Newsletter Design
Neighborhood
Association Keeps in Touch—And Gets Results!
When Rob Coleman
was inducted as President of the Willow Gardens Neighborhood Association (WGNA)
in Austin, Texas, he knew that he had a tough job ahead of him. Despite
having had regular meetings, the community of Willow Gardens was facing
some real challenges.
The first was a lawsuit,
resulting from a disgruntled homeowner who was upset over some of the
community rules. Rob also knew that vandalism on the perimeter of the
neighborhood was increasing. WGNA was about to fill several insurance
claims due to damage to trees and fences caused by high winds the week
before, and there was a new shopping center and industrial park being
built two miles down the road. All of this combined to make for an
unsettled group of neighbors!
What They Were Missing
Rob knew that a vital piece to this puzzle was missing--adequate means of
communication. Attendance at meetings was sporadic. Most of the neighbors
got their information about the state of affairs from a "gossip
mill" that was quite active, albeit not very accurate!
But Rob
knew that a spoon full of sugar helps all of that medicine slide right
down. It was at this point that he contacted us at NewsletterFillers.com
for assistance. It was Rob's goal to make this newsletter a welcome
missive for each resident. He wanted to include a bit of fun and interest
to make sure that every page was read, especially since it was very
important for everyone to get all of this information. Rob made sure that
he left some room in each issue to allow for some great filler articles.
We delivered them each month with time to spare to pull each issue
together. Rob finally had a finished product that met all of his goals.
The Results are In!
Rob started getting feedback on the newsletter immediately. Neighbors let
him know that they appreciated receiving this important information and
that they found the newsletter to be interesting and professionally done.
Meeting attendance rose significantly in the few months after Rob began
distributing the newsletter. A Crime Watch meeting was held and 60% of the
community showed up (two years before, only twelve people out of 174
households attended). Because of greater interest, Rob found that he also
had more help--seven people volunteered to help out with projects that
WGNA was starting, including a Children's Activity Night and the revamped
Crime Watch program.
How You Can Make It
Work
Rob's example shows the power of a newsletter. It is the best
communication tool for a diverse group of people with a common interest at
heart. And Rob was shrewd in understanding that the newsletter had to have
a neighborly feel to it, in order to make it a publication that everyone
would want to read. Never underestimate the power of regular
communication!
Share Your Ideas!
Do you have any tips or ideas that have worked for you?
Any creative uses of your newsletter? Share
them with us and we will include them on our website! Just email us at info@NewsletterFillers.com
with your great tips and ideas for using your filler articles!
