1. How to Publish an
eNewsletter That
Pays You Back
Leslie O’Flahavan, E-WRITE
@LeslieO
YWCA Boston
July 8, 2013

2. Thanks for the opportunity to present
this webinar!
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3. How today’s webinar will work
• From 2 – 4:30 pm
• Discussion and activities
• Webinar home page at bit.ly/1d9ESLi
• Download accompanying handouts
• Questions – ask at any time
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4. “You owe me…”
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5. Today’s topics
1. Why to keep publishing an e-newsletter
2. How to develop an e-newsletter content
formula that supports your brand and business
goals
3. How to set an appropriate tone in your writing
4. How to write a must-open subject line
5. How to archive back issues of your newsletter
6. Review of sample e-newsletters
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6. Part 1: Why to keep publishing
an e-newsletter

7. © 2013 E-WRITE
Why do you (still) publish
an e-newsletter?
7

8. © 2013 E-WRITE
Scary newsletter factoid
Most users fail to unsubscribe even
when they don’t want to receive or
aren’t reading the newsletter.
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9. © 2013 E-WRITE
Even scarier…
9

10. Reasons to keep publishing an e-newsletter
1. In some cases, you don’t have to acquire
subscribers; they’re given to you.
2. The workplace inbox may be the last workplace-
only communication channel.
3. E-newsletter content is versatile. It works as a
publication, as web content, and in social media.
4. It’s easy to plan.
5. It meets the needs and expectations of the print-to-
web generation.
6. It helps prevent you from sending too many
separate e-mails
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11. Part 2: How to develop an
e-newsletter content formula
that supports your brand and
business goals

12. © 2013 E-WRITE
Develop a content formula: 5 types of
content you know your subscribers want
• Write content that matches your
subscribers’ expectations and needs
• Offer five content “departments”
– Easy to understand what each content
department offers
– Easy to recognize when scanning
• Keep word count consistent
12

13. Content formula for OJJDP News
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14. Content formula for GovLoop Daily
Awesome
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15. What’s the content formula?
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16. What’s the content formula?
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17. What types of content would
support the YW Boston brand?
(Brand and Pitch Presentation, 3-12-13)

18. YW Boston: Brand
Is not:
• About history
• Fists in the air
• “Feminism”
• “Racial Justice”
• “Class”
• “Oppression”
• A woman’s-only organization
• “In Your Face”
• Activist
• Flowery
• Disease-focused
• Talk, introspection
Is :
•The active present and
future
•The open hand/ arms
•Gender Equity
•Racial Equity
•Social Equity
•Privilege
•An organization for all
•Measured
•Facilitator
•Educator, Mobilizer
•Evidence-focused
•Asset-Focused
•Understanding and Action© 2013 E-WRITE 18

19. Activity: Propose a content
formula for your newsletter
• Work with a partner
• Choose five content types that support
your brand and align with business goals
• Think about whether your team will be
able to reuse those content types
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20. Which is the best reason to have a
content formula?
a. Readers can rely on, and look forward to, types
of content
b. Is easier to develop an editorial calendar
c. It’s easier to explain to content contributors why
you need (or won’t publish) a type of content
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21. What your e-newsletter must
offer to compete with your
Facebook page

22. Depth
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23. Good looks
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24. Predictability
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25. Part 3: How to set an
appropriate tone in your
writing
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26. Who are you to your subscribers?
Who should you be?
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27. © 2013 E-WRITE
Use a tone that matches the purpose of your
e-newsletter
Who are you to your subscribers?
• Friend
• Colleague
• Reporter
• Expert
• Helper
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28. How does the tone match the purpose?
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29. How does the tone match the purpose?
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30. How does the tone match the purpose?
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31. Activity: Discuss the tone of your
newsletter
1. Who are you to your subscribers?
2. Which words give the article its tone?
3. Does the tone of the writing help the
reader care about your content?
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32. Part 4: How to write a must-
open subject line

33. © 2011 E-WRITE
Write a must-open subject line
1. GSA Steps Newsletter, Issue No. 22
2. The Mel King Institute: August 2011 Newsletter
3. [WordBiz] 5 easy tips to create landing pages
that convert; quick definition of podcasting
4. eLink #162: Tax tips and calculators, finding
cheaper services, free downloads, and more!
5. MHSA eNews: Summer Rooftop Reception,
Solutions Database and Budget Update
6. May PowerLines Newsletter

34. © 2011 E-WRITE
Anatomy of a subject line
• Newsletter name
• Newsletter date and volume number
• Publisher’s name
• Newsletter topic(s)

35. Open rate by subject line length
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36. Activity: Write or revise a
subject line for this newsletter
conta.cc/1d9QrCe
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37. How publishing your
e-newsletter more frequently
could make your job easier

38. With opt-in e-newsletters, more
frequent sending cleans the list
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39. If you publish a shorter e-newsletter more
frequently, you may save time on …
• Story “harvesting”
• Production tasks such as photo finding, copy
editing, proofreading, and link checking
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If you publish a shorter e-newsletter more
frequently, you may gain…
• Support and interest
• Relevance
• Subscribers
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40. Part 5: How to archive your
e-newsletter

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Why to archive newsletters
• Archiving is a typical publishing task
• Elements of your e-newsletter age at
different rates
• Archived e-newsletters add heft to your
web site and build your reputation
• More content means more attention from
search engines
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42. © 2013 E-WRITE
Comprehensive ≠ Useful
42

43. © 2013 E-WRITE
A fuller archive: CDC Connections E-newsletter
43

44. © 2013 E-WRITE
Newsletter archive example
44

45. © 2013 E-WRITE
How to archive your newsletter at your
site
• Back issues listed by date only - NO
• Back issues listed by date plus brief table
of contents - YES
• Back issues listed by date, detailed table
of contents, blurbs - YES
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46. © 2013 E-WRITE
How long to archive back issues?
• E-newsletter format must still be usable
and must enhance content
• E-newsletter content must be current
• You must have proof that users want the
archived content
• You must provide more description than
just the date of the back issues
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47. This kind of archive isn’t helping
anyone very much
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48. Archive - YWCA of Greater Cleveland
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49. Archive - YWCA of Bergen County
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50. Part 6: Review of
sample e-newsletters
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51. Activity: review staff newsletter
picks
1. Why do you like this newsletter?
2. How is it different from your own
newsletter?
3. What lessons can it offer YWCA Boston?
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52. Wrap-up: Plan next steps
What should your team do to
improve your newsletter?
•This month
•By the end of the summer
•By the end of the year
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53. Questions? Comments?
Contact info:
Leslie O’Flahavan, E-WRITE
Leslie@ewriteonline.com
301-989-9583
www.ewriteonline.com
@LeslieO
www.linkedin.com/in/leslieoflahavan
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54. Resources
• Best Practices for Developing Effective E-Newsletter Content
http://www.washington.edu/marketing/files/2012/10/ContentGuide.p
df
• E-newsletter Guidelines
http://www.kumc.edu/communications/e-newsletter-guidelines.html
•Resource list: E-Mail Newsletter Best Practices
https://ccit.college.columbia.edu/webguide/email?destination=node
%2F446
•Worst Practices: Email Newsletters – University of Florida
http://www.markcregan.com/worst-practices-email-newsletters-
university-of-florida/
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