Most every organization has a means of communicating their activities with their clients and customers. Charities are not exempt from this. Indeed, charities need newsletters more than other entities. Charitable organizations actually rely a lot on the goodwill of others. And what better way to reach out to these people by sending out newsletters on a regular basis?
Big charities have web sites, offline newsletters, and all sorts of other ways to get the word out. They have the means and resources to do so. For small charities, however, it might not be so easy. This does not mean that you cannot come up with your own newsletter, however. Here are some things that you can consider as you come up with your newsletter.
Determine your recipients. The more the better. Everyone who is in your contact database should be included in your list of recipients. Of course, do not forget that your database should not be static. It should grow as time goes by.
Determine how you will send out your newsletter. You can do this through e-mail or through printed copy. I would suggest using the latter, especially for starters. Electronic newsletters will not cost you anything.
Determine the contents of your newsletter. This will change from issue to issue but the bottom line is the same – you have to tell your recipients about your core values. You have to tell the recipients your regular activities. You have to share your continuing programs. Tip: don’t over do it. Two pages should be enough to keep them reading.
Determine how often you should send one out. This could be tricky. You do not want to send out issues too far and few in between. Do make sure however, that you do not send newsletters out too often, as your resources may not be able to sustain it.
Originally posted on January 20, 2011 @ 4:22 pm