Creating Excellent Newsletters, Part 1 of 3

by Caroline Huth, do good Consulting Graphic Communications Trainer

Newsletters play a critical function in reaching out to educate and involve membership in your organization's work. In this age of electronic media, the "old-fashioned" mailed newsletter still plays a critical role in organizational communication.

This month, we will take a look at some of the do's and don'ts of good newsletter development, focusing on graphic design and layout – particularly for the front page. Next month, we’ll bring Part Two of this series, focusing on the interior pages of your newsletter. In January, we finish the series by looking at how to use the power of storytelling to have readers turning page after page (and sending donations, too!)

So what can you do to spiff up your newsletter and make it more appealing to your readers? Here are some tips and ideas for you to put into action:

Newsletter Size
If you don’t already have a newsletter, we’ll assume it will be a standard letter-size format. If you are going to print on an 11x17 sheet and fold it in half, you will have 4 panels of space in which to work. Now, make a paper template and fold it in half (or thirds) so you can see how it will look when it gets mailed. Sketch out where all the articles and photos will go so you are familiar with the panels before you start on the computer.

Decide on the number of columns
Decide how many columns your newsletter has, how they are structured, and how much space is around them. This template applies to every page, no matter what – no changing column set-up to accommodate stories or photos. For a basic letter-size format, decide upon 2-, 3-, or 4-column design. The most dynamic layout is the 3-column design, where the middle column is wider than the other two (see photo diagram above). This way, your most important information can be in the main area and smaller, shorter blurbs can go on either side.

Set margins
The margins around information (the white space) are one of the most critical ways to reduce clutter and increase readability. Uncluttered spaces indicate good taste, refinement and affluence; it is also more restful to the eye to read or view items that have a generous amount of white space surrounding them. (This is why museums always use broad white walls as a backdrop for paintings on display).

That said, keep your margins at least 3/4" from the edges of the page, and 1" from the top and bottom if you can. If your content does not fit, resist the temptation to cheat margins into the precious white space. Try going back for a second edit, adding more pages, or saving the rest of the article for a "Part 2" in the next issue instead.

Decide on fonts and font sizes
You get to choose two fonts and three font sizes. That's it. Pick them now, and don't cheat.

Sans-serif fonts (without "tails" on the letters, like Helvetica or Geneva) are generally easier to read as a headline. Serif fonts (with "tails" that visually connect the letters together for easier reading) work better for body copy, though these are guidelines, not rules. Script fonts are never recommended for text design, headline, or body copy, and should be reserved for wedding invitations. Also stay away from trendy "display" fonts like Comic Sans or any that look like they were written by children. These may be cute for greeting cards but not to represent a professional organization.

• Font size #1: Main headlines, 30-60pt (fonts are measured in point-sizes, abbreviated as "pt"), in a strong bold font.
• Font size #2: Subheads, 15-24pt, in the same font as above, just smaller.
• Font size #3: Body copy, 8-12pt. Unless your readership is mainly elderly or low-vision, you can get away with a font size between 8-10pts. If you are using a smaller font size, however, be sure margins are generous and do not mess with the leading (space between the lines). Most computers automatically figure this number; resist the temptation to adjust it to fit more copy.

Masthead
A good newsletter begins with a good masthead. The masthead should contain the name of the publication, usually the organization's logo (or a specially designed one for use on the masthead), plus the date and/or issue number.

Draw the name for your newsletter from nouns related to the organization's mission. If your mission involves aid to children, try looking up words related to caring or help: "The Tenderheart" or "The Caretaker", followed in smaller type by "The Newsletter of The Children's Aid Fund" or similar. This masthead should take up no more than 1/3 of the space on the page, but no less than 1/4 of it. The font size should be very large and strong, since this is what a reader will see first and will begin to recognize in further issues.

Think of it like a magazine: it should remain the same on every issue – same name, same size, same location. The only thing that can change is the date/issue, the color, and the content below it.

Front Page
The appeal of the front page is critical to draw readers attention away from the stack of mail they are sifting through and encourage them open your piece and read it. Often, a front page is so densely packed with text that it intimidates a reader from even starting to "browse" it. If it looks like it's going to take too long to read, it will likely end up in the recycle bin.

Make it easy to approach your information by keeping the front page light and fun. Be sure to have a strong lead story (Habitat Builds 4 Houses in 5 Days!), and a large headline – above the fold – to accompany it. Font size should be 30-60pt, preferably bold. Be sure to also include a photo, which means keeping your eyes and ears peeled for good stories throughout the month/quarter/year and being sure someone with a camera is there.

Another way to increase the likelihood that someone will read your newsletter is to start a few other articles on the front page, but finish them on the inside. Don't try to start all articles on the front page, however. Depending on newsletter size, make sure you can fit at least one or two paragraphs of the story before bumping the reader to the inside to finish. You don't want the front page to look like a long list of headlines. These secondary stories should also have short, interesting headlines, between 15-24pt type in the same font as the headline.

Think of it like a website: the front page usually has the least content but the most (and largest) pictures to draw your attention. The heavier content is further into the site.

Next month we’ll move to the interior of your newsletter, providing you with some design and layout tips to keep readers reading. In January, we’ll conclude the series by talking about the power of storytelling in your newsletters.

For more information on great newsletter set-up, layout, and design, contact do good Consulting design team at 217-778-1687 or dogood@dogoodconsulting.org

Think Pink!

by Amber Marks, do good Consulting Associate

Pink Ribbon umbrellas. Pink Ribbon pewter Christmas ornaments. Pink Ribbon cell phone skins. Pink Ribbon disposable razors. Pink Ribbon tennis balls. Pink Ribbon screen savers…

October was Breast Cancer Month, but you won’t find anyone who doesn’t know that. The Pink Ribbon has evolved as arguably one of the most effective branding efforts in history. Last week I saw denim jeans with pink snaps and pink stitching, strawberry flavored ribbon shaped donuts, even a child wearing raspberry colored Crocs with pink ribbon charms.

Pink Ribbon toothbrushes. Pink Ribbon thongs. Pink Ribbon tomato soup. Tomato soup?

Isn’t it nice of retailers to show their support for their beloved consumers by taking up the cause and offering packaging to promote awareness, assigning special ‘charity tables’ at restaurants, or hosting entertainment events with a portion of proceeds dedicated to a popular nonprofit? Of course! What organizations would turn away attention, not to mention the much needed dollars generated by such strategies?

Call it a win-win, but it wasn’t simply altruistic. Then again marketing never is. Campbell’s soup struck gold with their ‘cause marketing’ effort when they ‘pink-ified’ their soups for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Reports from the 2,500 participating Kroger stores showed double the number of normal sales for the product, leading many store managers to move the display to a more prominent aisle. My five-year-old doesn’t know the first thing about breast cancer, but she begged me to buy the pretty soup can that reminded her of her recent princess obsession (we’ll save the Disney marketing discussion for another column).

For non-profit organizations, the benefits of cause-related marketing include an increased ability to promote their cause via the greater financial resources of a business and an increased ability to reach possible supporters through a company's customer base. The possible benefits of cause marketing for business include positive public relations, improved customer relations, and additional marketing opportunities.

Pink Ribbon dish towels. Pink Ribbon stationary. Pink Ribbon temporary tattoos.

It’s not just the breast cancer awareness organizations that have embraced opportunities to join their cause with Corporate America. A report by onPhilanthropy noted that cause marketing by American businesses has risen sharply in recent years. An IEG, Inc. study revealed that more than $1.11 billion was spent in 2005, and predicted that $1.34 billion would be spent in 2006. More businesses and non-profit organizations alike are leveraging cause related marketing efforts because, quite simply, it works.

According to the Cone Millennial Cause Study in 2006, 89% of Americans (aged 13 to 25) would switch from one brand to another of a comparable product (and price) if the latter brand was associated with a "good cause". Earlier studies by Cone indicate an upward trend in the number of Americans who associate their own buying habits with cause marketing as well as an expectation that companies be good corporate citizens.

Pink Ribbon Coolmax Low-Cut socks. Pink Ribbon blenders. Pink Ribbon soap. Pink Ribbon scented body lotion.

To learn how cause-related marketing can benefit your organization, contact an associate at do good Consulting at 217-778-1687 or dogood@dogoodconsulting.org!

Portions excerpted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cause_marketing and www.gettingattention.org/my_weblog/2006/10/campbells_soup_.html; see www.pinkribbonshop.com if you think I’m making any of these up!

Group Profile: Champaign County Operation Snowball

by Shelli Drummond Stine, do good Consulting Organizational Advancement Specialist

Too often we hear news reports of the tragic results of teenage delinquency. What we don’t hear enough about is an organization making a real impact on the lives of at-risk teenagers and making real progress in preventing delinquency among troubled teens. Operation Snowball helps teens in an unprecedented way – rather than focusing energy on talking about the problems they face today, they focus on teens acquiring the positive skills needed to solve their problems.

Champaign County Operation Snowball (CCOS) is a voluntary peer-to-peer, self-help support program for high-school-age teens. The program teaches skills in the areas of self-awareness, self-expression, self-responsibility, and leadership skills.

Operation Snowball’s credo declares it to be “a caring place", and a place where young adults are “bonded together” by similarities. The relationships built at Operation Snowball provide teen-to-teen support in making appropriate decisions concerning their lives. These teens are building new and positive futures together. They call it “the snowball effect”: if I have a positive impact on you, you can have a positive impact on someone else and the effect snowballs.

The snowball effect happens when teens who are insecure, alienated, dropped-out, turned-off, or in conflict with self or society come together voluntarily and benefit from peer support. Since 1979, CCOS has been offering Tuesday night meetings year-round. That’s over 1,400 meetings where teens from Champaign, Urbana, Mahomet, Rantoul, Savoy and other area communities gather in large and small groups for honest, open, real conversation about challenges they face. They discuss everything from drug and alcohol use, dropping out of school, pregnancy, and violence, to depression and self-destructive thought and actions. The goal is to make everyone feel safe and accepted – no name-calling, gossiping, or cell phones allowed.

Recent data collected shows that involved teens show a statistically significant increase in positive skill attainment and a decrease in depression. In Champaign County alone, 3,500 teens choose to attend Operation Snowball meetings and their twice-yearly weekend retreats for team building and leadership activities. These statistics and attendance rates speak a powerful message: Champaign County Operation Snowball is a successful, model program for helping teens find their own way!

To learn more about Champaign County Operation Snowball, see www.champaignsnowball.org.