University E-Newsletters: The Implementation of Best Practices

My purpose for this research was to examine the use of best practice guidelines for e-newsletters published by university alumni associations and to recommend additional best practice guidelines for alumni e-newsletters. For this study I reviewed 20 current alumni association e-newsletters. I based my research on the following questions: 1. Which best practices described in the literature about e-newsletters are evidenced in university e-newsletters? 2. Which practices, if any, are not common in the literature but are evidenced in university e-newsletters? 3. Which additional practices evidenced in the alumni e-newsletters should be considered best practices for publishing alumni e-newsletters?;I examined the use of best practice guidelines in university e-newsletters published by the alumni associations of large universities in the United States, and I recorded and evaluated other practices used in alumni e-newsletters to determine their suitability as best practices. Very little scholarly research existed about e-newsletters, so I compiled a list of best practices not only from journals but also from trade publications and advice columns. I reviewed 20 e-newsletters and made a list of features that did not appear on the original best practices list in order to create a list of additional practices. After my initial review of the e-newsletters, I compared each e-newsletter to my list of additional practices to determine how many of the e-newsletters used each noted practice. I evaluated the items on the original list of best practices as well as the list of additional practices for positive contributions to the e-newsletter. I endorsed 16 best practices that appeared in three or more best practice articles. I strongly agreed with the best practice to keep the publication brief, and this recommendation was taken into account when endorsing or rejecting other best practices. I endorsed best practices for distribution of the e-newsletter included providing the e-newsletter name and date on the e-mail subject line and using the university name or e-newsletter name on the e-mail from line. I endorsed best practices for content such as including articles about a variety of topics with an emphasis on news articles. I also endorsed five specific formatting practices to enhance scannability. I also recommended additional practices which were in evidence in the e-newsletters but were not listed in best practice articles. I recommended sending the e-newsletter with a brief and straightforward subject line and naming the e-newsletter something other than "newsletter." I also recommended including articles about university research and profiles of alumni. I recommended eight specific links for inclusion. I suggested specific additional research that could be conducted using reader feedback. I also suggested research about new communication technology and effective use of current technology.