find out what they use—especially what they display in the front entrance.

Put all the publications in a folder for safe keeping, and label it Appendix A.

2. Classify

Create a chart that identifies the key traits of each publication:

This chart is Appendix B.

3. Canvas