E-newsletters: a cheap and effective way to get out your message
Electronic newsletters offers organizations one of the best ways to reach target audiences. E-newsletters are one of the most valuable new tools for public relations because:
- An electronic newsletter allows you to speak directly to your audience, without your message being filtered through the media
- Newsletter articles become fresh content for your web page, ensuring your online presence will stay current and interesting
- Your audience is bombarded with daily emails. Your messages pack more punch if they arrive less frequently but are carefully thought out to be reader-friendly.
- You can address different audience needs through varied newsletter content. Some people will react to personal stories about people connected to your organization; others are looking for legislative analysis; still others may be looking for volunteer activities. You can address all of their needs through different articles in every issue.
- Electronic newsletters are extremely cost effective when you use online tools to manage mailing lists and send the newsletter.
- When someone digs into your organization’s story to write the newsletter, they are likely to find interesting and timely ideas to pitch to the news media.
Who should write your newsletter?
Perhaps the hardest part of developing your newsletter is to find a staff member with the time and skills to do research, interviews, write, edit and layout your newsletter. In our experience, many organizations have good intentions but when staff hours are stretched thin, the newsletter often does not get published on schedule. Another problem is that internal staff members often lack the perspective to ferret out the types of stories that will appeal to your potential members or customers. And we see many organizations whose written materials need a style makeover, because their graphical elements and language brand them as out of touch with today’s audiences.
But if your organization has identified direct and regular communication with members as a priority, here are some strategies you might consider to make sure it gets done:
- Identify a current staff member who has the skills or could be trained to do a newsletter.
- Hire a full or part-time staff person with background in journalism, marketing or writing to write your newsletter.
- Contract with an outside consultant like Draper Communications.
