Six ways to craft winning e-mail newsletters

There is a spot for tried-and-true technology when newer media are hogging all the screen time

Not long ago I was giving a presentation on using electronic media in a nonprofit setting. We talked about tools such as Web sites, blogs and podcasts, as well as things like video and RSS feeds.

During the question-and-answer portion at the end, one woman raised her hand. “I notice you haven’t said anything about e-mail newsletters,” she said. “Does this mean we shouldn’t be doing them anymore?”

The question took me by surprise. I didn’t intend to leave out e-mail newsletters. Maybe that’s because they don’t seem as exciting as some of the newer technologies.

So if you ask me, yes: E-mail newsletters still have a place in a communicator’s lineup. But they need to follow some guidelines to be effective.

To get one practitioner’s perspective, I talked with Jill Hronek, director of marketing and communications for The Sherwood Group, an association-management firm in Deerfield, Ill.

Sherwood produces about 10 electronic newsletters for its clients, which include professional societies and trade associations. Here are some best practices that The Sherwood Group follows when it crafts an e-mail newsletter for clients.