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Chapter E-Newsletters Launched
Last April, the Fraternity made an announcement to collegiate chapters in The Red and Black about a new online resource available to them. The launching of a new chapter e-newsletter tool will give chapters the ability to communicate with their alumni using a less expensive medium.
The e-newsletter tool is accessible by each chapter's Alumni Relations Officer (ARO), who will be allowed to create a unique newsletter through a "wizard" site. The site allows the officer to create an online newsletter that is unique to the chapter. Some of the features include:
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Automatically personalized school/chapter names |
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Three different layout templates |
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Choice of 20 topic-specific containers that can be sized and moved |
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Choice of National News topics |
Some of the containers will allow chapters to provide simple information,
such as officer listings, a calendar of events, or providing a list of missing alumni. Other containers will allow for features of individual members or events, such as member |
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| Chapters will be able to choose from three different page layout to customize their e-newsletter. |
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profiles or Mills Music Missions. Ultimately, the chapter (ARO) will be able to utilize the information provided at that time to create a newsletter for alumni to read.
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"This e-newsletter resource is a fantastic idea for our chapters to use," commented Dan Krueger, Director of Alumni Engagement. "It might take some time for everyone to get used to seeing, but it will allow chapters to do things that can't be done in printed form.
The success of Sinfonia Resonance was one of many reasons to investigate a chapter e-newsletter, but the driving force became the rising costs of printing and postage. The escalating costs of producing and mailing a newsletter can prevent some chapters from communicating with their alumni. The Fraternity decided to create an online option to facilitate and encourage chapters' communication with alumni.
The e-newsletter tool was in development for a little more than a year. It will allow chapters to spend a significantly lower amount--it will cost a chapter $20 to produce and send--in comparison to the cost associated with a printed newsletter. It was ready to launch over the winter and was opened to a couple of select chapters, including the Eta Nu Chapter at St. Mary's University of Minnesota, to do a round of testing before it was announced to the chapters.
"The e-newsletter is going to give chapters a professional look to spread the great news and events at the local level. The chapter utilized the newsletter template this past spring, and it allowed us to communicate efficiently with over 500 alumni. The alums were very pleased with the electronic format and this new endeavor," says Robert Fisher, Eta Nu (St. Mary's) '95, the chapter's Faculty Advisor.
Because of the low overall cost, online newsletters have become a major communication tool among many non-profit organizations. The Fraternity's own award–winning e-newsletter has been a medium for communication for four years. It was only a matter of time until our chapters had the ability to reach out to their alumni in the same way.
"Alumni have always said that they wished to hear from their chapters more often. Chapters have often had a hard time finding the funds to create a printed newsletter. This e-newsletter creates a win-win situation for everyone," Krueger says.
If you are curious to see how the e-newsletter is created, click here to view an online tutorial.
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