Planning a Newsletter

Issuing a regular newsletter can help you spread the word about your Friends Group and its accomplishments. The following resources were created with help from your fellow Friends Group members.

Issuing a regular newsletter can help you spread the word about your Friends Group and its accomplishments. The following resources were created with help from your fellow Friends Group members. They offer a starting point for your group to plan and issue a newsletter, but remember, this resource is just that – a starting point. It’s up to you and your group to determine what your newsletter will ultimately look like.

Getting Started

When considering how to start a newsletter, it can be helpful to consider what your group wants to accomplish and how much money, if any, you are prepared to spend in doing so. Here are two questions you can ask yourself to get the ball rolling:

What are your goals?

One good rule of thumb for producing a communication document of any kind is to know what your goal is before you start! For example, you might want to:

Update your members/donors on activities
Invite people to participate in an upcoming event
Increase awareness of a feature of the park/trail
Attract new members
Document Friends Group achievements by bringing them to life through pictures and stories

What message does your group need to communicate? Who do you need to communicate that message to? This might change from issue to issue, but knowing ahead of time will help guide your writing.

What are your costs?

Producing a newsletter, whether written or digital, comes with costs. Here are a few that you might need to consider:

Printing costs
Envelopes or stickers for mailing
Stamps
Subscription email service
Color printing vs. black and white
Design software

Work with your colleagues to determine your budget for communications! Your choices might be determined by how much money you can allocate here.

Printed vs. Digital Newsletters

Printed newsletters:

Pros:

Some members prefer a physical copy
You can leave physical newsletters at your park/trail

Cons:

More expensive than email
Often sent less frequently (1-4x/year)
More labor intensive than email
Need to track physical addresses

Software options for printed newsletters:

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word offers a number of pre-designed templates. Choose a template and tailor it to your group’s needs. See instructions below!

Choose “New from Template”
Search “newsletter” in the search bar to find template options
Adjust color scheme and layout as desired
Plug in information for your group
Input pictures and stories
Print or save as a PDF

Canva.com

This free, online service offers an easy-to-use interface with a number of pre-designed newsletter templates. Learn more here.

Create a free account
Click “Create a Design” and type in “newsletter”
Select a newsletter design and add each page
Adjust color and layout as desired
Plug in information for your group
Input pictures and stories

Adobe InDesign/Illustrator

Adobe software is sophisticated and offers highly customizable options. However, using Adobe requires advanced skills, and the software cost may be prohibitive. This can be a useful tool in the hands of a willing volunteer with experience using the software.

Digital newsletters:

Pros:

Potentially free!
No printing costs
No paper waste
Can be sent more frequently than paper newsletters (1x/month vs several times a year)
May be able to track open and click rates

Cons:

Spam/junk filters may result in unsuccessful delivery
Some of your members may not use email
You can’t leave a stack of emails at the park/trail!

Software options for e-newsletters

Mailchimp.com

Mailchimp is an online service where you can design and send emails and manage your recipient list. There is a free subscription level that provides access to the basic functions.

Considerations:

Mailchimp offers templates and easy drag-and-drop formatting to include text and images.
Your mailing list can be managed within Mailchimp, including unsubscribe requests.
With smaller lists and lower amounts of email, it’s likely this can be free for your group.

Learn more:

Other Options:

There are many bulk email services that offer varying levels of features. See a list of recommended email providers from the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits.

Sending an email newsletter directly from Gmail is not recommended, as there is a higher risk that the emails will be considered spam. Read more about the limitations from GSuite Admin Help.