How Printed Newsletters Keep Clubs & Associations Connected

At a time when our email inboxes are overflowing with spam and our social media feeds are flooded with content from all corners of the world, it’s a better time than ever for clubs and associations to craft meaningful printed newsletters to reach their group and connect their community. Printed newsletters are an incredible source in this day and age for organisations to deliver important, purposeful and entertaining content to their members, thanks to their regular release and specialised focus on a group with shared interests. Let’s look at how this form of printed communication can thrive for clubs and associations, as well as how to print your own newsletter with expertise and flair.

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Why Analogue Media Is More Important Than Ever

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While most day-to-day communication in our increasingly digitalised world may happen through our phones or computers, the immediacy of this information deliverance brings with it a disposable tinge. Hundreds of emails in inboxes go unanswered and dozens of phone calls are ignored thanks to the uptick in spam penetrating all forms of electronic communication. In 2022, nearly half of all emails globally were identified as spam, according to Statista. And a little closer to home, on average Australians receive 4.98 scam calls, emails, SMS and social media messages per week, according to CommBank. No wonder digital communication is losing its effectiveness on users.

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It’s not just the danger and annoyance of receiving unsolicited messages from unknown users that is souring our relationship with electronic communication, either. Screen fatigue is affecting a swathe of phone and computer users, with Australians spending on average 13 hours a week on their phone, according to iSelect. With this equating to roughly 380 metres of scrolling every single day, it’s more than a little hard for communicators to cut through the digital noise of the electronic world.

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Compare those figures to a 2023 Australian government discussion paper on postal service modernisation and you’ll find that the average Australian household receives only 2.4 addressed letters each week, down from 8.5 each week in 2008. It’s clear that physical media - whether delivered in the mail or even physically from person to person - is an outlier in this overload of digital information we receive every day, positioning it as a point of difference when it comes to communication. 

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The Social Effects of Printed Newsletters

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Physical media as a source of communication isn’t just a smart method of connection in a world of ever-growing electronic messaging, it also provides a type of social glue that no email can replicate. A physical newsletter isn’t just a notice board or a list of updates - it’s a vessel in which your club or association can connect to community members. 

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Comradery is built through shared experience, and nothing says shared experience like providing your club members with a publication of relevant, interesting and entertaining information, reflecting their experiences and their interests back to them. This might be through particular sections in your newsletter that highlight heroes of your association or recognise the work of outstanding members, or it may be through news stories and calendar event updates that prompt a connection to be continued beyond the pages of your printed newsletter. 

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As a physical product, printed newsletters also stand out from the digital noise as something to keep and cherish, long after they’ve been read. The physicalness of this publication offers your readers a source to keep coming back to, time and time again, as well as be easy to be picked up and put down over a period of time, allowing your reader an ongoing reading experience.

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Plus, printed newsletters are still an incredibly valued source of communication for a wide range of readers who may not have access to or have the ability to use electronic systems of communication. Whether it’s members of your association that aren’t as tech literate, or it’s that you can disperse your printed newsletter at in-person club events and meetings, the physical nature of this type of publication can reach those people who may otherwise miss out on being reached at all.

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How To Turn A Regular Newsletter Into A Forever Keepsake

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The trick to crafting a successful printed newsletter for your club or association is to keep the focus on the community at the centre of the publication. 

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There are plenty of captivating ideas to both engage the community of your club while providing informative, entertaining and connecting content. For example, A Day In The Life is a great way to demonstrate what goes on behind the scenes of one of your associations’ staff members, just as a Member Spotlight section is fantastic for casting a light on the hard work of one of the people of your community. Newsletters are at their most effective when they also provide practical elements, so ideas like a What’s On This Month calendar will come in handy for readers, just as a Recent News section will to keep them in the loop.

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Creating a printed newsletter that your readers will love extends beyond the content you fill its pages with. The success of a newsletter also comes down to the way in which it is printed. From choosing the perfect paper type to experimenting with print embellishments, printing a beautiful and accessible newsletter turns this bundle of pages into a keepsake to cherish. When it comes to selecting the most effective kind of binding method for your newsletter, at FolioFox we always recommend using saddle-stitch binding as it’s the traditional and most cost-effective method for newsletters. PUR perfect binding is best for larger publications, and as newsletters are at their best when they’re short, sharp and to the point, saddle-stitch is typically most well suited for this type of printed media. 

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No matter what fills the contents of your printed newsletter’s pages, the most important element to factor into your publication is the community that reads it. As a vital source of communication in this age of ever-growing digital media, the printed newsletter can be a beacon of light that cuts through the clutter and creates a space for community to connect.

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To learn more about our newsletter printing services and how modern digital printing technology can benefit your next project, get in touch with our team today. We're here to help you navigate the evolving world of newsletter production with confidence.