Is Your Newsletter Making a Good Impression in the Community?

by Joyce Remy, Senior Editor

In the last issue of The Communicator, we saw how your newsletter can serve "double duty": as a communications tool within your organization...and as a powerful marketing piece in the community.

Even if you consider your newsletter an internal communication, it can be and probably already is an "ambassador" beyond your organization. For example, Marquis Companies, headquartered in Milwaukie, Oregon, publishes a quarterly newsletter through Caresource, featuring news from all of their 26 skilled nursing and assisted living facilities. Says Karen Kohl, Consultant and Newsletter Editor, "I'm often surprised to see where a copy of our Update turns up! Our facilities display them in the lobby, and residents, families, employees, visitors and job applicants will pick up a copy. Often, that's how people find out about Marquis facilities."

While potential clients and referral sources look to your brochures and website for basic information, your newsletter is, in a sense, a surprise drop-in visit. Karen Kohl says, "When people see our coverage of the Marquis Companies annual Rose Queen Tea, and our Forget-Me-Not program for granting residents' wishes, or read the upbeat, personal coverage of the quarter's activities, it speaks volumes about what it's like to live at a Marquis facility." She adds, "We can tell potential customers that Marquis facilities are a great place to live but it's even more effective to show them by featuring a great outing on the newsletter cover, or the smiling face of a 78-year-old resident who just got to meet her idol, country singer George Strait."

Do I put myself in the place of a potential customer?

Change hats for a moment. Imagine that you are a family member looking for a long-term care facility, or an older adult considering the move to a senior living community, or a hospital discharge planner talking with a patient. What do potential residents and referral sources see when they imagine themselves or their clients as members of your commuity?  

Does our newsletter display our fundamental respect for residents?

Whether you are a skilled nursing facility, an assisted living or other senior living community, resident-centered content, with upbeat photos, helps establish your facility as a place where excellent care and respect are to be found

Do we deal with challenges in a positive way?

If you are dealing with extremely sensitive problems, send out a separate letter to the involved parties. But don't be afraid to include coverage of how your organization is dealing with challenges in a proactive, responsive way. For example, if you've experienced a theft problem and need to alert family members, the emphasis should be on the measures you're taking to resolve the problem. An organization that handles challenges well inspires confidence and trust.

Do we choose terminology that suggests a goal of excellence?

This is where subtle connotations come in. For example, if you are discussing a negative survey comment, you might say:

"We expect all Forest Hills staff to work together to fix this problem."

That's OK...but better is:

"We know that our staff will continue to work together to make Forest Hills the best it can be."

Your language should contain an assumption of striving for excellence.

Are we careful to avoid exaggerations, and promises we can't keep?

As with any other marketing piece, it's vital that your newsletter presents an accurate picture of your facility and services, and the level of care you provide.

What message do photos send?

Yes, it can be challenging to coax a smile out of some residents. Even persons who are enjoying themselves may just naturally have a downturned expression, due to stroke or other condition.  But as much as possible, go for a smile, or an action shot. Take several shots of the same person, and choose the best.

If you have chosen Caresource as your newsletter partner, you can be sure that we keep these fundamentals firmly in mind as we edit your content. If we think a statement or article should be deleted, or could be recast in a more positive way, we do that, working with you to ensure accuracy. We believe that a newsletter that shows confidence in staff inspires staff to be their best...empowers residents...and lets the community know that your facility is a great place to be. 

Click here for more information about Caresource's print newsletter services...and don't forget that we can also post your newsletter to your website!