Newsletter Hints for Homeowner and Neighborhood Associations

AboutMyHOA.com

Newsletter Basics for Community Associations

Some of the information has been used with permission of Regenesis.net

Developer Transition Landscape Specs Newsletter Hints

Clear, consistent and regular communications are essential to effective community newsletters. Here are some time tested ingredients that will make it "all that it can be":

GOALS
Focus on long-term, positive, community building contact. When you're deciding what topics and articles to write, ask yourself whether it meets this criteria.

Find your audience. Create and establish a relationship. Think about them. How old are they, How literate? How much money do they have? How do they spend their time? What motivates them? What will they gain from your publication? Get feedback from your readers. Include a Survey or Questionnaire so that readers can tell you what they want to see in the newsletter.

Convert casual readers into regular readers who are inspired about what is happening in your community with a sincere desire to be a part of it. It's all about community involvement and community unity. Make sure events, activities and volunteer opportunities are well publicized. Be positive in your approach. Create a headline "to die for." It must be compelling enough to grab the reader's attention. Support the article with a complementary photo or clipart illustration. Package a consistent newsletter. Keep your topic headings consistent with every issue. If you have a 'Covenant Corner' which highlights a particular HOA rule or regulation, publish it in every issue.

Develop good writing habits.
Keep a Journal of ideas.
Set goals and keep them realistic.
Develop a writing schedule (same time each day.

Don't procrastinate. Write the rough draft as quickly as possible without worrying about the lead or polishing sentences. Then go back through the article and fill in the details.

Keep good records. Set up separate files for current issue, back issues, holiday issue, topic ideas, city publications, correspondence, homeowner association, Board of Directors, Committees, Gardening Tips, Homeowner Tips, Disaster Preparedness, Trivia and Inspirational Quotes, City, County, and State information, etc. Keep them in an accordion file, so that you can take only what you need to meetings.

Don't bury important messages deep within text. Place the most important messages in headlines and in the first and last sentences. Organize the strongest points of an article before you outline and write it.

Keep articles short and to-the-point. Never allow articles to carry over to another page. If an article is too long or complicated, break it into several articles.

Always include publication information, including newsletter committee (or writers, editors, publishers) names, addresses, phone numbers, and email address.

Be positive and professional at all times. Your communication will be more effective if you are reasonable in your approach.

Always submit clean, error free, regular publications. You'll get better results publishing a shorter newsletter more frequently. Long newsletters tend to get put in the "to-be-read-later" pile. Proofread, check your facts and data, and proofread again.

Believe in yourself. Don't get discouraged when it seems as though you are carrying the ball alone. Don't give up! Know that what you are doing is an important contribution to the community and you are an inspiration to others.

CONTENT
[1] Know what your audience wants to hear from you.
[2] Include advice and information that's useful to the reader.
[3] Publish regular columns.
[4] Inform, don't sell.
[5] To get read, a newsletter must add value by informing the reader.
[6] Avoid confusing phraseology...just provide quick, readable information.
[7] To draw your reader in...run headlines that define the article.

ARTICLES
[1] Get going. Don't wait for inspiration or the mood to strike. Writing will stimulate your thinking and the words will come.
[2] Start with the easiest story first.
[3] The more you write the easier it gets. Get your ideas on paper as soon as you think of them. You can rewrite and edit it later.
[4] Look for things that interest you. If you're excited about something, the writing process is easier, even fun.
[5] Write in a conversational manner. Write as though you were telling a friend. This method helps build rapport with the reader. Use the same enthusiasm. Maintain the user-friendly tone but continue to edit and re-write.
[6] The most effective and powerful way to compose a sentence is in active voice. When you write in active voice, your sentences are livelier and shorter. Passive sentences are wordy and often delay the true focus of a sentence. Active sentences emphasize the doer of an act (The masked bandit took one hostage). Passive sentences emphasize the subject of an act (One hostage was taken by the masked bandit). Active sentences are far more immediate and direct. It is impossible to make all sentences active. A passive sentence without a doer of an act cannot be turned into an active sentence (The bank was robbed last night).
[7] Add gusto to your writing. Write the way you speak. Do whatever you like to make the stories highly readable.
[8] Pay attention to headlines, sub-heads and captions. Take your time with them all...sometimes it's all the reader will read.
[9] Create visual interest with text elements.

(a) Drop caps draw readers into an article. They are mainly found in the first paragraph of an article. You may use a contrasting font for drop caps.
(b) Subheads are great for dividing text into manageable chunks. You can make them bold or another version of the same typeface. Reversing subheads on black, gray or colored background is also effective.
(c) Bullets and numbers help to separate information by chunking text into smaller, attractive, more readable pieces. Instead of using typical circle bullets, try using squares, arrows, etc. Avoid making the copy look too busy. Jazz up numbered paragraphs by turning numbers into drop caps. Have them span two to three lines of each paragraph and wrap text around them or indent the text. With this treatment, you don't necessarily have to place the period after the number.
(d) Pull quotes and sidebars highlight and separate important information, while adding graphic variety to the page. You can pull out quotes from your article and use them as design elements, placing them in a column, across columns or in margins. When you create text sidebars, choose a font that is different from the body text.
(e) Boxes are a great place for small articles or sidebars.
(f) Good quotations bring a story to life. Dull quotes stop readers in their tracks. Keep quotations dynamic.

[10] When and when not to spell out numbers.

Spell out numbers from one to nine and use figures for numbers over 10.
Use figures in headlines: 7 ways to spruce up your copy.
Use figures when referring to times: 2 a.m.
Use figures in years and dates: The president resigned on April 7.
Spell out indefinite numbers: There were hundreds of angry protesters.
Use figures for definite amounts and long numbers: She received a $77,000 bonus this year. There were 115,607 employees worldwide who voted in favor.
Spell out numbers that start a sentence: Twenty-five people work the late shift.
Spell out amounts under a dollar and use figures and the currency symbol for amounts over a dollar: Years ago gum was five cents. Nowadays, it costs $1 a pack.
Use figures in sequential designations: Grade 7 students will now be tested four times a year. You will find the passage in Chapter 5.
Spell out figures of speech: He wore the ten-gallon hat with pride.

[11] When you're tired, stop writing.
[12] Proofread carefully for grammar and spelling errors.
[13] Keep it short and simple. Simplify your writing style. Use short blocks of copy, short words, sentences and paragraphs. Keep paragraphs under control...no more than 100 words in length. Complicated sentences discourage the reader from continuing.
[14] Study and copy successful newsletters. Take note of what works...what catches your attention and makes you read on.

EDITING
[1] Make a copy of the original article. Use the copy to mark on. It's important to label all versions - original, first draft, second draft, final. This will ensure you don't print the wrong version.
[2] Read the entire article first. Don't stop to make changes or take notes. This first read will give you a feel for the whole article.
[3] Reread the article and get down to business. Be on the lookout for flaws in the story.
[4] Analyze the lead. Is it clear? Is it repetitive or too long? Does it explain what the story is about? Will it grab the reader's attention? Does the article tell the whole story, or just scratch the surface? Does it contain all essential information? Are all sides of the story presented? Is it interesting? If not, how can it be jazzed up? Do paragraphs flow smoothly? Does the order of the story make sense? Move a buried lead or misplaced paragraph. Look at content of each paragraph. Watch out for repetition or complicated terms that aren't clearly explained. Sentences should be clear and concise. Change passive sentences to active ones if possible. Quotes should be colorful and add depth to the story. Remove potentially libelous information. Have the facts been checked?
[5] Now go back through the story and check grammar, punctuation, spelling and style.

DESIGN & LAYOUT
[1] The design should be attractive, inviting and distinctive. The "look" of the newsletter attracts the reader. Black on white paper is still the most popular "look". Each issue should look the same. Choose a simple format and stick with it.
[2] Establish standards and style and stick to them.
[3] For maximum readability use headlines and sub-headings. It's easier to read.
[4] Avoid continuing articles on another page...the reader may lose interest.
[5] The newsletter title page or cover is the most important...it sets the tone and motivates people to read it. It is important to explain what the newsletter is about and who publishes it. Make the title bold and/or distinctive so readers identify it at a glance.
[6] Use only standard typefaces such as Times, Arial and Helvetica. Avoid using unusual looking typefaces.
[7] Italics can slow the reader. Use italics when called for...don't use them for long articles. Italic typefaces are read 30 percent slower than non-italic typefaces.
[8] For body text, serif typefaces are best. Some good serif typefaces are Palatino, Times Roman and Garamond. Body text should be 10pt. Bold headlines should be 18pt or 24 pt and sub-headings should be 14pt.
[9] Use bold type and/or italics to highlight people's names and to point out important details.
[10] Avoid using all caps in headlines...or elsewhere.
[11] If you use illustrations, make sure they're relevant. Use clipart, because it's free from copyright restrictions. Don't put boxes around illustrations. They make the pages look cluttered.

WRITE WITH PURPOSE
Before you write one word, you need to know what you want your writing to accomplish. Are you conveying information? Reporting on a recent project? Do you want your readers to do something when they finish reading? If you aren't sure what your purpose in writing is, your writing will not be clear.

CONVEY INFORMATION
Much of the writing we do for newsletters is done to convey information to a group. If the purpose of writing each of these is not very clear, the intended audience may not get the message you thought you sent. Put yourself in your audience's shoes. What is it that is important to them? How can you make sure that what you have to say becomes important to them? Answering these questions takes an awareness of your audience and an understanding of how people best receive messages. The vocabulary you use, the arguments you present, even the organizational structure you give the piece of writing will all depend on what you want to say and who you want to say it to.

PROMPT ACTION
Do you want your readers to make a change to improve your community? Then convince them they can't live without it. Do you need a few more members to serve on a committee? Then show them the marvels you've accomplished and what remains to be done. Do you want residents to adhere to a forgotten or ignored covenant and restriction? Then illustrate, in terms that are meaningful to them, the benefits they will receive by doing so.

MAKE RELEVANT
Purpose and audience are intertwined. If you know why you are writing, but don't pay detailed attention to the needs of your audience, you lose. But, if you have analyzed your audience and don't really know what you are writing to them for, you still lose. Writing takes effort. Good writing takes effort, too. But it combines the effort with expertise in the language --in the language you use in your writing and in the language used by your audience. Superior writing takes effort and language expertise. In addition, it takes a strict attention to all the activities involved in reading. These qualities will ensure a piece of communication that is clear in its contents and its purpose.

CHECKLIST

Purpose and Audience What have you chosen to write about? Why? Who will want or need to read this? What do you want your reader to know or do? How will you present it to the reader?
Idea Development / Support Do your details help the reader understand? Are they the best details and examples for the reader and for your purpose? Have you explained important ideas? Do your examples focus on the main ideas? Do your details make the ideas clearer?
Organization Did you stick to your plan throughout the piece of writing? Does the order of the ideas make sense? Does all of your information fit together? Do your ideas lead the reader easily from one to another? Will your reader be able to follow all of your thinking?
Sentence Do your sentences have different lengths? different beginnings? different structures? Do your sentences express complete thoughts?
Wording Have you used a variety of words to make your meaning clear? Do the words say what you mean? Are all of your words used correctly?

Correctness Have you made any mistakes in spelling? Do you see any punctuation problems? Have someone else proof your work, as we often miss our own errors.

NEWSLETTER NAMES The name of your newsletter should speak its individuality. Here are some examples.

Access
Advantage
Advisor
Banner
Beacon
Briefs
Bulletin
Circle
Connection
Communicator
Courier
Chronicle
Digest
Enterprise
Etcetera
Examiner
Exchange
Eye
Flash
Focus
Forecast

Gazette
Chronicle
Herald
Horizons
Hotline
Insider
Journal
Leader
Light
Messenger
News
Outlook
Pages
Periodical
Perspective
Pioneer
Press
Profile
Post
Quarterly
Report

Review
Savvy
Society
Scope
Scoop
Source
Spotlight
Press
Star
Sun
Times
Topics
Today
Tribune
View
Viewpoint
Way
Window
Wire
Word
World

NEWSLETTER DOS & DON'TS by William Safire
1. Avoid run-on sentences they are hard to read.
2. Don't use no double negatives.
3. Use the semicolon properly, always use it where it is appropriate; and never where it isn't.
4. Reserve the apostrophe for it's proper use and omit it when its not needed.
5. Do not put statements in the negative form.
6. Verbs has to agree with their subjects.
7. No sentence fragments.
8. Proofread carefully to see if you any words out.
9. If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.
10. Steer clear of incorrect verb forms that have snuck into the language.
11. Take the bull by the hand in leading away from mixed metaphors.
12. Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.
13. Never, ever use repetitive redundancies.
14. Everyone should be careful to use a singular pronoun with singular nouns in their writing.
15. I must have told you a million times to resist hyperbole.
16. Also, avoid awkward and affected alliteration.
17. "Avoid overuse of 'quotation "marks" ' ".
18. Avoid commas, that are not necessary.
19. A writer must not shift your point of view.
20. And don't start a sentence with a conjunction.
21. Don't overuse exclamation marks!!!!!
22. Place pronouns as close as possible, especially in long sentences, as of ten or more words, to their antecedents.
23. Write all adverbial forms correct.
24. Avoid un-necessary hyphenation.
25. When dangling, watch your participles.
26. It is incumbent on us to avoid archaic phrases.
27. Never use a long word when a diminutive one will do.
28. It's hard to imagine a phrase when you will have needed the future perfect.
29. Unqualified superlatives are the worst.
30. Last but not least, avoid clich�s like the plague.