EXTERNAL MARKETING
additional tips with printed marketing materials

First we need to get an understanding of the different types of marketing materials. Below you will find different definitions of each material that can be utilized by an association.

Newsletter: A small publication containing news of interest chiefly to a special group.

Bulletin: 1. A brief public notice usually from an authoritative source; specifically a brief news item intended for immediate publication or broadcast. 2. A periodical: the communication vehicle of an institution or association.

Flyer (or fly sheet): 1. A small, loose advertising sheet: handbill. 2. A sheet or a folder, booklet, or catalog giving directions for the use of or information about the material that follows.

Brochure: Pamphlet or booklet containing descriptive or advertising material.

Overview
Now that we have the definitions of the various written communications used by associations for marketing, both internally and externally, we can look at the specific items that should be contained in each of these. Anyone who has had experience in publishing any of these items could create a very long checklist of things that could be contained. However, in order to make sure your publication actually gets read, it’s worth mentioning that “brevity is the soul of wit.” Something long, wordy, with lots of fine print “so you can fit it all in” and nothing to break the monotony is going straight into File 13. Rule No. 1 in publishing marketing pieces for your association is to KEEP IT SIMPLE. Below are some brief checklists of the items that should be included in each of the four examples of printed marketing material. These checklists are designed to be flexible so that these items can be customized to suit your particular needs.

Newsletter
Chapters and states that publish newsletters for their members will want to include as much of the following information as possible as it is more than likely the primary source of regular communication with your members. Your members want to know everything. It is up to the editor of the newsletter to track down this information from the various sources. Of course, it is just good manners for the elected and appointed officers and committee chairs to comply with deadlines imposed by the editor. It is not an easy job to serve as editor of a state or chapter publication, and it is one that is fraught with many opportunities for criticism. So be kind to your editor and if it is your responsibility to provide him/her with information, do so in a timely manner.

Newsletters should include:

• Code of Ethics
• Mission Statement
• List of Officers (addresses, phone numbers, email addresses)
• List of Committee Chairs (addresses, phone numbers, email addresses)
• President’s Message
• Officer Reports
• Committee Reports
• Calendar of Events
• Educational Articles
• Chapter News - This is a great place to recognize members who have passed a certification exam, achieved a goal, accomplished something special, or received an honor of some sort.
• NALS News (from your NALS Liaison and your Foundation Liaison)
• Regional News
• State News
• Communications from other chapters/states/regions
• Announcements (including scheduled speakers and topics)
• Advertisements (optional)
• List of new members
• Spotlight article on a member
• Birthdays
• Registration forms - NALS/Regional/State/Chapter
• Surveys
• Change of Address Forms

Bulletin
According to the definition above, if you choose the second definition, the bulletin may be the same thing as your newsletter and the above list would apply. However, if you adhere strictly to the first definition, then a bulletin would be something created for the express purpose of announcing and promoting an upcoming event.

Such event might be a seminar sponsored by your chapter or state, or a fundraiser activity that you are sponsoring for your association or for a charitable organization. The components of a bulletin are very similar to those of a press release, and should include the following:

• Descriptive title (eye catcher)
• Date line
• Headline titles/speakers, etc.
• Brief description of events/programs (include bulleted items here)
• Schedule of events/programs
• Any applicable fees
• Any applicable deadlines
• Name of Contact Person (include phone number and/or e-mail address)

Flyer
Just look in your mailbox on any given day and you will see that this form of marketing is alive and well. For our particular purposes, a flyer might be prepared to promote the sale of a chapter or state logo item, etc. When creating a flyer, you will want to keep in mind that you have one page to work with and a limit on the number of words you can use, so use them wisely. You may include your flyers in other mailings and you will probably post them on bulletin boards or other places where they will be seen by many pairs of eyes. You want to be sure that they are colorful, attractive, and can be read “on the fly” so to speak. Try incorporating the following items in your flyers:

• Bold heading (eye catcher)
• Graphics or clip art
• Simple font (NO italics or fancy print. These are too hard to read in a hurry.)
• Descriptions and prices
• Name of Contact Person (including mailing address, phone number and e-mail address)
• Any applicable deadlines

Brochure
Like the flyer, the brochure is an advertising piece of material and should be colorful and attractive. However, it more than likely will not be posted, as a brochure is usually in booklet or pamphlet form. It should, however, contain the same information as a flyer (with the exception of deadlines which probably will not be applicable). The primary difference between a flyer and a brochure is that while a flyer is created for the purpose of generating a quick response, a brochure can be designed to be applicable over a long period of time so that it can be produced en masse, thus being able to take advantage of quantity discounts and saving your association the expense of reproducing it frequently.
Brochures should contains:

• Bold print
• Graphics or clip art
• Simple font
• Descriptions and prices
• Name of Contact Person Include mailing address, phone number and email address. This information will probably change periodically and should be prepared in label form and applied to the brochures as they are distributed.

You can download various NALS logos from our website at www.nals.org. They are in the NALS Members section!