| Newsletters are the most commonly used tool for | | | | a page is uninviting. Donors don't want to work that |
| nonprofits to communicate with their donors and the | | | | hard. Write short, concise articles and use interesting |
| community. Typically, their purpose is to educate | | | | headlines to draw the reader in. Study your local |
| readers and inspire them to donate. All too often, | | | | newspaper to get a feel for writing good headlines |
| newsletters are a disappointment, failing to generate | | | | for your articles. |
| any revenue and labeled a disappointment. The | | | | 5. Poorly written text. Keep your articles interesting |
| reason for this is that most nonprofit newsletters are | | | | to the donor and avoid jargon. Don't use acronyms |
| poorly done and full of mistakes that are easily | | | | or industry lingo. Make sure that the average person |
| correctable. Here are the eight most common | | | | on the street could understand your articles. Keep |
| mistakes made in nonprofit newsletters. | | | | your sentences short and simple, and use simple |
| 1. Not donor focused. The most common and most | | | | language. This is not the time to use all the big words |
| deadly mistake made with a newsletter is not | | | | you know! |
| focusing it on what the donor finds interesting. Poor | | | | 6. Too much text. The fastest way to keep your |
| newsletters are filled with information that is | | | | donor from attempting to read your newsletter is to |
| interesting to the writer - new staff hires, deep | | | | fill it completely up with text. Make your newsletter |
| information about the operation, new Board | | | | inviting by breaking up the text with headlines, |
| members, etc. Donors just aren't interested. Keep | | | | photos, and white space. This helps your newsletter |
| the information focused on the people your | | | | become "skimmable" - your donor can quickly peruse |
| organization is serving. Donors would much rather | | | | the piece to get the gist of the text and read more |
| read a good human interest story about someone | | | | if they choose to. You don't have to tell everything |
| whose life has been changed by your organization. | | | | you know about a story in order for it to be |
| 2. Long letter from the Executive Director on the | | | | interesting. Often, less is more. |
| front page. Boring. Donors don't want to read this, | | | | 7. Not enough or bad photos. A picture is worth a |
| mostly because they can anticipate what will be said. | | | | thousand words, so make sure to include several in |
| Instead, use the space to tell a compelling story. If | | | | your newsletter. They help break up the text and |
| you must include a piece from your Executive | | | | usually draw the reader's eye. Make sure to use |
| Director, keep it short and put it on page 2. | | | | photos of people where the reader can see the |
| 3. Text is too small or hard to read. Make sure your | | | | person's eyes in the photo. Avoid group shots if |
| text is easy to read. Use a large enough font that | | | | possible. And keep the check presentation photos to |
| your older donors can read it. Don't use odd color | | | | a minimum. Always include a caption with each photo |
| combinations like red text on cream paper. Keep the | | | | to describe the people or action in the photo. |
| color simple so people can read it. Black text on | | | | 8. No contact information for the organization. |
| white paper is best. Don't use inverted text like white | | | | Amazingly, this mistake appears in many newsletters |
| text on a colored background either. It can be hard | | | | and is easily correctable. Simply include the address, |
| to read. Bottom line - don't give your donors any | | | | website, and phone number for your organization. If |
| reason not to read your newsletter. | | | | someone reads your newsletter and wants to |
| 4. Absent or poorly written headlines. Lots of text on | | | | contact you, make it easy for them. |