Encouraging Use of Newsletter

Discussions about the Newsletter Tool at LDS.org.
1968leocomeeatabite
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Re: Encouraging Use of Newsletter

#11

Post by 1968leocomeeatabite »

aebrown wrote:I think it's a good idea to drive traffic to the Newsletter from any place that members may come across a link to it. Social media, an email broadcast, a QR code on a poster at church, whatever.
In our ward we still do monthly hard copy newsletter, as we have done for probably 30 years or more. The suggestions of aebrown are great ideas.
We recently changed Bishoprics, and our bishop, has expressed a desire to have "communications" use of digital online whatever. I have been encouraging an approach of calling another assistant clerk or another Exec. Sec. and giving him the responsibility of the newsletter and its promotion, along with promoting the Directory, Maps, Lesson Schedules, and Calendar. Yet it seems that it gets put on the back burner with all that needs to be done.

The idea to has this extra person was to have the time and energy to maintain, train the presidencies, and promote with a plan of execution which would try to intertwine there use all together.
mevans
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Re: Encouraging Use of Newsletter

#12

Post by mevans »

1968leocomeeatabite wrote:The idea to has this extra person was to have the time and energy to maintain, train the presidencies, and promote with a plan of execution which would try to intertwine there use all together.
That "extra person" is basically my calling. I was called as an Assistant Ward Clerk so I would have the necessary permissions, although doing so means you have to draw from a limited set of men who can hold that calling and the stake has to approve it...but you get the best permissions for helping people.

Going with the "extra person" is a great idea. Personally, I've found that most of the organization presidencies tend to be so busy with other things that trying to get them to take the time to see how technology can help them is challenging; even when I've done that, the engagement is low. Some of the tools are also lacking features that would encourage more use. Don't forget to include LCR on your list -- it's a great tool for presidencies and they may not even know it exists.

If someone gets called, make sure he or she knows about these forums and participates. This is absolutely the best tool to help me with my calling.
1968leocomeeatabite
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Re: Encouraging Use of Newsletter

#13

Post by 1968leocomeeatabite »

mevans wrote:That "extra person" is basically my calling. I was called as an Assistant Ward Clerk so I would have the necessary permissions, although doing so means you have to draw from a limited set of men who can hold that calling and the stake has to approve it...but you get the best permissions for helping people.

Going with the "extra person" is a great idea. Personally, I've found that most of the organization presidencies tend to be so busy with other things that trying to get them to take the time to see how technology can help them is challenging; even when I've done that, the engagement is low. Some of the tools are also lacking features that would encourage more use. Don't forget to include LCR on your list -- it's a great tool for presidencies and they may not even know it exists.
Thank you for your experienced response, it is helpful. Have you been invited to Ward Council meeting and been given some time to promote these tools? Do you report to the Ward Clerk, Bishop, or bishopric member? Have you tried to promote all of them at once? I am wondering if a strategy would be to conquer 1-2 at a time and then move on to the next ones. Say get a fairly good use of the Calendar & Directory before adding the Lesson schedules and Newsletter? But then again if this is a desirable stratey then maybe the newsletter and the calendar together, which would hopefully be a way to get the word out about all of them?
zaneclark
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Re: Encouraging Use of Newsletter

#14

Post by zaneclark »

Our Bishop gave me permission to hold a class on LDS.org during Sunday School.... It is a one shot thing and I have had 12-15 people in each of the last 2 Sundays. Without any feedback, it will be difficult to tell if this gets them to use the Newsletter or other tools. One discouraging note was the number in the classes who either did not have an LDS Account or didn't know their login and password.
russellhltn
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Re: Encouraging Use of Newsletter

#15

Post by russellhltn »

zaneclark wrote:One discouraging note was the number in the classes who either did not have an LDS Account or didn't know their login and password.
Yes, I think one needs at least half a lesson just to get everyone up to speed on logging in.
Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.

So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
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sbradshaw
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Re: Encouraging Use of Newsletter

#16

Post by sbradshaw »

1968leocomeeatabite wrote:Have you tried to promote all of them at once? I am wondering if a strategy would be to conquer 1-2 at a time and then move on to the next ones. Say get a fairly good use of the Calendar & Directory before adding the Lesson schedules and Newsletter?
I think this is good strategy. Maybe even LDS Accounts and an overview first, then Calendar and Directory, then Lesson Schedules and Newsletter.
Samuel Bradshaw • If you desire to serve God, you are called to the work.
mevans
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Re: Encouraging Use of Newsletter

#17

Post by mevans »

1968leocomeeatabite wrote:
mevans wrote:That "extra person" is basically my calling. ...
Thank you for your experienced response, it is helpful. Have you been invited to Ward Council meeting and been given some time to promote these tools? Do you report to the Ward Clerk, Bishop, or bishopric member? Have you tried to promote all of them at once? I am wondering if a strategy would be to conquer 1-2 at a time and then move on to the next ones. Say get a fairly good use of the Calendar & Directory before adding the Lesson schedules and Newsletter? But then again if this is a desirable stratey then maybe the newsletter and the calendar together, which would hopefully be a way to get the word out about all of them?
As others have said, get an idea of who has LDS Accounts. You may need to start there and help them know they need their own accounts, etc. You can't get anywhere without getting that one right.

I've tried meeting with organization presidencies. Some of them are more interested in others. I haven't met with all the presidencies. I do communicate with the ward council and extended ward council via email at times. For example, when LCR expanded to the ward organizations, I sent many emails. It took a while, but I think people started looking at it. I should probably follow up with some reminders that it exists, as I won't be surprised if people have forgotten. Overall, I find that people don't think of going to LDS.org to get the info they need. It can take many reminders. And then more reminders.

Where you start depends on your circumstances. For example, I've given up on the Calendar. The Stake is in charge of that and they use it incorrectly, which makes more of a mess. We also have a ward in our building that's in another stake and they use Google calendar for planning their ward activities. I've tried having some discussions with various parties and have concluded that it's not worth my effort to push this right now. It is what it is. The sad thing is that the Calendar is probably the most advanced tool the church has made available to us. On the other hand, if you have traction on this, it's a great, helpful tool.

You might want to start with the presidencies and bishopric. Make sure they have LDS Accounts. Get them in LCR. That might give them reason to explore other things. More is coming with LCR, too.

For Lesson Schedules, I've taken it upon myself to make it happen. I'm probably one of the few people in the ward who use it, but I work with the organizations to plan the annual curriculum and make sure it's fairly accurate. The Elders Quorum counselor in charge of lessons likes it and updates it with the instructors. He finds it helpful. He's also a programmer in real life, so perhaps he's more inclined to use technology. I feel it's important to have accurate content there for those who go there.

For Newsletter, I try to keep it updated with some happenings so people will see info if they go there. As I've mentioned in this forum before, many ward leaders were very interested in the Newsletter until they found out there's no push mechanism. After they find that out, there's no interest.

My calling is fairly self-directed. The bishop just wants me to help. Lately, I've been impressed that I've needed to work more on the Directory. I've made a lot of effort to get more pictures on it. I've also decided to seek out visitors to see if they're just visiting and need to find classes, moved in, investigating, etc. I come equipped with my laptop and digital camera nearly every week. If someone just moved in, then I get their records on the spot, get their pictures for the directory if their record didn't come with pictures, and sometimes I find out there are reasons they need to meet with the Bishop and connect with the with Executive Secretary and get them lined up with the Bishop--sometimes during Sunday School if there was an apparent reason for the Bishop to see them immediately. I have received feedback from the Bishopric that the photos are helpful.

My calling also got me more involved in these forums. Even though my ward/stake may not be embracing the tools too well, I've felt like I need to be involved here learning from others and helping others. The things I learn here help me help my ward members and solve problems before people were aware they existed.

There has been talk of my coming to Ward Council to review things, but I think that gets pushed aside due to the limited time and more urgent matters. There's also been talk of me doing a 5th Sunday Relief Society/Priesthood to review technology, but that hasn't happened. I have done some teacher inservice meetings to show teachers the technology that is more applicable to them in planning, preparing, and presenting lessons.

This is a long answer. Hopefully it's helpful. We've branched beyond the "newsletter" topic. I don't know if the moderators are going boot this thread elsewhere or not.
zaneclark
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Re: Encouraging Use of Newsletter

#18

Post by zaneclark »

Thank you mevans! Except for a few items, your post could have had my name on it. I agree with you on everything.... I have the added calling as membership clerk, so I can and do take photos for the directory as I find new faces and post them, using my iPad before the block meetings are over. I like your idea of concentrating on one aspect and again I agree with you that without the LDS Account, further instruction is not helpful. I am going to push this in notices and however I can in the next few months. I am also an assistant stake clerk, as well as stake and ward web administrator so I regularly send emails to stake leaders urging the use of the many online tools available.
ccuppernell
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Re: Encouraging Use of Newsletter

#19

Post by ccuppernell »

I got on here tonight to look into starting a thread to discuss having some form of site counter for the ward newsletters, and I immediately ran into this thread. It expresses everything I wanted to say and then some. So I will add my voice to yours and echo what you have said. I put our Sunday program on every week as a PDF using a category of newsletter I added called Sacrament Meeting Programs. I have no idea if they are even viewed from the website, and I have no way of gauging how effective it is. I also add the monthly Primary newsletter to the site.

Please, please look at adding additional tools for us to measure the traffic to this tool. I would do more to promote it if I knew it was not used.

Cyndi
gungy
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Re: Encouraging Use of Newsletter

#20

Post by gungy »

Thanks Goodness!!!
I thought I truely was a lone voice in the wilderness ( at least I know know there are a few of us). I am Stake Executive Secretary trying to encouarge our Stake & Ward leaders to use calendar & newsletter. Any suggestions?? Email notifcation would really help, is that being developed? Also some form of counter?
I like the idea of Sacrament Meeting Programmes, and is there a way having a link in facebook to the newsletter?
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