Challenge
The Texas Water Conservation Association – the state’s leading organization devoted to conserving, developing, and using water – publishes a quarterly newsletter, Confluence. The newsletter is intended to keep members informed about relevant issues in the water industry, such as water conservation, climate change and desalination. Readers span water utilities, river authorities, groundwater conservation districts, lawmakers, lobbyists.
The challenge is to provide timely information to a diverse audience whose positions on current events may conflict with each other.
Solution
Make the newsletter a “must read” by those in the industry because of its timeliness, relevance and credibility – characteristics transcend individual interests.
- Focused on significant events in the water world, with an emphasis on industry-shaping trends and long-term impacts.
- Introduced author biographies to build credibility and “Take Away” summaries of main articles that capture key points in concise language.
- Increased the newsletter’s usefulness to association members by serving as a clearing house for information that is not easily accessible to the fragmented water industry.
- Covered “hot” water topics such as climate change, wastewater reuse and desalination.
- Increased active solicitation and coordination of breaking news stories.
- Make the appearance more engaging through creative use model, of display, graphics and full color.
- Overhauled the newsletter’s 10-year old design in January 2008, resulting in a new nameplate, full color throughout, and a much greater use of photos, charts and diagrams to illustrate articles. We introduced glossy paper, saddle-stitched the pages, brought in more experienced graphics designers and developed a consistent editorial stye.
Outcome
In 2009 Confluence won a Bronze Quill Award/Award of Merit from the International Association of Business Communicators. Confluence won a 2nd Place Award from the International Association of Business Communicators in 2008 and 1st Place Award the Texas Public Relations Association in 2007
