by Charles Pacheco
on 14-03-2021

What are people looking to read in your community newsletter?

Do you love where you do business, but wish that you knew your neighboring business community a little bit better?

Building bonds with the businesses next door and in the local community has always been an important way to improve your quality of business life and create a network that looks after everything from the community needs to burnt-out street lights and local business growth.

One great way to bring your community together and keep everyone connected is by writing and publishing a community newsletter.

A community newsletter helps to get the word out and get businesses and the people involved in activities going on in the community all year long.
In fact, strong communication can create safer communities and more rewarding living and business experiences.

Ready to get your own neighborhood newsletter up and running?

Here are the few strong and compelling reasons you need to have your newsletter off to a successful start:

- to have more rewarding living experiences
- to create a network that looks after everything from the community kids to burnt-out street lights
- to bring the neighborhood together
- to keep everyone connected
- to build bonds with the people next door and the wider community
- to improve your quality of life
- to know our neighbors a little bit better
- to get the word out in our neighborhood
- to get people involved in activities going on all year long
- to create a safer community

Ready to get your own business community newsletter up and running?

Here are the few strong and compelling reasons you need to have your newsletter off to a successful start:

- to bring the local business community together
- to keep the local business people connected
- to help and encourage businesses to grow together locally
- to share more rewarding business experiences
- to create a network that looks after everything from the business connections to exponential organic business growth
- to build bonds with the businesses next door and the wider business community
- to improve your quality of business experience
- to know our neighboring businesses a little bit better
- to get the word out in our community
- to get people involved in events and activities going on all year long
- to create a safer and growing business community

Ideas for things to include About your community group

Here are some ideas for content that you could include in your newsletter, and some of the people you might ask to contribute.

• Advertise events and meetings and encourage people to get involved.
• Tell people what your community group has been doing – don’t assume everyone knows. It can be useful to talk this through with someone else before you write anything. Or you could ask the Chair for a report – but make sure they keep it short and lively.
• Tell people about your future plans and ambitions for the group.
• Introduce committee members: maybe a short piece in each newsletter from a different committee member saying a bit about themselves, how long they’ve lived in the area, what they do and why they became involved.
• Don’t forget to include contact details so readers know how to get involved.
• Appeal for people to help with your next newsletter. Let them know how they could be involved, e.g. writing an article or helping with the distribution

Ideas for things to include about Community activity and other local groups

Here are some ideas for content that you could include in your newsletter, and some of the people you might ask to contribute.

• Ask other groups active in your area to write something about what they do.
• Advertise local events and activities, including activities for families and children.
• If someone has been very involved in organising a particular event ask them to write something about how it went.

Ideas for things to include about Local news

Here are some ideas for content that you could include in your newsletter, and some of the people you might ask to contribute.

• Seek out very local news and information – people are interested in what is happening immediately around them.
• Keep an eye on local newspapers for local and city-wide news of interest to your readers.
• Ask your local Councillors to write articles about current local issues – maybe there’s a building or piece of land to be developed, or a problem with parking or rubbish and it would be interesting to hear their views.
• Publish an open letter from your group to a Councillor in one edition of your newsletter and then publish their reply in the next.
• Ask your housing officer, community police officer, estate warden or scheme manager to write something about what’s happening locally.

Ideas for things to include about Information and advice

Here are some ideas for content that you could include in your newsletter, and some of the people you might ask to contribute.

• Information articles on changes to the law – for example new housing benefit regulations or changes affecting social housing.
• Useful phone numbers and websites for local services, such as refuse collection, welfare rights advice or local police.

Ideas for things to include about Information for children and young people

Here are some ideas for content that you could include in your newsletter, and some of the people you might ask to contribute.

• Ask a local youth group if they would like to have a page in each issue.
• Have a page aimed at children. You could include word games, pictures to colour in, things to do, things to make etc.
• Include information on what activities and opportunities there are for young people locally.

Ideas for things to include about Interesting bits and bobs

Here are some ideas for content that you could include in your newsletter, and some of the people you might ask to contribute.

• Ask someone with an unusual or interesting hobby or job to write an article about it.
• Ask a good cook to write out a recipe and instructions. When you print it, ask others to send in their favourite recipes.
• Ask local people for memories and their stories about the area, as well as old photographs.
• A keen gardener might offer some seasonal gardening tips such as ‘how to plant a window box’ or ‘growing vegetables in containers’.
• Ask people to write book, film, music or computer game reviews.
• Invite poems by local people.
• Make up a quiz using local knowledge and history.
• Create crosswords and word games.

Ideas for things to include about Pictures

Here are some ideas for content that you could include in your newsletter, and some of the people you might ask to contribute.

Include photos of local events, places and people. Make sure they will reproduce well – see How to make your neighbourhood newsletter look good for more help with this.

Ideas for things to include about Ads and notices

Here are some ideas for content that you could include in your newsletter, and some of the people you might ask to contribute.

• Start a small ads column for people to advertise items for sale.
• Start a “local help” section where people can offer and request help to others, such as lifts to the supermarket, use of tools, computer lessons or dog walking.
• Sell advertising space to local businesses, or ask them to sponsor your activities.
• Include birth announcements, wedding anniversaries, birthdays and obituaries of local people.

Things to leave out

There are some things that you should not include in your newsletter.

PERSONAL INFORMATION WITHOUT PERMISSION
Don’t include people’s personal contact information, or other personal information about individuals, without permission. For example, don’t publish your committee’s phone numbers without checking with them that this is okay. See our page on Data protection for community groups for more help with this.

PHOTOS WITHOUT PERMISSION
Don’t include photos of people without their knowledge. When you take photos at events, make sure people know they are being photographed and why. See our page on Taking photos at community events for more help with this.

OTHER PEOPLE’S WORK WITHOUT PERMISSION
If you take an article or photograph from the internet or another publication, you should ask permission from the author/photographer. Many people are happy for their work to be reproduced by voluntary groups, but you should ask first, because it is technically their property. Reproducing things without permission could be a breach of copyright.
When you reproduce something (with permission), give credit to the author. Never copy something and pretend you wrote it yourself.

ANYTHING UNTRUE OR HARD TO PROVE
Writing something negative about someone in your newsletter could be very upsetting for them. If what you say is not 100% true and accurate, it could also be illegal. Writing untrue negative things about people is called libel. Follow these guidelines to make sure you don’t do it.
• Don’t ‘name and shame’ anyone.
• Don’t make allegations against an identifiable person unless these can be solidly proven.
• Don’t repeat rumours, unverified remarks or comments made by other people.
• Don’t jump to conclusions before you’ve thoroughly investigated the evidence.
• Don’t write about personal fall-outs or disputes, or your personal opinion about someone.

About Author

Charles Pacheco

Relationship Manager , B2B Growth Hub Limited

I am a postitive, tenacious, highly motivated and self driven person and have a consistant and proven track record of success and over achievements in sales, marketing and business consultancy. I have a wealth of experience working across all business sectors and worked for large corporates extensiv...

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