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Better NewslettersSeven tips for more effective LP newsletters

What is the purpose of a LibertarianParty newsletter?

Here's the answer: LP newslettersexist to help and promote the success of theLibertarian Party.

This is so important that I will repeat it:LP newsletters exist to help and promote thesuccess of the Libertarian Party.

In many ways, a newsletter is one of themost important products that a state or localcounty party produces. A good newsletter isvital to your success. A good newsletter is theonly tool you have to build a sense ofcommunity - a sense of shared purpose - asense of progress - with everyone of yourmembers!

The people in your party who you've nevermet can meet you through your newsletter. Agood newsletter is an ongoing conversation withall your members.

A newsletter is one of your most importantmarketing tools ... marketing your party toboth your _members. and y!osj)ec_ts.

Why do you need to market yourself toyour members? Because you want them to staymembers. You want them to feel like theybelong to an organization made up of decentpeople, that is growing and succeeding, thatbelieves what they believe, and that is effective.You want to convey the same message toprospects - so they will decide to join the party.

But how does a newsletter accomplish thisgoals?

Here are seven ways to produce a better,more effective LP newsletter:

1) Publish on a regular schedule.A regularly published newsletters sends a

message of reliability and confidence to yourmembers. A newsletter that arrives every month- or every quarter - tells people: This is not afly-by-night operation. This is not amateur hour.This is a.serious, -professional organization, that.can accomplish its goals.

After aU, who is going to believe that anorganization that can't even publish anewsletter on a regular schedule is going to beable to topple the Republicans and Democratsfrom power - and return limited government toyour state and this nation?

A sporadically published newsletter sends ableak message of incompetence to your membersand prospects. That's a message you don't wantto send.

2) Report the news.What's the first four letters of the word

"newsletter?" N-E-W-S!Everyissueofyour newsletter should have

actual news about actual political events that yourparty of individual Libertarians have engaged in.

Your newsletter should stress the positivepolitical activities and accomplishments of yourstate party.

Your newsletter should avoid boringphilosophical debates, internal disputes,whining about lack of progress, etc. And don'tair your dirty laundry in public: LP newslettersare not forums to insult other Libertarians.

Instead, bombard your readers with news,news, news about Libertarian political activities.

3) Feature GOOD news in every issue.Here's the simplest test of a good

newsletter: Every time you look at the frontpage, do you see a story that makes you gladyou're in the Libertarian Party?

Is there a story about Q. Libertarian it:public office who cut taxes, or repealed agovernment regulation?

Is there a story about a Libertarian whojust got elected or appointed to office?

Is there a story about a successful lobbyingeffort? Is there a story about a successfulmembership recruitment drive, or a successfulvoter registration drive?

Or is there even a story about an ongoing,active political project - not good news yet -but that is working to achieve something good?

In other words: Is there a story that makespeople think: Yes, this is an organization thatI'm proud to belong to! This is an organizationthat is accomplishing it political goals!

If your newsletter does not have those kindsof stories, then either your editor is not doinghis job, or your affiliate party is not doing itsjob by producing those kinds of success stories.

4) Focus on YOUR state or local party.In the entire world, there is on one -

count 'em, ONE!- publication that focuses onyour state or county Libertarian Party.

Yes, your affiliate may occasionally bementioned in LP News, or maybe even a localnewspaper, but if you want to read about thepolitical activities of your state party on areqular-basis, there- i-s-no-otherpublication. -It'syour newsletter ... or nothing.

That's why, the primary focus of your statenewsletter should be on your state or local partyactivities. Not on national LP activities. Not onpolitical philosophy. No on non-political topics.Not on the editor's pet issues. Not on yourneighboring states. On your affiliate party.

5) Make it easy to read.We Libertarians love words! When designing

publications, many Libertarians take it on as apersonal challenge to fit in as many words asthey humanly can. Tiny little words, in tiny

little fonts, and tiny little margins.Resist that urge. One-hundred words that

are actually read are better than one-thousandwords that aren't. Be nice to your readers: Avoidtiny print, avoid crummy xeroxes, and avoid dotmatrix printers.

Leave generous amounts of "white space"and use photographs - don't fill up every pagewith blocks of dense, gray text.

6) Write professionally.Report news in a journalistic style.That means using the classic "inverted

pyramid" style - putting the most importantinformation first. That means using the classic"Why, what, when, where, why, and how"questions that journalists ask.

What do you want to avoid? Avoidobscenity, shrill' extremism; and rambling,stream-of-consciousness writing.

7) Make it attractive and professional.If you're not a professional graphic

designer, imitate the design of professionalpublications like newspapers and magazines.

Copy something you like. Study publica-tions that are attractive and easy to read. Figureout the techniques they use. Imitate them.

Good design is not copyrighted. Borrowfrom any publication - including other LPnewsletters - to make your newsletter better.

Summary: Libertarian newsletters can bea positive force for growth, outreach, explainingLibertarian icieas;- and progress - or aneqativeforce for divisiveness, strife, confusion, anddespair.

Remember: Every article, every choice ofsubject matter, every choice of words, in yournewsletter sends a message to members andprospects about the culture, organization,people, and goals of your state Libertarian Party.Choose them carefully.

We are competing in the marketplace ofideas. The better newsletters we Libertariansproduce, the more effectively we willcommunicate our ideas, and the more successfulwe will be.

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