☕️ Too busy? Get the TLDR here!

  1. People only devote 10 seconds to reading each email, so you've got to capture their attention right from the get-go.
  2. Start with a snappy title – it makes your update worthy of attention
  3. Use the subtitle to reinforce school values or goals
  4. Put the most important information smack at the top – before anything else! If people only read the first item, it's got to be the one that counts.

Did you know that the average length of time that people are willing to devote to reading an email is 10 seconds?

This means that your school newsletter has to grab parents’ attention, and grab it quick. This is actually a pretty easy task, because HEADLINES! Here are 3 ways to grab your readers’ attention right off the bat.

1. Come up with a snappy title.

You want folks to click on your email. Use the title to inspire school pride, or make a rhyme, pun, or fun alliteration. It communicates that the newsletter is important enough to require a special name. Here are some examples from actual principal updates:

headers of newsletters

2. Use the header to communicate school values.

You caught everyone’s attention with your creative newsletter title. Now use the subtitle to reinforce aspects of the school mission or annual theme or goals. Here’s an example of a principal update that emphasizes a specific school value in the sub-header:

Header for Principal School Newsletter

3. Put the need-to-know first.

Use the top section of the newsletter for whatever is the most essential item of the week. Assume that your readers won’t take it all in, but they will take in whatever is first, and (figuratively speaking) loudest. So use that 'prime time' space for whatever is most important. Take a look at these two examples from one school:

You know what your own inbox looks like.

You need to make sure that  the updates you’re sending stand out for busy parents reading on the go. You’ve got 10 seconds. Ready, set... oh, wait, before you go! Here’s a principal’s weekly update template already formatted for you 😉.

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