How to Manage a Newsletter

Gather interesting information and stories about your organization to create a compelling newsletter.

Newsletters can be valuable part of a marketing communications strategy to engage target audiences. A good newsletter is packed with a wealth of information that shares the latest happenings of a company or nonprofit organization. However, creating a newsletter that people look forward to reading requires strong planning, organizing and writing skills. If you find yourself assigned to managing a newsletter, there are several things you can do to ensure that the newsletter production process goes smoothly so the result is an engaging and informative communications piece.

Instructions

1. Notify department contacts in your organization that you are managing a newsletter. Encourage them to send you interesting stories and information by a specific date so that you can consider including it in the newsletter. Gathering information and ideas on interesting newsletter topics will be helpful in developing an outline of what relevant information to include.

2. Create an editorial outline of information that you want to include based on the information you received. An editorial outline gives a brief summary of each article that will be in the newsletter.

3. Create a schedule for the entire newsletter creation process. The schedule should include timing and persons responsible for submitting stories, reviewing stories, graphic design layout, submission to the printer and the distribution of the completed newsletter.

4. Find people with good writing skills to write or edit stories so that they are engaging and informative. Assign due dates for drafts.

5. Create standing feature sections such as a member spotlight and an upcoming events calendar.

6. Select good images to include in your newsletter along with the text. Good images are clear and crisp photos and clip art. Choose candid photos of people instead of the typical (and dull) staged photos of smiling people posing for the camera.

7. Identify a graphic designer to lay out the newsletter if budget allows. A professionally designed newsletter will have a more polished look. You can also use a desktop publishing program to create the layout and design yourself.

8. Proofread your newsletter thoroughly before it goes to print.

References

• Lifespy: How To Make A Newsletter
• Writing That Sells: About Newsletters