Fresh Sheet Inspires, Informs & Involves

Some Ys in the Seattle area wanted to send a professional looking newsletter on a regular basis without having to spend hours on content and e-mail programs. We developed a unique two-step approach that combines e-mail sends with a newsletter website that changes monthly. We've nicknamed the newsletter the Fresh Sheet since it offers fresh news and activities in addition to the main menu of their website.

E-mails attract readers to the newsletter but since the newsletter itself is a website and not embedded in the email it's not restricted to the graphic limitations of email programs. This allowed us to create a dynamic looking newsletter with rotating banners and interactive features. We combine information about seasonal promotions that each of the Y branches share in common with branch-specific programs and activities. When readers click on a topic they are taken to the corresponding information in the Y's main website or to a promotion-specific landing page.

12 newsletters for the price of 1

Publishing the Fresh Sheet monthly allows these Ys to create mini promotions on-the-fly and capture feedback from surveys and interest in activities like Adventure Guides, volunteering and new programs. It's an inexpensive way to try out a promotion or idea and get instant feedback. And twelve months of newsletters is about the same cost as printing and mailing one newsletter.

Here are some Fresh Sheet features:

• Separate segmented pages (Adult and Family, for example)
• Reminders for program and registration start dates
• Late breaking member bulletins
• The latest feed from your Facebook page
• Other, non-organization events happening in the community
• The latest program and location schedules
• Links to the main website
• Organization staff contacts for each of your program areas

Real Time Reporting

We've even created a reporting site where each location can see the results of both their email send and clicks on the Fresh Sheet page in real time. The eReports are easy to understand and provide up-to-the-moment feedback on what topics are of the most interest and where traffic originates.