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Newsletters
ASID COMMUNICATIONS TRAINING SERIES
Newsletters
Chapter newsletters are a primary means to communicate with
members. At a minimum, you can use newsletters to communicate to
your members
>> Important Society news (stories from headquarters)
>> Vital chapter news and information
>> News from chapter committees
>> News from individual members (job promotions, honors/awards, etc.)
>> Upcoming events (chapter meetings, social events, etc.)
On an advanced level, newsletters can include editorials from the
chapter leadership (e.g., a president’s message), letters to the editor and
classified ads (job listings, etc.). Newsletters also are a great tool to
recognize the efforts of outstanding volunteers, recruit new volunteers
and more! Note that part of the cost of publishing and distributing the
newsletter can be paid by advertising (from chapter Industry Partners). If
you are interested in learning more about advertising, contact the ASID
Marketing Department by telephone at (202) 546-3480 or e-mail at
communications@asid.org.
Newsletters should be published on a regular basis (monthly, bimonthly,
quarterly, etc.). Do not promise a monthly newsletter to your members
if your chapter will not be able to deliver one on a consistent basis. Be
realistic in your expectations. Resources and time commitments are
involved in producing a good newsletter.
NEWSLETTERS
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Management of Newsletter Process
>> Recruit a newsletter editor/publisher to manage the newsletter process.
This volunteer will be in charge of soliciting materials for the newsletter,
managing the review process, ensuring deadlines are met, and overseeing
the desktop publishing, printing and distribution of the newsletter.
>> If hardcopies of the newsletter are being printed and mailed to
members, the editor (or designee) should serve as the liaison with the
printer and mail house. If the newsletter is being posted on the Web, the
editor should serve as a liaison with your chapter’s Webmaster.
>> Ideally, members of the communications committee will support the
editor in terms of article development, writing and proofreading.
>> Individual members can also submit articles to the editor for inclusion in
the newsletter. The editor should actively solicit articles from chapter
members.
>> Invite reader feedback. This is a great way to gauge members’ reaction to
the newsletter and to ensure that the information provided is of interest
and use to your members.
>> Deadlines are sacred. However, it is a good idea always to build a “safety
cushion” into any deadlines to ensure that article submissions, reviews,
etc., are received on time.
>> Bylines are not a requirement for articles, but can accompany an article
if deemed necessary (e.g., a chapter committee report). If using a byline,
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF INTERIOR DESIGNERS
always include the full name of the writer, his or her ASID appellation and
title (e.g., Communications Chair).
>> Proofreading the newsletter is a vital step of the development process
that can’t be overlooked. In a best-case scenario, at least one person (in
addition to the newsletter editor) should carefully review the newsletter
for typos and grammatical and factual errors. For a newsletter to be a
reliable source of information for its readership, all articles must be
factually correct and error-free!
>> In proofreading a newsletter, don’t only rely on “spellcheck”!
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All in a Name
Create a newsletter name that is catchy and will be memorable to your
members. Use the “four Ws” when you are brainstorming a good name for
your newsletter.
>> What? (purpose of the newsletter)
>> When? (how often will it be published)
>> Where? (the geographic origination point of the newsletter or chapter
name)
>> Who? (the audience)
Helpful Hint: Because your membership is made up of a wide variety of
representatives of the design community, do not choose a name that is too
inclusive (for instance, The ASID X Chapter Designer).
Basic Writing Mechanics
>> Keep articles short and to the point. Include the most important
information at the beginning of each article. Each descending paragraph
should contain information of less and less importance to the reader. This
writing style is called “inverted pyramid” and is the journalistic style of
writing. (Review the ASID Guide to Media Relations for additional help in
writing news articles. The style is similar to that used for news releases.)
>> Remember to answer the following questions (the five “Ws” and one “H”)
in every story:
>> Who?
>> What?
>> Where?
>> When?
>> Why?
>> How?
>> Invest in the Associated Press Stylebook. This inexpensive guide is
available for purchase via the Associated Press’ Web page at www.ap.org,
and is the premier guide to journalistic style.
NEWSLETTERS
>> If possible, write articles using an informal, conversational style.
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>> Create headlines that draw readers’ attention to the article. Remember, if
there is nothing visual to accompany a story, the only thing that will catch
readers’ eyes (and interest) is the headline (e.g., instead of “ASID Chapter
Holds Monthly Meeting” use “Officers Approve Top Goals for the Year at
Meeting”).
>> A great way to break up a long article is to use subheads. A subhead keys
into the next subject area of an article and should be very brief (only a few
words). Don’t place subheads where they aren’t functional (for instance, at
the very top or bottom of a page).
ASID Newsletter Design Template
ASID has made the process of creating newsletters easier for chapter
volunteers. Headquarters offers a CD of newly branded materials that
includes a newsletter template. Use this template to create your chapter
newsletter. If you have any questions about the template, contact the ASID
Marketing Department by telephone at (202) 546-3480 or e-mail at
communications@asid.org.
Vital Visuals
>> Remember, English is read left to right. Consider this fact when designing
the template and each issue of your newsletter. A newsletter should be
easily read from the left to right.
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF INTERIOR DESIGNERS
>> Set each headline and the beginning of each article “flush left” to ensure
that nothing interferes with reader’s movement into the story. Use a
ragged-right margin, not a justified margin.
>> Headlines should always be located above the story and never be set
immediately above pictures.
>> The font size of headlines should be at least three times larger than the
main text in an article.
>> Use upper- and lower-case type always in headlines. All caps are difficult
to read.
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>> Avoid using too many columns in your 10 MOST COMMON
design. A maximum of two columns per PROOFREADING ERRORS
page will suffice. Too many columns make 1. Letters omitted
the newsletter cramped and visually
2. Substitutions
confusing. However, creating one-column
3. Space omitted or added
pages also is not recommended.
4. Punctuation mark omitted
>> Avoid hyphenating too many words in an
5. Transpositions
article. When you use narrow columns of
type, you wind up hyphenating too many 6. Word omitted
words in a row. This slows the reader. 7. Small letter for capital
Instead, use a wider column and a ragged- 8. Full line omitted
right margin. 9. Spelling error
>> Use between 9-point and 11-point font 10. Capital for small letter
size for the main text of your newsletters.
Avoid using a smaller font size than 9 point.
>> Column width is dependent on size of font. For 10-point or 11-point font
size, columns can be between 10 and 22 picas.
>> Avoid reversed type (white type on black or colored background) as it is
more difficult to read.
>> Remember the printers’ axiom: bold is good, but all bold is no bold. Use
bold type sparingly.
>> Avoid underlines. They are difficult to read. Use bold or italic text instead.
>> Clip art is a great source for visuals to accompany your articles. Clip art is
free from copyright restrictions and is available from a variety of sources,
including the Web. As with other visuals, however, don’t use too much of a
good thing. Don’t use clip art just to fill up white space.
>> Avoid random placement of clip art. Ensure that all visuals are properly
“married” to the appropriate place in a particular article.
>> Use black ink or dark colored ink for the main text or headlines of
articles. Dark text is the easiest to read. Use a second color sparingly. Avoid
using yellow ink at all costs; it is difficult to read.
NEWSLETTERS
>> Use plenty of white space around articles (between columns and to the
outside of each page). Don’t make your newsletters too text heavy.
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>> Use sidebars and boxes for effect, but also sparingly. Both can contain
important, pullout information to accompany a story and are good visual
aids. Try not to include more than one box or sidebar per page of the
newsletter; otherwise the design will be too cluttered.
>> Do not fill a box with a screen or tint block; it makes reading difficult.
>> Pull quotes (important phrases or quotes from a specific article) are a
good visual to use—especially if you don’t have any other graphics
available to accompany an article.
>> Try to use a serif font/typeface (e.g., Garamond or Times Roman) for the
main text of your newsletter. Serif fonts are easiest to read. You can use a
complementary non-serif font (e.g., Helvetica or Arial) for headlines and
the masthead.
>> Avoid using too may typefaces on a page. This isn’t a ransom note!
>> Attractive newsletters can be created using one or two colors. Multi-
colored (more than two colors) newsletters are very expensive to print or
to color copy.
>> If you are printing hardcopies of your newsletter, only use light-colored
paper. White, light eggshell, ivory and light gray are good paper colors.
>> If you are creating an e-mail newsletter, the use of a clean and simple
design with minimal graphics is always best.
Photo Do’s and Don’ts
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF INTERIOR DESIGNERS
Newsletters should not only convey information via the “written word,”
but also visually through appropriate photographs and graphics.
>> Encourage volunteers to take photographs at all events and forward the
pictures to the newsletter editor for inclusion in the newsletter. Digital
photographs are the easiest to use for incorporating into a desktop
publishing program. Traditional photographs can also be used. They just
need to be scanned prior to insertion in the desktop publishing program.
>> Try to use photos that show action and add depth to a story—not merely
as newsletter “filler”—if at all possible.
>> “Grip-and-grin” photos are acceptable, but not in excess.
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>> Never make a mug shot larger than 1 inch
SIGNS OF A BAD NEWSLETTER
by 1 1/2 inches in a newsletter. Never.
>> Unreadable typeface
>> Too wordy
Distribution >> Unorganized
Mechanics >> Poor design and layout
>> Bad artwork and boring
Newsletters can be distributed by various photographs
means, including >> Too many stories continued to
>> Hardcopy – Printed copies are mailed to another page
your members.
Advantages: Easy to read, permanence of printed word, pass-along value
to other interested parties, portability
Disadvantages: Can be expensive to print and mail, can involve a long
production/delivery lag time; therefore not a great means for transmitting
“breaking” news
>> Faxes – Copy of the newsletter is batch faxed to members.
Advantages: Relatively inexpensive and good for transmitting “breaking”
news
Disadvantages: Poor image quality, transmitted in black and white only,
can be viewed as “junk mail”
>> E-mail – E-mail newsletters are gaining in popularity. However, to be
successful using this medium, the articles must be very brief. Think of e-
mail newsletters as providing “news briefs” not “news stories.” In
addition, if your chapter does not have up-to-date e-mail addresses of
most of your members (e-mail addresses can change frequently), you also
should provide the content of an e-mail newsletter via another source (e.g.,
your chapter’s Web page).
Advantages: Inexpensive, good to transmit “breaking” news, can include
hyperlinks to other related sites, easy to obtain reader feedback, easy to
pass along to other interested parties
Disadvantages: Easy to delete without reading, graphics can take a long
time to download, need to compile and maintain e-mail addresses of
members, can only provide “bare bones” of news stories with little details
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>> Web site – Newsletter is posted on your chapter’s Web site. Even if you
mail hardcopies of your newsletter, always post the newsletter to your Web
site, too. The same goes for e-mail newsletters.
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Advantages: Sophisticated feedback mechanisms, inexpensive, can use
full-color graphics; almost unlimited distribution; use of flash animation,
video, and other interesting effects
Disadvantages: Lack of distribution control, need to prompt audience
when new newsletters are posted (do not assume that people will visit
your Web site with any regularity)
The newsletter form(s) you choose should be dependent on
>> Timeliness and “shelf life” of your newsletter
>> Reading habits of your chapter members. Where do they get their news?
>> Resources you can commit to the project (volunteers and budget)
If you have few volunteers to work on a newsletter and a limited budget,
you should consider either posting your newsletter on your Web page or
sending an e-mail newsletter to your members.
Components of a Good Front Page
The front page of a chapter newsletter should contain the following
elements:
>> Masthead – Includes the flag (name of your newsletter) at the very top of
the newsletter, and a listing of top officers, board members, newsletter
editor and chapter administrator. Also include contact information for
submission of articles to the newsletter, and your chapter office, if
appropriate. The listing of VIPs and contact information/chapter office
information is typically located on the far left-hand side of the front page of
your newsletter and is listed vertically. The masthead should be part of
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF INTERIOR DESIGNERS
your newsletter’s design template, and remain the same, design wise, for
each issue.
>> Top news stories – If the full story (or stories) does not fit on the front
page, it can be continued on other pages in the newsletter. Top stories also
should be placed above the middle fold of a newsletter.
Production/Dissemination Process
>> When developing Web- or e-mail-based newsletters, the dissemination
process is easy. The newsletter editor simply needs to find out the specifics
of forwarding the newsletter to the appropriate gatekeeper for posting on
the Web or sending information to members via e-mail.
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>> For printed newsletters, two options exist for production: copying the
newsletter at a quick-copy store (e.g., Kinko’s) or having a professional
printer manage newsletter duplication.
>> Mailing the newsletter can be handled either in-house or by a mailing
house (your printer might handle this service or can recommend a good
mailing house in your area).
In house: Mailing labels can be created and printed, and a cadre of
volunteers can stuff the envelopes or place the labels on a self-mailer.
The newsletters then can be sent via U.S. mail.
Mailing house: The printer forwards copies of the newsletter to the
mailing house. The mailing house has labels for the chapter membership
(via a database that should to be updated for each mailing) and
manages the entire mailing process. Mailing houses can be expensive,
but are an extremely time-efficient means of distributing newsletters.
Postage: Two options exist, first class or third class. Chapters can apply
for a third-class permit via the U.S. Postal Service (information is
available on the USPS Web page www.usps.gov or at your local post
office), which provides much cheaper postage for bulk mailings.
However, third-class mailings take much longer to arrive at their
destinations than first class, which could be an issue when mailing a
newsletter containing timely information.
If you have specific questions about newsletter development or management
that are not answered in this handbook, contact the ASID Marketing Department
by phone at (202) 546-3480 or e-mail at communications@asid.org.
NEWSLETTERS
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608 MASSACHUSETTS AVE., NE
WASHINGTON, DC 20002–6006
T: (202) 546 3480
F: (202) 546 3240
W: ASID.ORG
