For decades, churches have created weekly or monthly bulletins to share upcoming events with attendees. While printing and mailing have risen in cost, the rise of digital newsletters is a low-cost, effective way to reach current members as well as those who no longer attend on a regular basis. Almost four million people worldwide use email, so it is crucial for your church to have a viable email newsletter to communicate with your members.
Here are five ways to make the most of your church newsletter:
Make It Professional
Designing a newsletter with polish is easy with custom templates that you can fill in and send. Good church management software like FellowshipOne comes pre-installed with a variety of time-tested and effective templates so you’re all ready to go. Provide a professional look without the challenges of design services and build confidence in readers who recognize the consistent email design you send.
Include a Message from the Pastor and Other Leaders
People select a church based on the pastor, so a message from the pastor lends credibility to your newsletter. You can also include a note from leaders of ministries throughout your church, volunteers, or community leaders. Include that person’s name as the sender of the email since people love to get emails from someone they know.
Send Exclusive Content
Newsletters are a personal, private way to reach your audience and share the events happening within your church. Make the most of your newsletter by sharing information that your members aren’t hearing elsewhere. When people realize that the content was created especially for them, you will see your open rates increase.
Keep It Short
People want information that is quick to digest. If your newsletter looks like it will take more than a few minutes to read, people will set it aside and forget to return. Keep the content short. Instead of sharing an entire sermon in your newsletter, share a snippet with a link to your website for the rest.
Include only one call to action. While you can include the link multiple times, make sure you are including the same link. Readers can click to take immediate action to listen to a podcast, give, or sign up for a class, so focus their attention on one thing at a time.
Include Contact Information
If you are announcing an upcoming sermon series, special event, or class, include the date, time, and contact information. If you have multiple campuses, you can include a link to your website for people to find information about the dates and times for the campus nearest to them. Email provides a direct line of communication with members and nonmembers alike. FellowshipOne church management software can help you send effective email newsletters with its easy-to-use templates, providing an excellent way to build community, encourage participation, and educate your members on the mission and events of your church.
