Effective writing for e-newsletters and form design

A newsletter can be an incredibly effective way to educate your members and at the same time increase AMSA visibility at your school. Our website is full of useful information on health policy, medical education, humanistic medicine, advocacy, public health, and global health. Any of the fact sheets on our website can be reprinted and distributed to your members in newsletter form.

Depending on your target audience, an e-mail newsletter or a blog may be the best way to communicate with your members.  Here are a few points to consider when you chose the format (you may even want to print these questions and discuss them with your members):

How often does information change, or does new information become available?

If there are constant new updates about your issue or project, you may want to consider a blog or other type of website that can be updated continuously and allows members to check back as frequently as they wish.  If you want to make information available on a monthly (or longer) basis, members may be frustrated with a blog that is rarely updated, and e-mail or a paper newsletter can be the most appropriate format.

Where is your target audience geographically?

If you are working on a local level, a printed newsletter gives members something tangible to look at, as well as reading material on the bus, at the gym, or during breaks in class time.  If your audience is spread out to a degree that might complicate distribution, e-mail or another online option may work best.

Who will be generating the content of your newsletter?

Printed and e-mail newsletters lend themselves to a having a small group of editors, with a potentially larger group of contributors.  A blog or wiki-type site allows more interaction between users, and can be more collaborative.  Consider who the experts are on your issue, and whether your primary purpose is to inform individuals who may not have a great deal of background knowledge, or to connect and share information between people who know a lot about your issue.

What does your membership want?

It’s worth asking your potential readership what they are most likely to read and enjoy.  If e-mail boxes are overly cluttered, the extra effort of printing a newsletter may be what it takes to get the information out there.  If you have a large group and are concerned about saving paper, a paperless newsletter may be the only option.