PUBLIC INFORMATION GUIDE VIII: PRODUCING AN EFFECTIVE NEWSLETTER

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Kelley Bridges
5 years ago
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1 PUBLI INFORMATION GUIDE VIII: PRODUING AN EFFETIVE NEWSLETTER Of all the publications in use today, the newsletter is probably the best for establishing direct and timely contact with your audience. Newsletters can be put together quickly and advances in desktop publishing allow even those on a limited budget to produce a professional-looking document. PURPOSE & OBJETIVES Before typing your first headline, you must determine the "raison d'etre" and goals of your publication. This can be accomplished by answering two questions: why do you need a newsletter? and who is going to read it? Newsletters can serve many needs. They can generate new membership, promote elections, raise funds and publicize events. Newsletters can enhance communication with state and national officials and help form alliances with other public interest groups. Most importantly, a newsletter establishes credibility as a resource in the field of planning. NEWSLETTER OMPONENTS There are six components of a newsletter. The nameplate is where readers will find the newsletter's name, the publisher's name, logo, date, issue number, and a tagline (statement of purpose). The nameplate tells the reader who you are and what your newsletter is about. The masthead contains editorial information. This section should list the names of your newsletter staff, editor and your group's office holders. Mastheads frequently appear on the inside cover or back cover. A table of contents should appear on the front page. It's the best way to make readers turn the page. Use the table to let readers know where regular columns are and to tell them what special highlights the issue contains. Photos serve two purposes. They generate interest in a story and give readers a break. Photos increase readership; convey information more completely and faster; and help boost the morale of involved members or award winners. However, photos can increase costs, and obtaining them can take time. If you use photos, here are a few tips: Photos should have good contrast for publication. Use active photos rather than mug shots. Place photo credits and captions underneath the picture. Use only a strong photo on the front page. Editorials are short pieces that reflect the publisher's opinion on a certain subject. They should: always have a single point and conclusion;

2 contain a call for action; be clearly labeled as an editorial; be both timely and relevant. Advertising adds credibility, attracts circulation, and helps pay for production. Most publications strive for a ratio of 60 percent editorial and 40 percent advertising. If you accept advertising, it's important to separate ads from text. Once you've decided to use advertising, set your rates and have a rate card to which advertisers can refer. Most newsletters use calling card advertising but it's not impossible to reach other advertisers. EDITORIAL FORMAT Having identified your audience and purpose, your next step is to decide what to put in your newsletter and how much. This is called the editorial format. Everything you include should reflect your purpose. First determine what your regular columns will be and how much space to allot. For example, you may want each issue to contain a "legislative update." Decide whether it should take up a whole page or just one or two columns. Here's a list of other possible columns: From the President Member Spotlight From the Editor Opinion/Editorial Publication/Book Reviews Question and Answer News from National alendar of Events Members in the News Letters to the Editor Job Listings An editorial format will give you an idea of how much space will be used. Knowing this cuts down on time spent editing and rewriting copy so it will fit. GATHERING NEWS Getting news and information is the never-ending quest of an editor. Start by developing an editorial calendar that outlines the story topics to be covered in each issue for the next three to six months. When gathering news it's a good idea to get your name on the mailing list of other organizations, such as: state AIA and ASLA chapters state planning office housing/community groups national nonprofits, including APA federal and state agencies state/local hambers of ommerce planning offices of nearby cities college/university planning schools offices of the Governor, State Legislators and Members of ongress Some of these groups may have a public relations director, editor or writer who can provide you with stories. If you receive a well-written press release of interest to your readers, use it. Press releases aren't copyrighted, so you are free to either use them verbatim or edit them as you choose. You may want to consider contacting the author to write something specifically

3 for you. Don't forget to tap into what is probably your best source -- members. Recruit members to serve as departmental editors and let them be responsible for obtaining or writing about specific topics such as chapter events, lobbying efforts or national news. Find people who are willing to be section correspondents. This way your newsletter will offer news from every region of the state. Local and national newspapers and magazines are another source of ideas. Planning-related stories abound. If you want to use stories directly from the media, be sure to give proper credit and get the author's or publisher's permission before reprinting the piece. WRITING Newsletter writing needs to be strong and succinct. One of the easiest ways to put your readers to sleep is to use the passive voice. Avoid using the phrases "has been" and "have been." Let the subjects perform the action that the verb expresses. For example: The legislation has been passed by the House and Senate. ongress passed the legislation. Not only should active verbs dominate your copy, they should fill your headlines. Headlines should lure readers, so don't use names, terms, places, initials or other references that readers won't instantly understand. There are two kinds of articles to use in your newsletter: the hard news story and the feature story. Try to put at least one of each on the front page. Hard news and feature stories follow different formats. Think of your hard news story as an "inverted pyramid." Your lead paragraph needs to summarize and answer five questions: Who or what is the story about? Where did the story happen? When and under what circumstances did the story occur? Why did the story happen and why are you writing about it? How did the story happen? Each paragraph should be placed in order of decreasing importance of information. The purpose of this is twofold: 1) the reader gets the most relevant information in the first paragraph; and 2) if you don't have enough space to run the entire story you can delete paragraphs from the bottom up without losing important information. The conclusion needs to restate the information in the lead. A feature story can take many forms. One, known as a topical story, takes a more in-depth look at a hard news story. If your main headline is about a recent chapter election, your feature story could highlight the new president. Other features could be a how-to story or a member profile.

4 EDITING The best way to edit is to read an article two or three times. First edit for content. Then proofread for punctuation errors and spelling mistakes. Don't rely on a computer spellchecker since many misspelled words are still words (for example: heard/hear). Give yourself time in between proofings. For questions on spelling and punctuation, use an Associated Press or UPI Stylebook. Strunk & White's The Elements of Style is also a good source. LAYOUT AND FORMAT The next step is to design your newsletter's physical format. Design includes those things, such as size and shape, that give your newsletter its identity. To determine the appropriate design, ask these questions: How often should the newsletter be produced? How many pages will it have? What kind of "look" or image should it have? What kind of paper and ink should be used? How many columns does it need? How should boxes, rules (lines) and "white space" used? Be consistent. If you are using a three column format on the front page, do not switch to a four column format on the next page. Keep all headlines the same distance from the text; use the same amount of space between paragraphs and, also, between stories. If you center your headline over one story, don't make the next headline flush left. Producing a newsletter on a monthly or quarterly basis is the best way to get started. Keep the number of pages low until it becomes easier to collect material. The "look" of your publication can be simple, slick, homemade, etc. Sometimes a simple format best serves your image and overall purpose. ost is the main concern when choosing paper. A simple white stock and black ink may seem boring but they're readable and effective. Typefaces also contribute to your newsletter's image. A typeface is the characteristic or appearance of the letters. Usually, different typefaces are used for headlines, sub headings, text and the nameplate. The nameplate is where you can really play with typeface. Keep in mind other typeface variables such as capitals, bold, shadows, outlining, italics and size. "White space" between paragraphs will offer the reader some relief. The most important factor in selecting typefaces is how readable they are. The layout, or dummy, is the physical arrangement of your newsletter. Here is your chance to put all the pieces together and view your newsletter before it goes to print. Your layout will also tell the printer where each element goes.

5 When composing your dummy, avoid widows and orphans. A widow is the first line of a paragraph at the bottom of a page or column. An orphan is the last line of a paragraph at the top of a page or a column. You can either adjust the copy, adjust the letterspacing or word spacing, or adjust the column length to avoid the problem. With the advent of desktop publishing, fewer and fewer newsletters are being pasted-up manually. When a designer does a paste-up, he or she places all the pieces of your newsletter onto a grid over a light table. This is the time to add and experiment with artwork and rules, boxes, dingbats (symbols such as stars and circles), and bullets. heck the alignment during layout. Everything should look balanced. To minimize changes and hassles during layout, try to calculate the space requirements for you copy or copyfit. PRODUTION Schedule reate a schedule that outlines the time needed for each step. Start from a mailing date and work backwards. Obviously, it's impossible to follow a schedule exactly, but it helps to have a guide to keep you on track, especially during the more harried moments. Printing Solicit bids. Give each printer the same information so that the prices will be comparable. Let them know the number of pages; types of paper and ink; number of copies; and size of paper. Ask for samples of the printer's work. Find out as many specifics as possible. Among the questions to ask are: What is the turn-around time? Are there any special charges such as a "rush fee?" Does the printer offer price breaks for quantity? In what format must you provide newsletter content? an the printer scan in photos or artwork? Will the printer date and mail the newsletter? Mailing Most newsletters are self-mailing, which means that all the necessary mailing information is printed on the newsletter so that no envelope is necessary. Self-mailers can be sent first, second or third class mail. The post office requires that the mailer stay together as a unit. A postage paid number, which you can get from the post office, can be pre-printed on a selfmailer and save you the trouble of stamps or meter. Postage paid mailings must meet a variety of other postal service requirements. The mailing costs of your newsletter can drastically affect your budget, so carefully consider your mailing options.

6 To learn more about public information, contact APA's Public Information Office, 1776 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, D ; (202)

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