There's a key piece in the communication process that would go without saying except for the reality that so many take it for granted so frequently.
Here it is: Communication is a two-way street.
Simple enough, right? If I speak and no one listens, that's not communication; it's noise. If I write something and no one reads it, that's not communication; it's fish wrap.
This matters to any of us who want to have an influence in the lives of others, and it applies in some specific ways to the question at hand -- newsletters that go out to friends and supporters.
An effective godly communicator must have two things – an audience (which is born of relationships) and a message (which is tied to truth). Having one without the other simply doesn't work. It's either a one-way street or a dead end road.
The newsletters that come my way almost always have a message. The people have something to say, and it's Biblically sound. And they almost always start with an audience because I have a relationship with the people who are sending it.
But the author all-too-often loses me, the audience, and it's typically because the content is either irrelevant or unintelligible. Put simply, the content is poorly written, poorly presented or poorly conceived.
My daughter, for instance, once sent a newsletter about her children's ministry. We have a great relationship, and I helped as a foot soldier in her ministry. Her message was well-written with relevant information. Everything was perfect, except that she decided to get a little too creative with the presentation. The funky font and the clashing colors left my eyeballs spinning. To this day, I don't know everything that newsletter said.
There are dozens of tricks of the trade that help anyone communicate more effectively in newsletters. Some of my favorites: Keep it simple. Write tight, write right. Write long, write wrong. Keep it easy on the eye. Write in active voice with active verbs. Get to the point. Know and write to your audience. And find a good proofreader.
One last thing: When you finish a newsletter, you aren't finished. Give it to someone you trust and who will give honest feedback, preferably not someone too close to your ministry. Can they read it in 10 minutes? What causes them to stumble? What gives them pause? Listen to their opinions. And keep the communication flowing up one side of the street and down the other.
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