Return to Law Office Management and Technology Handout IndexNew York Law Journal, May 9, 1995
LEVEL 1 - 53 OF 393 STORIES
Copyright
1995 New York Law Publishing Company
New York Law Journal
April 25,
1995, Tuesday
SECTION: MANAGEMENT & TECHNOLOGY; Law Office
Management; Pg. 5
LENGTH: 1384 words
HEADLINE: How to Prepare an
Association's Newsletter
BYLINE: BY STEVEN A. MEYEROWITZ; Steven A.
Meyerowitz, a lawyer and the president of Meyerowitz Communications Inc., a
marketing communications consulting company based in Northport, N.Y., is the
managing editor of the Federal Bar Council's newsletter.
Long before lawyers recognized that newsletters to clients were an effective marketing tool, organizations and associations, both for-profit and not-for-profit, as well as churches and synagogues, produced newsletters for their members.
Whether already in existence or about to be created, newsletters by these kinds of groups present an opportunity for lawyers to become involved. Indeed, there are a number of reasons for lawyers to do so. For instance, a lawyer who edits or writes articles for an organizational newsletter, or who reviews newsletters for possible "libel" or invasion of privacy claims, becomes known to a new audience of potential clients.
Of course, there also are reasons for lawyers to get involved in organizational newsletters that go beyond potential practice-building benefits. One of the most important is that lawyers who participate in the preparation of organizational newsletters are "giving something back" to their communities.
The Audience
Many of the same skills that are necessary for writing and producing law firm newsletters for clients are necessary for organizational newsletters. In a number of ways, however, organizational newsletters are different from those for client.
For one thing, an organizational newsletter typically starts with a built-in readership comprised of members who probably are inclined to read it to see what is happening in their organization and to hear news about other members. Law firms, however, have to work hard to produce a newsletter that contains important content prepared in such a manner as to stand out among newsletters distributed by competitors.
Another common difference between the two kinds of newsletters is that although growing numbers of law firms see client newsletters as an important investment and are willing to include in their annual budgets the pertinent costs, many associations are unwilling (or unable) to devote more than minimal resources to the effort. As a result, organizational newsletters often tend to rely on volunteers, sometimes using a paid employee or consultant to oversee the job. Although this may make it easier for lawyers to involve themselves in the process by becoming one of the volunteers, it also can place significant burdens on lawyers. It is, for example, likely to be embarrassing, or at least ruin any chance of a lawyer developing good will by being involved with a newsletter, if the newsletter fails.
Therefore, it is important for lawyers involved with organizational newsletters to know what steps to take to try to assure that the newsletters will be successful. Here is a summary of the most important ones.
State a Purpose
The first thing a good newsletter must have is a purpose for its existence. Is it intended to describe such events as regular meetings that take place in an organization, to provide a forum for an organization's leaders to reach members, to allow members to hear about what other members are doing, to highlight particular employees who go beyond the call of duty or to inform readers about new developments relevant to their business or personal interests? Is there a combination of these or other reasons that led someone to suggest creating a newsletter, as is typically the case?
It is crucial to determine the purpose or purposes of an organizational newsletter, because that affects every other decision that must be made for it. For example, if a newsletter is intended to be an intra-organizational communicative device, there must be members or leaders of the organization willing to write for it and who know how to write. In addition, if a newsletter is intended to cover organizational meetings, the frequency of publication might be adjusted to make sure that those meetings are reported on after the fact and, perhaps, are noted in advance, as well.
There are other issues related to the frequency of a newsletter's publication that also have to be considered. An organizational newsletter, especially one produced by volunteers, should not be published too frequently. However, it also should not be published too infrequently. Publication at least once per quarter is needed to maintain at least some form of minimal, but continual, contact with an organization's members.
Perhaps most important, though, is that the schedule that is agreed upon be met. Once an organizational newsletter starts missing issues, or lagging behind (for instance, an April issue published in June), readers may lose interest, and the publication risks losing momentum.
Early in the planning process, the group in charge of the newsletter should name editors, writers and the production staff, designate an editor-in-chief and allocate responsibilities. Who will take photos, write and edit articles, see to the production (layout) of the newsletter, and have it printed and distributed? How much will all of this cost per issue? Are the funds to come from the association's budget, from advertising (if so, how are the ads to be obtained?), or through member donations?
The content of a newsletter is the most important factor in its success. The built-in readership of members of an association only guarantees that they will turn the pages of the first few issues; it does not ensure that they will look forward to each issue, read it or want it to continue.
The content, or course, should reflect the purpose. In many cases, an organizational newsletter will publish a column from the head of the organization. This often is a good idea. Such a column should be highlighted, perhaps even placed on the first page, if, in the editors' view, it regularly has something important to say.
Other articles that should be considered include reports on what is happening in the organization and news about its leaders or members, such as awards or honors they have received.
An organizational newsletter also might want to consider articles on outside events that may affect the organization, such as new laws or court decisions of interest. Profiles of people in the organization or in similar groups, editorials and opinion columns, letters to the editor and interviews also can be entertaining and educational.
Furthermore, a calendar of special events can provide an important service to readers.
Unless the newsletter is for an art-appreciation group or is to be published for an association of high-tech computer users, the more basic a its design, the better.
Photos add a nice touch to newsletters, although they also increase the cost. Black-and-white photos are less expensive than "full" color photos. Generally speaking, black-an-white "head shots" should be small, while action or group photos can be larger. All photos should have captions describing the people and events they depict.
The people in charge of a newsletter should choose typefaces and styles for text, captions, headlines and sub-heads. There is no need to use too wide a variety of typefaces and, indeed, no page should have more than a few different typefaces; the ransome-note look should be avoided.
There should be a box listing editors in every newsletter. That is especially important when volunteers are involved in a newsletter's preparation because all they may receive is the recognition, and they are entitled to it.
It is a good idea to have a stylebook for every newsletter. The stylebook will explain the typefaces and styles used in the newsletter and should cover recurring issues of usage and spelling.
Once the layout and design of an issue of a newsletter is completed, the newsletter can be printed. Decisions should be made in advance as to the kind, color and quality of the paper, the color of the ink, how the newsletter is to be mailed (first, second, or third class; non-profit or for-profit rates) and how mailing labels are to be applied.
Lawyers involved in the production of an organizational newsletter should obtain extra copies of each finished issue to pass around to clients, referral sources, contacts and friends, when appropriate. They also should keep a file, because a good organizational newsletter can serve as an informal history of an organization and, by bringing the group together, can help it to reach its goals.
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