Health and Wellness Newsletter
Health and Wellness Newsletter: Purpose
A health and wellness newsletter or health newsletter is found in almost all health and health and wellness programs. You also find that insurance agents, insurance carriers, hospitals, EAP’s and a host of other types of organizations seem to provide some type of health and wellness newsletter.
The reasons for having a health and wellness newsletter vary greatly. You almost always find a health and wellness newsletter as part of a wellness program, but they are also used within safety programs, health education programs, for marketing and advertising purpose, for reputation enhancement (meaning to make a person or company appear to be an industry expert. There are more reasons for having a health and wellness newsletter, but you get the idea.
Whether you create your own health and wellness newsletter or get free health and wellness newsletters from our website there are some thing you should know before you select a newsletter for your organization.
Health and Wellness Newsletter Tips and Warnings
Just because an group has a health and wellness newsletter does not mean that the information is accurate or worthy of your trust. So, how can you tell if the information contained in a health and wellness newsletter is accurate?
No newsletter registration required. Why should a person be required to register for a newsletter – just to view it? Only one reason that I can think of and that’s because they just want your personal information. My recommendation – find another health and wellness newsletter. Please do not get me wrong, it is perfectly fine to register for a newsletter after you’ve decided you like what they have to offer.
All references are cited. Any organization worthy of trust will include and/or make available all reference material related to their health and wellness newsletter.
Advertising must be very clearly identified. Any trustworthy company will clearly identify and, in fact separate all advertising from the health and wellness and health and wellness content. To do anything other than this is to run the risk of confusing readers.
Informational newsletter or purely organizational self promotion. When reviewing a health and wellness newsletter for information credibility you’ll want to determine if the purpose of the newsletter is informational or promotional. Regretfully many health and wellness newsletters are nothing more than thinly veiled promotional pieces intertwined with one or two bits of health and wellness information. Insurance carriers and hospital groups to love this approach to marketing – and subsequently kill a lot of trees mailing out a “health and wellness newsletter” that’s of virtually no value – at least from a health and wellness education perspective.
Must have a clear editorial policy. Does the company have a clearly defined editorial policy related to the health and wellness newsletter – and all other health and wellness information the offer? Most editorial policies will very clearly define how advertising (if it is allowed) is presented within the newsletter along with what types of advertising is allowable.
Credible health and wellness information sources. If statistics and research studies are cited in the health and wellness newsletter, then check to see if the sources are credible. If you’ve never heard of the magazine, journal, etc. then I would question the accuracy of the health and wellness information. Note: just because you have not heard of an organization or company does not mean that they are not highly recognized within their industry, thus a little digging may be required.
No SPAM is allowed. Organizations will often use a health and wellness newsletter as a way to get members or perspective clients to register with them. This allows them to build a contact list to use for marketing purposes. There isn’t anything wrong with this so long as the company or organization tells you exactly how your personal information will be used. If not, then you can likely expect to receive lots of SPAM from them – or some other organization to whom they give or sell your personal information.
Unsubscribe options. If a health and wellness newsletter is delivered via email then look for a clearly identified way to unsubscribe from the service. If you don’t find it easily then I would be suspect as to what will be done with your personal information.
Company contact information is provided. Trustworthy organizations will have a clearly identified way for individuals to contact them. Generally trustworthy organizations will offer multiple ways to contact them. If not, then I would think be concerned about the legitimacy of the organization and the health and wellness information the provide.