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Mass Communications 307
Public Relations Processes
Newsletter Planning & Production
U.S.P.S. Home Diary survey (1997):
 | People read more than 68% of their mail |
| When it’s from known business or org – 80% + |
| More than half is read immediately |
| "Junk mail" term was coined by broadcast advertising industry to counter perceived threat of direct mail marketing. |
Newsletters are **INTRUSIVE**
... will
be seen and handled, may not be thoroughly read
Affinity:
choose mailing lists to find recipients who share interests
("qualified" audience)
Opt-in:
recipients request subscriptions, may also request removal from list.
Designing for scanners & readers/ nibblers & clean-plate-club
Layer-cake approach to design
| Frosting & filling
| ||||||||
| Cake itself satisfies those with
bigger appetites
|
Diffusion Process: Newsletters come into play at interest stage
| Expand on information in mass media | ||||||||
| Provide...
|
Note: Wilcox – treats newsletters as
internal function.
In reality – They can be very useful in informing stakeholders outside
the group, too
Newsletter editor’s role
"Boundary spanner"
| Explain organization to those outside it |
| Bring outside perspective and developments in-house |
| Interpreter |
Editorial freedom?
| Not in-house journalist |
| Reflect organization’s goals and objectives |
| Support PR plan |
| Must balance .... Readers’ interests Management’s interests Your personal ethics and standards |
Newsletter needs a mission statement to provide long-term direction and short-term guidance in story selection
Types of newsletters
- Association newsletters
... NPOs and trade associations
Often main source of identity ... main visible benefit of membership
Scattered membership — builds common bond
PRSA: Public Relations Strategy ... Tactics
PPA: Studio Photography (with newsletter stuffed inside, PPA Today) - Religious
publications
The Lutheran magazine — 1 million readers
LSS Messenger - Community group newsletters ...
- Institutional newsletters ... distributed
to employees
Downward
communication (management to staff) - Publicity newsletters ... often
for-profit companies
Product newsletters (Adobe magazines, Creative Kitchen)
Political officeholders (Dorgan/Conrad/Pomeroy boxholders) - Special-interest newsletters
Common Cause ... began as a newsletter,
became magazine supporting largest lobbying group in US - Self-interest or "digest" newsletters ... produced for profit
YWCA, First Lutheran, Fgo Theatre
Announce meetings & subjects of interest
Stimulate attendance and interest
Create common bond
Get to know each other
MSU "Today & Tomorrow"
Create sense of belonging
Convey important company information
Benefits & career opportunities
Info about what company is doing (#1 in surveys)
Ms. Magazine ... feminist "house organ" (nonprofit corporation)
Advice & solutions to common problems of readers
High subscription price (PR Line, $199/6 issues)
PR Reporter, PR News, Communicate, O’Dwyers
GOAL of newsletters: to establish COMMUNICATION & CREDIBILITY
Journalistic style ... hard news &
features
The larger the organization ... the more
formal the style
Small groups — fmore casual, frequently written with "we" and "you"
Almost always done in -house
Production may be subbed to ad/PR agency, but direction comes from staff
Stories ...
| Most 4-page newsletters: total of about 2,000
words (3 double-spaced pages of copy per page?) Could be several short stories or 1 long w/ sidebars |
| Trend to shorter stories, more art Story length: 100 to 600 words typical |
| Where do stories come from? Ideas: from staff, from other newsletters, from news Asking for contributions NEVER works well. Solicit information ... bare facts ... write them yourself Your stories may carry others’ bylines |
| "Translating" stories for your
audience Substantial research may be necessary JH story on podiatrist: what are bunions? Internet offers fast, reliable options |
Formats & frequency
| Frequency
.. as often as necessary & as often as possible Monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly Odd frequencies: LSS/3 times a year (budget cuts) Good intentions can go astray ..... Don’t publish frequency [Quarterly Newsletter] Volume & number vs. Issue number X ODDITY: Most readers won’t notice you're late unless you tell them.. |
Contents — usual pattern:
| 1 part organizational business (story about an LSS program?) |
| 1 part product or service (new counseling group for teens) |
| 1 part personal profile (staffer, client, leader, donor) |
Internal newsletter pattern (Bivins)
| 50% info about organization |
| 20% info about employment (benefits, promotions, work life) |
| 20% info about industry & beyond (competitors, community) |
| 10% small talk & personals |
Audience interests
(IABC & Towers Perrin Forster & Crosby survey of recipients showed these preferences)
| 1. Organization’s plans – 95% |
| 2. Personnel policies & procedures |
| 3. Productivity improvement |
| 4. Job-related info |
| 5. Job advancement info |
| 13. Personnel changes & promotions |
| 14. Financial results |
| 15. Advertising and promotion plans |
| 16. Stories about other employees |
| 17. Personal news (birthdays, weddings, etc.) – 57% |
Writing style
| Informative ... entertaining AP style is almost always acceptable ... with some "house" variations |
| Readers respond to professional style (default: journalism) |
| What do your readers already know?
Determines language, amount of explanation. Newsletter among professionals: Can be highly technical From pros to lay audience: Must be understandable |
| Avoid writing to impress. You’re the translator |
Design considerations
| Format ... economical print sizes (8.5 x
11, multiples of 4 or 8) 11x17 folded to 4 pages — standard One page, 2 sides (8.5 x 11 or 14) Novel folds (11x17 3- or 4-panel ... or tall 11x4.25") |
| Multi-column grid At least 3 columns (2 columns are limiting – 1 is too wide) Lines should be no longer than 5" Longer lines – When they're unavoidable, adding more leading (space between lines) can help. |
Alternative newsletter structures
- Purchased pre-prints with local inset
Express Press: Business Forum (mailings to business customers)
Realtors: 4/c housing stories outside, local inside
Medical newsletter: Dakota Clinic/Blue Cross of Minnesota - Distribution with
mass medium (insert)
MeritCare Health Today supplement to Sunday newspaper
Candidates' campaign newsletters - Publish as paid
ad in a mass medium
Fargo EDC newsletter — Publishing newsletter as a $2,000 full-page ad in The Forum business section was less expensive, reached greater number of qualified readers than their own free-standing newsletter - On-line newsletters ... must find way to
drawn readers. (Lacks intrusive/push quality of print)
E-mail newsletters ... very brief text, followed by hyperlinks to longer stories
Full Web-site newsletters - Video magazines ... usually aimed at employees (audience in one location)
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