Newsletters

1. Newsletters Welcome to the Unity Identity Program February 14, 2013

2. Happy Valentine’s Dayfrom your support staff! Kristen Preud’hommeVice President Communications Joanna CarrellGraphic Designer John LombardoMedia Specialist Debbie AllenBranding Coordinator

3. Welcome Special Guests Sharing With Us on Newsletters Jessica BestCommunity DirectorEmfluence Interactive Mktg Rev. Jamie SandersSenior Minister ofUnity of Pensacola, FL Tamie RisingDirector of CommunicationsUnity Church of Overland Park, KS

4. Agenda • Welcome and Prayer • Update from Your Home Office • Updates Print Service Bureau • Updates on Web Service Bureau • Newsletters – With Jessica Best • Additional Resources • Next Steps

5. Welcome and Prayer “There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer.” Emmet Fox

6. Have You Registered? Visit: Unity.org/convention Unity People’s Convention 2013 • 7 days and 7 nights of: • EducationEnlightenment and Entertainment • June 8-15, 2013

7. Updates from the home office We just completed our annual January meetings with our ministry teams. We created 3 new ministry teams and revived several others. For more information or to join a team go to: UnityWorldwideMinistries.org/ministry-teams

8. Updates from the home office We are welcoming 17new ministries in theUnity Identity Program next month. Two of these ministries are from Canada and one is the Unity Worldwide Ministries SE region. This brings our totals to: 175 ministries 30% of our movement 2 alternative ministries 2% of our movement 5 regions 7 continental regions or 71% 3 international organizations

9. Updates from MiPrintShop.com

10. Updates from OneEach Technologies OneEach is our web service partner, launched in Sept 2011 Currently 67 ministries are using the service With 48 currently live. Online demos will be available next week at www.OneEach.com/unity

11. Who is Writing Your Newsletter? Who writes Your Newsletter: Minister Board Members Youth and Family leaders and Youth LUT Prayer Chaplin's Staff (updates/info) Congregants (stories) Outside sources (Share our resources from The Path or Contact, visit our website)

12. Congregations A-C – Your most connected and committed audiences Congregation A often writers for your Newsletter: Inner circle, board of trustees, staff, and LUTs Congregation B key informational piece for: Regular attendees, youth and family leaders, greeters/ushers, committed participants/givers, youth Congregation C invites greater awareness to: Occasional attendees, guest of family and friends and visitors seeking a new spiritual community Who Are You Reaching With Your Newsletter?

13. Branding Your Newsletter • Visual is important - speaks about your ministry • Are you using graphics? Free photos online at office.microsoft.com/en-us/images (include a human element in each photo). • Are you using your logo, color, fonts, language? • Clipart is dated – photos are best

14. Mailing Your Newsletter • Rev. Jamie Sanders of Unity of Pensacola shared an article in Summer 2011 Contact e-zine titled “What’s Working for Love Offerings and Snail Mail”

15. Table of Contents Key Events

16. Key Community Focus Event Info

17. Resources Colorful Last Page

18. Donor Thank You Page With Removable Envelope • Make Giving Easy

19. Electronic Newsletters Like printed newsletters: Be relevant and write for your readers Find content contributors Avoid density = Avoid excessive length Use images to tell and support your story Use your branding/personality Images, colors, copy Include a call to action Donate, attend, advocate, etc.

20. Electronic Newsletter Benefits Cost-Effective Immediate (sending and tracking) Targeted Expandable space Interactive!

21. Get Permission

22. Create + Curate

23. Use Links! Link to longer content Add interactive optionsand immediate calls to action Track engagement

24. Make It Eas(ier) to Maintain Use an Email Service Provider (MailChimp or Constant Contact) Use branded Unity email template:unity.org/testgroup see the “Download Center”

25. Grow An Email List Prominent sign up on your site (not membership, just an email sign-up) Include an (unchecked) checkbox on all event and group registrations

26. Grow An Email List Printed sign-ups during fellowship – try QR Codes + mobile ready sign up form Invite via social media – Twitter, Facebook

27. Keeping a Clean Email List “Update your info” Nurture Inactives Clean out those who bounce over and over Re-engage elsewhere

28. Unity Church of Overland Park, KS Digital Newsletter

29. Additional Resources on Newsletters Do a little research online to find best practices. www.sharefaith.com/blog/2010/01/church-email-tips/#more-166 www.churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-blogs/159873-thom_schultz_ministry_newsletters_the_good_bad_and_ugly.html

30. Additional Resources on Newsletters Read Ogun Holder and Jessica Best’s 3 articles on Newsletters, titled “Digital Outreach: Email Marketing in Ministry”: Spring 2012 Contactp 33 – Covers the basics Fall of 2012 Contactp 19 – Covers Four best practices for using email marketing as a measurable, targeted tool to stay connected with your congregation between Sundays. Winter 2012 Contactp 33 – Covers 4 Ways to build your email subscriber’s list

31. Additional Resources on Newsletters • Customizable Newsletter Template: • Is available from Unity Worldwide Ministries for your ministry • Go to unity.org/testgroup look in the “Download Center” • html template, usable with any electronic newsletter service, such as MailChimp or Constant Contact • Consult the help section of your service to find out how to use it.

32. Next Steps • Remember the launch of the new platform for MiPrintShop, check it out after March 1 • Next call is March 14, at 3 p.m. CT. We will be welcoming a new group. • April we will be walking through the new platform for MiPrintShop. • Be sure to send information from your new members to your branding team to Debbie@unity.org.

33. Close in Prayer