October 2018 – Lauriane Lebrun, Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Is your nonprofit in need of a marketing makeover? Has your organization been considering replacing print newsletters with an electronic alternative? Or, is a newsletter one project your board has never tried to take on?
If you have never sent an e-news, there are plenty of reasons to start doing so. At the very least, publishing a newsletter on a regular basis will be a sign to your members and supporters that your organization is alive and well. An e-news is also a great place to market upcoming events, make announcements, recruit volunteers, and spread the word about your nonprofit’s mission. Even if your mailing list only includes current members, an e-news can help to grow your membership as recipients forward it to their friends and colleagues.
Okay, so you want to send a newsletter. But how should you get started?
- Consider what email marketing service you would like to use. Constant Contact and MailChimp are two popular options that may or may not be right for your organization. The decision generally comes down to factors such as budget, contact list size, and what features you need to achieve your marketing goals.
- Develop a production schedule and make sure your whole e-news team can commit to it. You might decide, for example, that your e-news is to be launched the first Monday of each month. Write up the deadlines your team will need to meet in order to reach that goal. Consider when content ideas, articles, photos, links, etc. need to be compiled, drafted, and finalized, and assign due dates accordingly.
- Get to know your audience. What would the people on your mailing list most like to see in their inbox? What can you provide that will help them… and help them help your organization? If you aren’t sure, consider conducting a survey by mail or at one of your next meetings or events. If your email marketing service provides click reports, these can also be used to analyze which articles/links are most popular with your e-news recipients.
- Create a layout template. Write a recipe for the number and type of articles you will include in each e-news. Standardization of your layout will make each newsletter easier for your audience to recognize and absorb, and it will make the creation process easier for your team, as well.
- Think about selling ad space. Selling e-news ads to vendors in your industry can be an excellent way to bring in revenue for your organization.
- Start brainstorming content ideas. Here are some topics to get the ball rolling:
- Industry news
- Updates on your organization’s recent or upcoming events
- New member announcements
- “Thank you” shout-outs to sponsors or donors
- Organization or board member updates
- Links to relevant articles online
Keeping this list in mind, the next step is simply to put your E-News Committee together and begin creating your first newsletter. Happy writing!
The Lexian Management newsletter is for informational purposes only.
Always consult your attorney, accountant, and/or insurance provider to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or concern.