How to improve your newsletter: Dos and don'ts
By Annette Bender
As editor of “The Call,” Holston’s official newspaper, I read hundreds of church newsletters each month. That’s how I learn about your fish fries, your building campaigns and your food pantries.
Some of you do a great job with your newsletters. It’s obvious that someone in your congregation or district – oftentimes, the administrative assistant or pastor herself – spends significant time thinking about what should go in the newsletter, how it should look, how it should read.
And then there are the rest. Frankly, I dread seeing certain newsletters because I know I will have to wade through a horrible layout or rip through five or six staples to find out what the church is doing. That’s OK, because you pay me to stay informed about your churches and districts.
But what about the people who are not obligated to read your publications? Are you reaching them, or do they throw your newsletter away with the junk mail? Do they rely on your publication for vital information or do they complain that they don’t know what’s going on in the church?
Here, I humbly offer an informal list of “do’s” and “don’ts” that might help you improve your church newsletter. The list isn’t exhaustive but is based on some of my observations after years of preparing and reading church news.
DO come up with an original name for your newsletter. Beware the United Methodist tendency to name our publications “The Vision,” “The Connection,” or any one of several other church-y words beginning with “the.” (Yes, I know. As editor of “The Call,” I have no room to talk. But anyway … )
There are plenty of fine church newsletters named “The Vision” or “The Connection” – some of our best ones, in fact. But if you’re in the process of naming or renaming your newsletter, I recommend something less predictable. Carpenter’s Campground UMC in Maryville District recently named its newsletter “Tool Bench.” That’s original.
DON’T change your newsletter name frequently. Once you have a good name, try to stay with it for a while, for the sake of identity. One Knoxville church has had at least three titles for its newsletter in the last two or three years. That’s confusing to readers.
DO consider an easy-to-read format or layout. Many of our churches are restricted by finances and equipment. But if you can, have a knowledgeable person in your congregation (someone with newsletter or publication experience) help set up an attractive newsletter template. Newsletters are increasingly more sophisticated, so typing up a bunch of announcements and then copying them on colored paper won’t have the same effect it had 10 years ago. Consider the free templates provided by United Methodist News Service at http://www.umns.umc.org/newsinpews/default.asp. You’ll be impressed by how helpful and easy they are.
DO think about content. Should you have photos? Should the pastor write an editorial for each publication? Should you include content for the children? There are no right or wrong answers. If you can produce a newsletter with photos that print well, photos are great. (Kodak UMC in Knoxville District does a great job with photos in its newsletter, named interestingly enough, “Kodak Moments.”) If your photos look bad, don’t do them.
Otherwise, consider including a balance of long and short articles. Also consider a balance of original pieces (such as those written by the pastor) with announcements of upcoming events. Whatever you do – even if you just list upcoming events – make sure the information is accurate and spelled correctly. In other words, do it with excellence, or don’t do it at all.
DON’T overdo the staples. Many churches have discovered those adhesive tabs that bind their newsletters for mailing. For others, staples are still a necessity. (Some newsletters are nothing more than a stapled collection of flyers, but that’s another story.) Keep in mind that when we get ready to read your newsletter, we’re usually not patient enough to go find a staple remover. So we end up ripping your newsletter to shreds before we get to the important stuff. Trivial, maybe, but experience is everything.
DON’T forget contact information. Your church’s name, address, phone number, fax number, e-mail address, Web site address, pastor’s name, and any other vital information should be included in every publication.
DO put your newsletter out as frequently as possible. Bishop Ray Chamberlain has often said that when he was a pastor, he insisted on weekly newsletters. There’s something to be said for frequent contact with parishioners. Many churches are finding that e-mailing their newsletters or placing them on Web sites, instead of snail-mailing, allows them to reach their people more often with reduced cost.
DON’T forget to update. If you do place your newsletter on the church Web site, please keep it updated. I’m astounded by churches that go to the trouble of creating a Web site, only to abandon them for months at a time. I don’t want to read a newsletter from February 2003. Do you think your parishioners do?
In addition to the other newsletters mentioned in this article, I recommend the “Benton Breeze” by Benton UMC in Cleveland District and “The Connection” by the Johnson City District office http://www.holstonconference.com/churches/
johnsoncity.htm.
Also, please place “The Call” on your newsletter mailing list. We really do strive to include churches of all sizes and districts in the newspaper. Send newsletters to: Editor, The Call, P.O. Box 32939, Knoxville, TN 37930-2939, or email. I promise to read them religiously.
Annette Bender is editor of The Call, available at abender@holston.org
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