Purpose of a Newsletter

No longer the staid purveyor of information from generations past, today's newsletters are enjoying a resurgence. Credit the accessibility of graphic design programs or Internet templates, but newsletters can be compelling, dynamic and engaging. If you're considering launching a newsletter for a group, team or extracurricular activity at school, the challenge begins by deciding what the fundamental purpose of your newsletter should be.

Taking a hint from the prefix, the main purpose of a newsletter is to communicate news -- to inform a relatively small and targeted audience of the news that is important to them. Including relevant announcements and updates might be important, but a newsletter also can be a valuable tool for bolstering morale, promoting unity and team spirit and motivating and rewarding achievements. A newsletter also can be a teaching forum -- a way to impart information aimed at improving performance. Once you understand your readers' principal needs and interests and settle on a purpose for your newsletter, craft the content accordingly and remain true to its mission.

Choose a short, catchy name for your newsletter; it's an important identifier that should get people talking about and looking forward to subsequent issues. Create synergy by choosing a name that relates to your group, team or extracurricular activity. For example, say that you wish to start a newsletter for an after-school cooking club. Consider names such as Chef Talk or The Spoonful. Alleviate the pressure on yourself and ignite some positive buzz for your newsletter by holding a naming contest. Let people vote for their favorite entries -- and entrees -- to get your newsletter off to a promising start.