content strategy
Newsletter Revamp
In 2014, I joined the Duke Graduate School to build and oversee its communications operation. One of my first projects was a revamp of the school's email newsletter.
The existing newsletter was sent to students three times a year as a PDF attachment, with no tracking at all. In its place, I developed a vastly improved email newsletter that effectively reached students and provided analytics to help measure success and guide future efforts.
Some of the changes I made:
- I switched the newsletter to an email marketing platform so we can collect analytics on its performance
- I increased its frequency from three times a year to monthly, so that it could be a vehicle for more time-sensitive information
- I strategically made the newsletter's content laser-focused on current graduate students rather than trying to be all things to all stakeholders
- I prioritized information on resources and opportunities that addressed students' day-to-day needs
- I tailored the newsletter's content, tone, and approach to mirror the approachable way the school staff interacts with students in real life
Over the course of several years, I built the newsletter into an important part of the school's communications toolkit. It boasts a robust and increasing open rate and is a significant driver of visits to the school website (I can provide more specific data points upon request). Most importantly, the newsletter has become a useful resource of information for students, keeping them informed about opportunities and resources that help them succeed.
Several issues of the newsletter