Intro | TOC | I | II | III | IV | V

1) Does the current newsletter still meet the objectives and goals it was intended to fulfill? Review the content and focus of past issues. Make sure the articles and information have met the needs of your readers. If not, make a note of what type of information is not appropriate for future issues and communicate with department heads and other newsletter contributors why the information is not right for the specific publication.

2) Does the content target the desired audience? One-size-fits all is not the best approach for hospital newsletters. Information you share with employees may not always be in line with your key messages for patients and community members. In many cases you can tell similar stories with a different tone and style to reach the appropriate audience.

3) Is the distribution method reaching the desired audience? If your audience is technology savvy, an e-mail newsletter or a link to an online newsletter may be a better way to go. If you're communicating with affiliated doctors and their staff, a fax newsletter may be preferred. While the most traditional method is still paper, e-mail, fax and web site newsletters are rapidly gaining acceptance - and in many cases are preferred.

4) Are people reading the newsletter and do they value the information? Start asking people who get the newsletter what they like and what other information they would like included. Consider including a formal reader survey in the next issue to get feedback. Ask about preferred distribution, story content, and overall effectiveness/usefulness to the reader.
See the worksheet section for a sample newsletter survey.

• Content - A common mistake newsletter editors make is attempting to meet everyone's needs with one publication. Don't do it. People don't have time to wade through things that don't interest them. Write only about what interests the target audience for each newsletter.
  
  
• Format - The most traditional newsletter format is still an 8 ½ x 11-paper version. It may be a single page or many more. Before you decide on a printed version, consider if your audience would benefit from and prefer a different approach. Printing and mailing costs can needlessly consume a good deal of newsletter budgets.
  
  
• Design - Decide on a "look" and maintain it so the newsletter will be recognizable to its readers. A good design template can dramatically enhance the readability of your newsletter and save you money with distribution. If you're planning to mail the newsletter, consider a self-mailer to save on postage and extra envelope expenses. A good design will also use photos and graphics to break up text and quote call-outs to highlight strong quotes. And color, if used right, can make a big difference. A word of caution though, if you're going to pay for 2-color or 4-color production, just be sure to use it effectively. Consider using a designer or someone with experience to maximize the use of color.
  
  
• Frequency - Evaluate how much information you have to share and how often your audience wants new information from you. Once you set a schedule - quarterly, monthly, or something more ambitious - stick to it. You'll lose credibility with your audience quickly if you repeatedly get behind.
  
  
• Length - A newsletter doesn't need to be packed with long articles to be effective. In fact, newsletters with shorter stories are more often and more thoroughly read. In general, people are inundated with reading material. The average person barely has enough time to read the newspaper. Add magazines, mail, junk mail, books, reading material for work (like this Handbook), your newsletter and the newsletters of a half-dozen other organizations, and you quickly see how people's reading time gets rapidly consumed. Include information with each story about how to get more information about the story.
  
  
• Headlines - Even if your newsletter articles are short, well written, and informative, readers may still skip over the articles. Grab their attention with strong, catchy headlines. Use complete sentences and action verbs to summarize the article and interest the reader. This is not a time for sensationalism. Leave that to the tabloids.
  
  
• Time & Effort - Professionals estimate it takes non-professional writers about seven hours to write, proofread and revise content for each page of an 8 ½ x 11-inch newsletter. With this kind of time commitment, it's a good idea to share newsletter responsibilities. Your best writer should oversee editorial content and maintain a consistent tone and style. Other staffers may help with design, production coordination, distribution, research, or a variety of other duties.
  
  
• Copyright - Keep the copyright law in mind when putting together your newsletter. If you plan to reprint articles from other publications, you'll need to get permission from the publication and the author. A note on copyright: ideas and facts cannot be copyrighted; only the way those ideas and facts are presented or written can be copyrighted.
  
  
• Production - You may be able to reproduce your paper newsletter on your office copy machine or you may want to use a print shop. Do your homework before selecting a printer. Get several estimates from both local and regional companies. Many printers can both print and distribute a paper newsletter, so location of the printer is not critical. Don't assume a printer that has given you great rates in the past will do the same for your newsletter. Ask to see samples of previous work that a new printer has produced. The paper stock you select, the ink selections and the length will all affect printing costs. A low estimate might sound like a good deal, but it might not work out so well if the quality is poor.
  
  
• Distribution - Distribution of the newsletter is determined mostly by the design and type. Consider the following.
  
  1. Self-mailer - This option is a paper form that doesn't require an extra envelope. It can be pre-printed with a mailing panel and postage permit number. If sent via bulk mail, you can save as much as 50 percent on postage. A designer, printer and mailing house are particularly helpful in producing and distributing this type of newsletter.
  2. Bill insert - This option allows you to include the newsletter with patient bill mailings. Make sure the produced newsletter will fit into the bill's envelope. This may help save on envelope costs and perhaps postage.
  3. Online - Whether you have a printed newsletter or an online-only newsletter, post the newsletter content on the hospital web site to maximize exposure. If you have an online-only newsletter, you must use some other method, such as e-mail or publicity, to notify readers of new issues of the newsletter.
  4. E-mail - This option can be very economical for in-house distribution, especially if you already maintain an e-mail list. A few tips to keep in mind:

  a. Keep it short - no longer than four screens.
  
  b. Write succinctly.
  
  c. Consider HTML-enhanced content versus well-formatted plain text. HTML newsletters are nice to look at, but may bog down people's computers.
  
  d. Format for readability. Set margins at 65 characters.
  
  e. Make a test run before you send it out to make sure it's formatted properly.
  
  f. Send the newsletter to your recipients using the blind carbon copy (BCC) option to keep the list confidential.
  
  g. Keep your e-mailing list current.