3.4 - Publishing Your Own eNewsletter Or Running Your Own eNetwork

Once you have been benefiting for a while from newsletters and networks operated by other organizations, you may want to think about setting up and running your own. This will empower you even more since it will enable you to directly inform people about your work and issues. Perhaps most importantly, it helps your organization establish an identity on the Internet, even before the organization has its own Web site.

Many organizations run lists for many different reasons, but here are a few common reasons to start your own eNewsletter or eNetwork:

• Inform people about new developments in your field and inside your organization
• Reach out to a specific group of stakeholders (i.e. donor agencies, employees, partners)
• Provide a space for discussion in a niche area that is not yet served by other eNetworks
• Conduct an advocacy campaign

When you set up a list, the Netiquette guidelines previously discussed still apply. In particular, you need to ensure that you do not send people information that they do not want to receive, or that they won’t be able to access for technical reasons.

The exact process of setting up a newsletter or network will vary depending on the provider you choose, but the basic steps will be the same:

1. Define the purpose and audience
2. Decide which format (newsletter or network) is best for your purpose.
3. Perform market research - make sure there isn’t already an excellent newsletter or network doing what you are planning
4. Choose a hosting provider (see a list of possible hosting providers on page 59)
5. Pick a name, which is used in the From line of messages - it should be short, memorable, and directly reflect the purpose. Example: womensrightswatch-nigeria
6. Establish rules on how people can participate (very important for eNetworks)
7. Send an announcement with sign up instructions to your colleagues and similar eNewsletters or eNetworks

eNetworks can provide very meaningful discussions and create ways to capture the collective knowledge of a group. Here are some extra points to keep in mind when considering an eNetwork for your organization:

• eNetworks allow you to specify content to one particular sector within your organization. For example, if your organization is working with HIV victims, you may want to have different e-mail networks for both children and parents of victims.
• eNetworks can be focused around a particular event. Many organizations have created e-mail networks for members participating in a workshop or conference.
• eNetworks make it is possible to tailor your language and information to a very specific audience, such as youth groups or academics.

Remember that because subscribers can communicate directly with other participants in the group, establishing network terms and norms is extremely important. Your procedures will define the tone and seriousness of your network.

DO

• Do gain experience with other lists before starting your own
• Do establish and enforce consistent rules and policies
• Do be professional - remember that your list reflects your organization

DON’T

• Don’t add people without their permission - invite them instead
• Don’t ignore people who want to leave the list – remove them promptly and politely
• Don’t distribute people’s contact information to others without their permission

• The most valuable “property” on e-mail messages is the From address and Subject line.
• Set up a From addresses (list name) that is informative and meaningful.
• Use very clear and specific Subject lines (never generic like “important”, “Call to action,” “newsletter 2”, etc.)
• Tell people what they want to know first. (We need you to look at issue X for two minutes with us. We want you to do Y).
• Include full contact information from the sender.
• Design the content so that it can be scanned quickly – the top lines of the message are key. Yet, also offer complete thoughts by linking to additional and backup support.
• Be very brief and to the point.
• Make sure the e-mail answers key questions that the content might raise
• In general, eNewsletters have very low open and read rates.

Source: “How to Write Advocacy Email: Email Usability”, December 2003, http://www.network-centricadvocacy.net

Detailed and specific instructions for setting up e-mail networks and newsletters can be found on the Web sites of Mailing List Hosting providers (see below).

1. Yahoogroups
   • http://www.yahoogroups.com
   • Well-designed and easy-to-use mailing list hosting provider already hosting serving thousands of networks and newsletters. Graphics intensive advertising. Yahoogroups has limits and restrictions number of participants. If your organization plans on having a large list, you might want to consider another option.
2. Google Groups
   • http://www.googlegroups.com
   • Simple, streamlined yet very powerful hosting provider for discussion lists. Unobtrusive text-based advertising.
3. NPO Groups
   • http://www.npogroups.org
   • Group communications and list service for nonprofits: No advertisements, no spam. Fast, friendly, customizable, secure… and low-cost for the nonprofit sector.