Creating Basic Elements of a Newsletter

Chapter 10

Basic Newsletter Elements

• Nameplate (Banner)- Newsletter’s title, company logo, unique typeface, or graphic image that reinforces organization’s identity

• Subtitle- Short phrase stating purpose or audience of newsletter

• Folio- Publication information, volume #, issue #, and current date

• Headlines- Titles to articles

Basic Newsletter Elements

• Subheads- Secondary headings—provide transition from headlines to body copy (section headings)

• Byline- Identifies author of article

• Body Copy- Main part of newsletter text

• Graphic Image- Provides visual clues and visual relief from text-intensive copy

Parts of Basic Newsletter

NameplateLogo

Subtitle

Folio

Headline

Subhead

Graphic

BodyByline

Planning a Newsletter

• Use pictures and articles of people from varying levels of employment

• Provide contributor forms requesting information

• Focus on issues of interest to majority of employees

• Evaluate relevancy

Designing a Newsletter

• Balance change with consistency• Create styles to reinforce consistency• Consider frequency of distribution• Consider target audience• Use restraint and consider the

appropriateness of images and design elements

• Use sufficient white space

Newsletter Layout

• Determine paper size and weight

• Consider cost of materials, printing, and distribution

• Determine underlining column layout and keep consistent

• Create appropriate margin and column widths (two-sided or facing pages)

Using Columns

• Newspaper columns promote smooth flow of text and guide reader’s eyes

• Balanced and unbalanced• Asymmetrical or symmetrical

Creating a Folio

• Newsletter element consisting of publishing information

• Changes from issue to issue

• Volume number, issue number, and date

Creating a Nameplate (Banner)• Graphic, logo, scanned image, or cropped image

that includes name of publication• Usually placed at the top of first page• Must provide immediate recognition of company• Reinforce logo design and colors• Should remain unchanged from issue to issue

Newsletter Formatting

• Indent paragraphs with em spaces—approximately ¼ inch (first paragraph not indented)

• Justified alignment more formal—may produce rivers of white space (turn on hyphenation)

• Left alignment—more common; less formal• Add more space before than after article headline

—shows connection to following text

Newsletter Formatting

• Create styles to reinforce consistent formatting

• Insert appropriate graphics or scanned images—consider proportion, directional flow, and adequate use of white space

• Save newsletter as template

Sample Newsletters