In this new series on Church Email Marketing, we are focusing on helping churches create and maintain an effective email marketing program. Obviously, the word ‘marketing’ is not meant to denigrate or commercialize the powerful spiritual message of the church, but is a term intended to convey the goal–getting the word out as effectively and intentionally as possible. Church email marketing has potential for enhancing the unity, spiritual depth, and strength of your church. Yesterday, we dealt with some guidelines for writing a church email newsletter. Today, we’ll dive into the details of how exactly to create a church email newsletter. You may be surprised. It’s pretty easy.
Please note: This discussion and future how-tos make use of a particular online program, Constant Contact. In order for this guide to be effective, you will need to use this program. If you are hesitant, please be aware that the product is 1) very easy to use, 2) free for the first two months, and 3) highly effective for all your church email needs. Constant Contact is more than an e-mail program. It is a multifaceted tool that fills nearly every facet of electronic communication that you need with your members.
Click here to sign up with Constant Contact (it will only take a couple minutes), than return here to start your newsletter.
Topic: How To Create a Church Email Newsletter
Time Required: About 45 minutes. This article does not account for writing the newsletter copy or setting up a contact list. Please click here to find out how to set up a contact list. An explanation is located under “contact list management.”
Goals:
- To show you step-by-step what is required to send out a church newsletter.
- To establish a pattern for regular distribution of a church email newsletter.
- To demonstrate how easy church email newsletters can be.
- Login to Constant Contact.
- Click on “Create an Email.”
- On the screen that follows, you will be asked to create a name for your email newsletter. Choose a name that will help you remember when the newsletter was sent or for what purpose. This title won’t be part of your email, so you won’t have to worry about people seeing it. When you’ve selected a title, click the “next” button.
- This is the point at which you will choose a template for your newsletter email. Using these
predesigned templates virtually guarantees that your newsletter will be sharp and professional. There are 68 templates, so you should find one that fits your style. However, it is important that you use the same template for each newsletter, changing it only for special purposes or according to the holiday or season. It is best to stick with one design, so people see uniformity and recognize the newsletter when they receive it. Remember, if you can’t find a template that looks exactly like what you want, you will be able to change pictures, colors, and font once you move on to the next step. Click the “next” button. - Now it’s time to prepare up your email newsletter settings. This section works pretty much like a regular email. First, type the subject of your email newsletter (something like “Community Church Winter Newsletter” works fine). Then, type the name that the email will display as the sender (“Community Church,” for example). After confirming your email address as the “From Email Address,” you will probably want to leave the next few settings as they are. These features enable people to see a web version of the email or to fix any display problems. Click “next.”
- This next section is the heart of your church email newsletter. The appearance of your email newsletter will vary according to what template you have selected. In the steps that follow, we will familiarize you with how to function within this email layout.
- The toolbar contained in each section of the newsletter layout allows you to do the following (from left to right): 1) The pencil on paper icon allows you to edit
that particular block. 2) The two papers with plus symbol icon allow you to copy the particular block, and 3) the trash can symbol deletes the block. The icon you will click on most often is the first one. - When you click on the edit button, you will see the following template. If you are familiar with a word processing program, many of the icons will be the same. Here you can select your font face, styles, size, color, alignment and other formatting features.
The template is just that–a template. You do not need to add as many articles as your template suggests. Feel free to upload pictures, move boxes, rearrange them, or make any other changes you wish. What you see on this screen is how your church email newsletter will appear to the recipients. As you work, be sure to save your changes by frequently clicking the “save” button! You don’t want to lose all the work you’ve done.
- When you have completed your email newsletter, click the “save and continue” button.
- Now, you will be ready to send your newsletter out by selecting a mailing list. Even if you don’t have a full church member email list, go ahead and send out your first newsletter. Be sure to send a copy to the church office or to your personal email address as well. Click “next.”
- Choose the delivery date for your newsletter. If you are unlike me, and have things done way ahead of time, you can schedule the newsletter, send it immediately or save it as a draft to work on it later. Clicking on the “finish” button will complete your project. Congratulations!
- Don’t get caught up with having a lot of articles, sections, or special features in your newsletter. Allow it to be a work in progress. Add as you see fit, but the most important thing is simply to get a church email newsletter started. Allow your newsletter to grow just as your email contact list grows. Constant contact will help you manage both of these.
- You will need to determine how often your newsletter will be distributed. Monthly or quarterly is probably often enough. Special announcements can be sent out at anytime. Just be careful not to be constantly sending out emails, or your church email newsletter will lose its effectiveness.
- If this guide has been helpful to you, and you think it may be helpful for others, please forward it along to them by clicking the “tell a friend about it” button in the upper right hand column.