Newsletters
Even in this age of instant communication, do not underestimate the importance and value of a well-produced newsletter. Newsletters can and should be put on websites, but design yours for printing and distribution throughout the community.
Whereas a website requires a person to find you, newsletters are mailed directly to your supporters. Newsletters are distributed throughout the community. They are a proactive means of reaching a new audience wherever they might be. A newsletter can be as simple as a one-page sheet copied on an as-needed basis or as elaborate as a multiple-page tabloid that resembles a newspaper more than a traditional newsletter.
A printed newsletter will not only be read by the person it is addressed, but by countless others with whom it will be shared, including family, visitors, and business associates. A newsletter is “current” for the duration of the month/quarter on the cover. People will continue to share and circulate it throughout that time.
Now is the time to become familiar with the range of desktop-publishing options available. Some of the software is free, but high-end programs that cost thousands of dollars are also available. Some form of desktop publishing may have come with your word-processing program, so look at what you already have before buying anything. Keep in mind you are not publishing a piece of art destined for an art gallery; you are publishing a newsletter for your organization.
Most desktop-publishing programs, even those that are part of the major word processors, include templates for newsletters. Open them up and play with them. Try out the styles and the options until you settle on one you or your newsletter committee like. Do not try to get the entire organization to agree on this element.
DistributionA newsletter is worthless if you do not also have a means in place to distribute it. Put your newsletter onto your website as soon as it is complete. Printed hard copies should be mailed to or made available to the following:
Contributors, members, and interested community members
Local cafés, community centers, theaters, or other locations appropriate to your organization
Organizations doing similar work in other parts of the country
The content of your newsletter will depend on your specific mission and activities. People expect to see:
A monthly calendar of scheduled events
A directory of the key people in the organization and a synopsis of their responsibilities
A membership form that can be cut out and mailed to if you are a membership organization
A message from the board president or others who are helping grow the organization
Space is used up quickly, so once you have settled on a template the problem will be what not to print.
