On this episode of #AskRADIdeas we talk Church Newsletters and Using Email.
Nancy asked: Do church newsletters still work and if not, what is replacing them?
Newsletters are still working for some but not all churches.
The ones that are having success spend the majority of their time focusing more on people and less on on events and promotions.
They are engaging because of the life change they talk about and stories of God’s faithfulness.
From your question it sounds like you are still producing a printed newsletter. My suggestion would be to transition from a print newsletter to a email version.
Rather than printing a newsletter each month, use the money to get an email service like MailChimp or Constant Contact. They provide templates that will help make it easy to create an email.
Set a Schedule or 2-3 emails a month so you keep people informed and engaged without overwhelming their inbox.
Here are some things to remember:
- People are busy so write engaging but shorter stories
- Don’t overwhelm people with content (2-3 items max per email)
- Share stories of what God is doing
- Tell testimonies of life change
- Let people know why an upcoming ministry opportunity is important
- Track the number of people who read and engage your email
- Make adjustments to fit your churches needs