Newsletters

Newsletters, whether printed or digital, are a great way to build a community and connect with people on a very personal level. They are often more informal than other forms of communication, and might be created from content and images supplied by a range of different people. This can be wonderful, as it can lead to lively and interesting content, but it is important to make sure that mistakes don’t slip through to the finished product.

Content

• Nominate someone to be responsible for the content and ensure that it is appropriate and relevant to the target audience.
• Be entertaining and informal, but also professional.
• Aim for a balance of fun and facts to make it more likely that your newsletter will be read from start to finish.
• You can use jargon and/or abbreviations, but be careful not to confuse or alienate new members of your audience.
• Carefully check and proofread all content before sending it out.
• Ask for feedback and contributions, and acknowledge that content if you use it.
• Have a regular schedule (e.g. the first week of the month, quarterly).

Layout and images

• If appropriate, use the FedUni newsletter template, which has designated fonts and colours.
• Don’t cram too much text on each page. If your audience is overwhelmed by the amount of information on the page they might not read any of it, which means all your hard work has been wasted.
• Use clear headings and subheadings. This will help readers navigate through the newsletter and find the information they need.
• Allow plenty of white space and don’t go too crazy with different fonts and colours.
• One good image is more eye-catching and effective than several small ones. Make sure you are using good quality images at the appropriate resolution.
• Always caption pictures, especially when they have people in them (making sure to spell their names correctly).