A collection of written content is usually released in some form of publication, which is most commonly a newsletter. In the digital age, this often takes the form of a digital release often called eNews. Instead of mailing the newsletter or publication to dozens or hundreds of members, utilizing an email campaign has overwhelmingly become the way that news reaches membership. Sending some form of written content to members of the lodge or section is extremely important. In order for a lodge or section to function effectively, all members must have access to information about what the lodge or section is doing and how they can get involved. The easiest way to do this while covering a large variety of topics is some form of written content, whether that be an email or an eNewsletter.
Think of eNews as a virtual newspaper. A newspaper typically contains articles recounting recent events, discussing upcoming events, and provides some fun activities (crossword puzzles, horoscopes, word searches, etc.) to engage readers. An eNews publication for an OA lodge should do all of those things while showcasing opportunities for Arrowmen to be involved. Articles should discuss recent events and upcoming events and opportunities. A newsletter released in late 2025 should not, in general, discuss the 2024 Spring Fellowship or the 2027 Spring Ordeal. However, the newsletter should discuss the upcoming NOAC or national program of emphasis, as those require a notable amount of planning to be able to attend.
In order to produce eNews effectively, there is some essential planning that must occur.
Essential Items
A Campaign Management Tool
To send an email to a large number of people you need an email marketing service. These services have two primary purposes. The first is to ensure that your email doesn’t go straight to your member’s spam folders. The second is that these campaign management tools have incredibly sophisticated resources for building your email campaigns visually — no coding experience needed.
If you’re a lodge, the NCC recommends using OA LodgeMaster (OALM). In OALM, there is an email management tool that you can send emails to lodge members. The interface is easy to use and simple to learn by anyone. You are able to do various basic functions, attach files, and embed photos.
If you’re a section, the NCC recommends Mailchimp and Campaign Monitor, as sections do not have the ability to access OALM. Both have easy to learn user interfaces and can be used by someone with no experience in email marketing. Mailchimp has free and paid options, while Campaign Monitor doesn’t have a free tier but does offer discounts for non-profits if you contact them. Campaign Monitor is the tool used by the national organization.
Access to Contact Information
For both lodges and sections, you can export your member data from OA LodgeMaster easily as either an Excel or CSV file, which can then be imported into your Campaign Management Tool. Before doing this, it is important to note that some councils have policies regarding how contact information should be handled. Please discuss this process with your immediate adviser or your lodge/section key 3 before proceeding.
Find out how to export this data from OALM here.
Creating A Campaign
Name Your Campaign
Come up with a creative name for your newsletter and use this in the subject line every time you send something. Titles can range from “OA Today,” the title of the national eNewsletter, to “Turtle Soup,” Madockawanda Lodge’s newsletter; a reference to their lodge totem.
Nameplate
A nameplate is the first thing members will see when they open the email. It should be a graphic that contains the title of your newsletter and the official OA publication ribbon. Here is an example of a nameplate, the current nameplate for OA Today:
Your nameplate should be featured on the top of the newsletter and be the first thing that a viewer sees upon opening the newsletter.
Preparing Articles
In the previous section, there is a wealth of information regarding the creation of written content. However, now is the time to prepare those articles for release. If you’re sending out a newsletter with multiple articles consider the following:
- If articles are longer than 120 words, consider posting the articles on your lodge website. In the newsletter write a short sentence or “blurb” that summarizes the article and encourages people to view it online by clicking on an attached link.
Here is an example of a blurb: “Staffing at a High Adventure base is a challenging feat, however, many Arrowmen continue to come and want to staff, why is that? Hear about why they want to staff and why you should consider coming to staff yourself. Read more here!”
- Include a graphic above each article that contains the article’s title and a relevant photo. This helps people scrolling through the email quickly find something that is relevant to them.
Once you have done this for every article that you plan on releasing, check all of the links in your newsletter and make sure they work and link to the correct article on the website. Check with your adviser to ensure there is nothing missing and that the newsletter is okay to release.
Best Practices
Frequency Of Distribution
Newsletters should be sent out on a regular basis. This frequency should ensure that your members are familiar with the publication and that they don’t become exhausted with reading what you're sending. In general, nonprofit organizations sending newsletters more than once per month see a reduced open rate and engagement. Supplemental emails don’t hurt open rates as long as the subject line is different and there’s a need to send out a special announcement like a reminder to register for an event or to inform members of an event cancellation/change. It is also worth noting, that if you send infrequent emails, people may not recognize your emails. In OALM, it is possible for you to view a simple open rate. To view this information, go to;
- The Emails View
- Select a specific email already sent
- View (top left corner)
- Scroll down slightly and on the right side you’ll see a box labeled Statistics
- There you can view how many emails were sent, Failed, Opened and Clicked
Subject Line
You need to include visual markers in your email subject, so people immediately recognize the email. For your newsletter, consider the following format.
“<Newsletter Title> | <Lodge Name> | Order of the Arrow, Scouting America”
Example: “The Thunderbird | Occoneechee Lodge | Order of the Arrow, Scouting America”
For special announcements consider the following format.
“<Message Topic> | <Lodge Name> | Order of the Arrow, Scouting America”
Example: “Fellowship Registration Closing! | Klahican Lodge | Order of the Arrow, Scouting America”
Avoid using all-caps in email subjects. Saying “URGENT INFORMATION” or “IMPORTANT” in your subject line has the potential of being tagged by spam filters and can actually decrease open rates.
When To Send
According to experts, most organizations receive the best open rates and engagement with their email campaigns when they are released on Tuesdays (followed by Thursdays, Wednesdays, and Mondays). They also find success when they schedule the delivery for the afternoon. There can be multiple reasons why individuals don’t open emails, but in short many individuals are getting ready for the weekend and turning off their emails mid-afternoon. If you had to send an email, Friday around noon (or lunchtime) might be best, as people are likely to check emails around then.