Content ideas and tips to elevate your church’s e-newsletter
Raise your hand if you remember how exciting it was to open your internet browser to hear the message, “You’ve got mail”. Years later, I still get excited when I open my inbox in the morning to a fresh new batch of emails from friends, brands and organizations. Why? Inspiration!
What is #InspiredToEmail?
Inspired To Email is a list of content ideas inspired by emails from friends, brands and organizations. Each morning, I make a note of how branding, color palettes, ad copy, product placement, typography and subject lines impact my feelings in the moment. Then I review my notes and brainstorm content ideas for churches using similar marketing tactics. The process may sound clinical, but it works and it’s fun…for nerds like me.
So, let’s jump right in and take a look at my favorite e-newsletter content ideas and the emails that inspired them.
Church Email Newsletter Content Ideas (& The Emails That Inspired Them)
Around the nation, families are beginning to plan their summer vacations. Wouldn’t it be great if the church provided a list of local and statewide summer activities for children and families?
#InspiredToEmail: Create a list of summer activities in your community, and email the list to your subscribers. When it’s safe to meet, include a sign-up form for subscribers to join you at one of the activities in your community.
I love this email from Canva because of these three little words - Just for you! Who doesn’t like curated content? When emailing your subscribers, think about your target audience and their needs. Then ask yourself, how can our organization meet those needs?
For example: If your audience is need of budgeting tips, provide a list of resources on budgeting and finances. If your audience is interested in parenting tips, send them a list of your favorite parenting websites.
#InspiredToEmail: Create 2-3 segmented lists for your subscribers., then once a month (in addition to your general emails) send each segmented list a curated e-newsletter containing resources pertaining to their needs and wants.
I love Cato Fashions! So I had to include them again when I saw this photo grid of their fall collection. Why? Photos are powerful. If we want to engage and motivate our subscribers, we must not forget to include great photos in our e-newsletters.
#InspiredToEmail: Each month, visually showcase what makes your church unique. Example: Include a photo grid of 5-10 members with a special note of appreciation from church leadership.
Breaking news: I have zero decorating skills. That’s why I love looking at emails from stores like Home Goods. They not only inspire me to visit my local store, but they spark ideas I had not considered before.
Our churches are full of people with obvious and hidden skills. Wouldn’t it be great if we shared some of their skills and talents with our subscribers?
#InspiredToEmail: Near the holidays, ask your members to share their decorating tips or recipies for the holidays. Once the list has been created, pin the ideas to your church’s Pinterest board, so your subscribers can easily find and share their favorite ideas.
This email from Old Navy reminded me that our emails should be exciting. Especially when promoting ministries, church swag and events. If you agree, grab your photographer and have a little fun with your next e-newsletter.
#InspiredToEmail: If your church has a clothing ministry, grab your photographer and some volunteers to model the available clothes and accessories. Present the finished photos in your next e-newsletter with a special thank you to the models.
I’m still not entirely sure why I receive AARP emails, but their email did remind me that people love lists. With lists, the sky’s the limit on content ideas. Here’s one to get you started…
#InspiredToEmail: Look through your analytics to see which sermon messages had the most views and/or engagement this year. Create a list of the top 3 sermon messages for 2020, and share that list with your subscribers. Don’t forget to publish your lists on your website and social media.
Hulu’s email suggestions are usually spot on for me, and their latest email made me wonder, “What if the church offered suggestions on a variety of topics.
#InspiredToEmail: What would it look like to create a ‘plan your visit’ email each week? Create an churchwide e-newsletter with three target audiences in mind: church members, new members and first-time guests. In the e-newsletter, create content sections for each audience.
For example:
Members: Update about this upcoming week.
New Members: How to sign up for ministries
First-Time Guests: Everything you need to know before you visit (insert church name).
What did you think? Were these ideas helpful? Did they spark some new ideas? Will you now look at your emails in a different way? I would love to hear from you. Share some of your ideas below.
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