What's in a Masthead?

In terms of making a first impression, the masthead of your planned giving newsletter really sets the tone. Does it say to the recipient, “Read me now! I’m full of engaging, interesting content!” Or does it say, “I’m fairly boring and can be read later, or maybe even not at all”?

Here are a couple of quick pointers to help ensure your newsletter is saying the former, not the latter.

• What a difference a font makes

The part of your masthead reserved for your publication’s actual title, usually referred to as a “nameplate,” can really make or break your masthead. It’s easy to gloss over a newsletter’s nameplate if it’s set in a staid, vanilla font like Times New Roman or Arial. The best mastheads use interesting, modern typography to really jump out at readers and convey to them that your publication is worth their time.

• Visual aids

What’s your masthead communicating to the reader in terms of graphics? You don’t want readers' first visual impression of your newsletter to be a poorly cropped stock photo or a random campus building that they may or may not have an emotional attachment to. So what engages donors? In the case of a university, why not show donors what their money is being used for—dynamic images of students learning or taking part in time-honored campus traditions can evoke a positive emotional response to your publication, making it much more likely to be read!

In summation, your masthead is much more than a title, publication date, and volume number. The most effective mastheads act as miniature ambassadors, conveying the positive, unique aspects of your organization and its mission in only a few small inches of space.

Take a moment and consider,

“What is our masthead saying to our readers?”