Chapter Resource Guide: Newsletter Tips Chapter newsletters serve three public relations functions, all aimed at membership service and recruitment. Information Sharing: Chapter newsletters exists to inform NIGP Chapter members. Membership Recruitment: Chapter newsletters allow members and non-members to locate important Chapter meeting dates and provide crucial Chapter related information. Image Building: Chapter newsletters should present a professional, positive image of NIGP. Setting the Foundation Establishing a solid foundation for your newsletter is crucial. The best newsletters have clear content focus, valuable information and are timely. This is done by careful planning. Ask why your newsletter exists. Does it exist to generate membership, to be a reference, as a marketing tool or as a source of quick information? The decision is up to the newsletter editor and Chapter officers. Establish consistent editorial policies on story sources, content review, advertising, etc. Set editorial goals that are measurable and achievable. Your goals should come from your newsletter s purpose, your readers needs, and the goals of your Chapter. Define Your Newsletter Use the worksheet below to clarify the purpose and goals of your newsletter. Name of publication: Frequency: Audience (Include both your primary readership and your second-hand or pass-along readers.) Audience characteristics (their needs and likes) Long-term Chapter objectives (Take these from readers needs.) Statement of purpose (one concise sentence) Publication s image (Image determines all aspects of your publication, from design to writing style.)
Scheduling Use the worksheet below to plan. Start with the date on which distribution should be complete. Counting only work days, count backward for each stage of production. How much time is budgeted for each activity depends on your newsletter goals and your specific situation. Keep completion dates beside due dates for reference in future planning. Record how much time it takes to complete each step. Review it for trouble spots and make changes as needed. Stage Date Actual Date Comments Planning Story assignments/ideas complete Story drafts complete Stories edited Stories proofread Typing/typesetting complete Paste-up for printing complete Review of blueline complete** Printing complete Distribution complete *May not apply Outsourcing Services Many Chapters post their newsletter on their websites now, but if you choose to print you may want to consider outside services. These are an added expense to your budget, but they may provide a service that you need: Design Agencies, Services and Freelancers Typists and Typesetters Commercial Newsletter Publishers Desktop Publishing Services Full-Service Printers Mailing Houses Issue Planning There are many ways to gather the information you need for a quality newsletter. Editorial Formula: Use this to determine what information to gather. Use the purpose statement of the newsletter to determine what percentage of space will be allocated to meeting information and upcoming events, industry topics and trends, educational issues, president s message and calendar section, and personality profiles of members, etc. Story Meetings: Host story meetings or newsletter planning meetings to brainstorm ideas and ensure the focus of the newsletter reflects the current focus of your Chapter. Chapter Reporters: Have reliable Chapter members act as reporters. Assigning articles to Chapter members saves time and ensures a variety of articles and viewpoints appear. Be Approachable: Make sure your name, address, phone numbers, and frequency of publication are highlighted in your newsletter to encourage readers to contact you with story ideas.
Story Ideas Sample story ideas include the following: Ask the expert. Develop a column for member questions and have an expert answer them. Awards: who won, how to apply and how to win. Your most important values or interests. Certification news. Ethics. How members have solved ethical dilemmas. Utilize a How to section. Industry trends Technology Networking/Job opportunities Question and Answers columns Once you ve brainstormed, rely on the knowledge of fellow Chapter members to produce the information you need. Pulling It All Together Utilize planning pages (replicas of actual pages) to examine the overall plan of your newsletter. They ensure that you have included room for crucial pieces and for standard elements. Standard elements are used issue to issue with few changes and should run on the same pages every issue. Standard elements include: nameplate (on the first page - name of newsletter and date of publication); masthead (on an inside page - publishing information and editor s name, phone, etc.); and a calendar. Place the standard elements and then determine the most important and newsworthy stories. Write their names on the planning pages placing one lead story on each page. In your planning pages remember to include space for art and photos. Copyfitting Many books contain precise methods of copyfitting that allow you to plan your newsletter more carefully. If you use a standard column format, you can count the total number of lines of type you have on each page and assign article lengths that will add up to this total. Type of Writing Newsletters generally use several different types of writing. Balance among these types is critical: Straight news - Straight news stories use the inverted pyramid format with the most important information occurring at the beginning. A good straight news piece answers the following: who, what, when, where, why, and how. Features - Features are a less stringent form of writing that thrives on clever beginnings, detail, and elaboration. A good feature explores and answers the why or how question. Editorial opinion - Editorial opinion should be marked either by a column headline or opinion tag. Consider using a photo or signature of the writer to further set off the article. Promotional writing - Promotional writing may be used to recruit members or announce an event. Make sure the piece contains a call to action toward the end, such as Register Today! Writing with Power Thought provoking articles are valued over simple datelines. For every story make sure there is an important, timely reason for writing it. Use a brisk, informal style. Explain jargon - write to express, not to impress. Treat each topic as a paragraph. Use active voice instead of passive. Omit unnecessary words and extraneous details. Use a consistent tense. Put statements in a positive form.
Headlines and Captions Writing headlines and captions may be the most important writing you do. Readers see the headlines first and this must capture their interest. Make sure the headline relates to the story and use active voice. Every photo needs a caption. Captions should be a single sentence description of the action in present tense. Editing Edit an article before proofreading. If you write the articles, wait several days between writing and editing. Make sure all facts are correct and that sentence structure makes sense. Proofreading Proofreading is an important component of the editor s job. Readers will always notice misspellings and typographic errors. Leave time between proofing and editing. Some editors appoint members to do the proofing. Proofreading is a skill. Use the checklist below to help spot mistakes. Check dates. Read backwards, word for word, to find typos. Make sure all people mentioned have titles before or after their names. Check for spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors. Double check spellings of the names of all people mentioned. Watch the length of paragraphs. Short is good. Eliminate clichés and passive voice whenever possible. Check for tense changes within an article. Be sure acronyms are spelled out the first time they are used. Check for consistencies in style. There are several style manuals available for your use - The Associated Press Style book and Libel Manual or The Chicago Manual of Style. Design Principles Design is an integral component of any newsletter and should be considered before you set content. Design and layout should lead the readers through your newsletter getting them to the important points. Simplicity should be the rule. The golden rule of design is Form follows function. Design elements should spotlight the content. Another rule is the rule of thirds, which state that one third of all material on a page should be gray (type), one third white (blank space), and one third black (photos and dark graphics). Other Principles Unity - All elements on a page should combine to form a unified whole. Emphasis - Create a focal point on each page. Determine the most important article on a page and make it stand out. Balance - There are two kinds of balance: symmetrical and asymmetrical. Symmetrical balance relies on mirror images for balance. Asymmetrical balance occurs when the weight of the page is on one side or area this is usually more difficult to execute effectively. Proportion - Proportion is the relationship of elements to one another. The larger the element, the more important it is. Rhythm - Rhythm is established by repeating elements such as a running footer with the newsletter title, date and page number. Contrast - A moderate amount of contrast gives excitement to a newsletter. Use white space to contrast a large amount of gray type.
Design Tips Use bullets or boxes to break up long stretches of type. Eliminate empty space bordered on all sides with type. Ensure that body type is no smaller than nine points. Place related articles close to each other. Don t fear empty space. Readers enjoy the respite from reading. Include the page number, name of newsletter and date of issue on each page. Make sure not to overkill with lots of meaningless graphics. Use photos to convey information more quickly and completely than words alone. Consider using clip art - sketches and graphics that are designed for broad use and are not copyrighted. Printing and Mailing If you choose to print and mail your newsletter below are some tips to help with that process: Printing Plan printing time into your schedule by asking the printer how much time the shop will need. Remember the price per unit decreases as the quantity increases. Ask your printer for the price breaks, quantities where the price decreases dramatically. Two types of printers are most suitable for newsletter production: Quick printers handle small jobs that customers need quickly. The make plates directly from what you provide as camera-ready copy. They are better used for press runs up to about 2,000 copies. Commercial printers are better able to handle a larger number of copies and more complicated jobs. Price quotations should be solicited from local printers on an annual basis. Note in writing all of your needs when asking for a quote. Print trade customs specify that anything unwritten is not covered. Paper The cost of paper makes up 20 to 40% of the cost of printing your newsletter. Four grades of paper are suitable for newsletters: Bond - Bond paper is designed for letter writing or printing on one side of the paper only. Uncoated book - Uncoated book paper, suitable for general printing of all kinds, is comparable in price to bond paper but is better for newsletters because it is designed for double-sided printing. Coated book - Coated book paper costs about 20% more than comparable quality uncoated stock. It gives a professional, slick or smooth look. Check to make sure the glare isn t tremendous. Text - Text is short for textured. It has patterns pressed into the surface that give added depth. Text paper is generally the most expensive. Mailing Check with your local post office for mailing regulations. Postal regulations are complex and are interpreted differently by local postal officials. Postage becomes a larger percentage of your budget as the number of copies mailed increases. Update your mailing list frequently to eliminate names that are no longer applicable. Postage options include the following: First class - The quickest and most expensive choice. First class delivery conveys an image of important news that s timely. First class delivery is by the ounce, so weigh a dummy newsletter before printing to make sure you stay within budget.
Second class - Gives slightly slower delivery time at about half of the cost of first class. This is for periodicals published at regular intervals at least four times a year. You must mail at least 200 newsletters and file an application with your local postmaster. Third class - Also called bulk rate, third class is the least expensive and the slowest. You must mail at least 200 newsletters. You will need to get a permit from your local post office and also check with the post office on the proper way to presort your newsletters. You will also need to use an indicia filled with your specific information. Track you mailing time by asking several Chapter members in different locations to let you know when they receive the issue. Expand Your Circulation The following are ways to expand your circulation and further your goals of membership recruitment and retention. Print a routing slip on your mailer so it circulates within an office. Print Please Post on Agency Bulletin Board on address panel of newsletter. Mail your newsletter to members whose membership has recently expired as a reminder to rejoin. Mail your newsletter to targeted non-members as part of a membership drive.