New Jersey District of Key Club International Regional Training Conference 2012
3636 WOODVIEW TRACE INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46268 USA 317-875-8755 • US AND CANADA: 800-KIWANIS
Newsletter, Newsletter, and Public Relations An Editor’s Guide
A Word From the Editor Hey prospective editors and all else interested, In your newsletters, it is customary to include a section dedicated to yourself. After all, you are the one who put the whole masterpiece together! This section is usually written in the format of a letter. In this section, include any messages to your audience (provided that it’s relevant, of course). This can be a whole page, or a few sentences. Include pictures if you’d like! Yours in Caring and Service,
Your signature Your name
Content Ideas
Member profiles: interests, achievements, goals, etc. Get to know your club members! Project recaps A list of upcoming events Messages from your LTG, advisor, Kiwanis advisor, etc. Officer contact information Cell phone numbers, email addresses District and K-Family events International news
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Graphic Standards
ollowing graphic standards is important because it keeps Key Club International publications uniform and there is a sense of unity in uniform. When you see a pencil graphic, you know that it’s Key Club related and you take notice of it—right? Right. So, remember to use graphic standards in almost every publication!
found on the Key Club International Website: keyclub.org and also on the New Jersey District Website: njkeyclub.org. Got some blank space? Have no fear, add a picture here!
As some of you may know, Key Club international has revised the graphic standards. Graphic standards now include a series of scribble pencils among other things. Albeit these scribble doodles are fun, they lack professionalism. Using them on your newsletters are fine, but if you intend on using them on letterheads or formal documents, please reconsider. Graphic standards resources can be Pictures are nice and appealing, but don’t just throw in a random picture. If needed, explain it. The above photo is a stock photo provided by Key Club International. Others can be found on the site!
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Article Tips Write in short paragraphs and sentences. Two-sentence paragraphs are fine. When your writing is set in columns, the paragraphs will seem much longer than they really are. Keep paragraphs short and sentences under 15 words so that length doesn’t discourage your readers. Write with a conversational tone. Read the story out loud, and change any phrasing you wouldn’t use when speaking. Also, avoid obscure words that need to be searched in a dictionary. Write strong headlines. Many people read only headlines, so write headlines that highlight the more interesting parts of your article, or allude to the benefits that your readers will gain from reading more. Include other people’s opinions, but not yours. Use quotes from other people instead of offering your own opinions. It builds credibility, shows that you did research, and also gives members an incentive to read your article when it has their friends’ quotes. Focus on your members—they’re your audience. When writing, keep in mind that your article should benefit your readers. Ask them what kind of articles they’d like to read. Ask members to write the articles. It makes the newsletter their project too, and gives you and your fellow officers less writing to do.
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Beyond the Newsletter “There are duties beyond the newsletter? No, take it away!”
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alm down, sillies. Duties beyond the newsletter can be just as fun. You are the face of your club—you’re practically famous! As the editor of your club, you handle all of your club’s public relations. This includes contacting the local media (press, radio, TV) to get your club featured and also creating flyers and other promotional mediums. Local Media It might be a good idea to keep a list of prospective contacts that you can hand down to your successor. Continual contact throughout the years helps build a good reputation for your club.
T-Shirts Having a club t-shirt tells the world that your club is playing on the same team. When going to events and projects, wearing the same shirt promotes your club’s teamwork and unity.
Don’t stress, you’ve got this!
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Internal vs. External Internal public relations refers to things you do to inform your club about what its plans are. External public relations refers to informing your school and community about your club—the same thing as internal PR, but with a different audience.
Miscellaneous The last page is your last impression on your audience, so consider putting reminders on the last page. Attention! Reminders!
Be sure to include a contact page in your newsletter listing ways to contact your officers, advisors, Lieutenant Governor, and any other important people. Contact information typically includes name, e-mail address, and/or phone number. Remember to send your newsletter out to people! What’s the point of making a masterpiece that no one sees? Some suggested recipients will be in the format of a sample contact list below.
Contact Information
Your LTG** (their e-mail address) District Editor Zachariah DeGiulio** editor.zd@gmail.com Your sponsoring Kiwanis** (their e-mail address)
Your principal— Your favorite teacher Show them what your club (their e-mail address) is up to. Your parents— Show them why your District Administrator grades are suffering. (Just Ed Hutchinson kcdahutch@gmail.com kidding, make sure school remains a priority!) Your Zone Administrator (ask your LTG who it is)
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