Here’s what most chamber pros struggle with. You have really important information that you want the community to know and the newsletter seems like the easiest way to disseminate that information—an “all-in-one” solution. But the best newsletters don't try to tell readers everything. They help readers find what's most important.

Think about the newsletters you open.

They're probably predictable in a good way. You know what you'll get. You trust the source. You can scan them quickly. And they deliver something genuinely useful. (And probably have a pretty strong subject line.)

Your chamber newsletter should do the same. When readers consistently find value in your emails, opening them becomes a habit.

Here’s how to move from information overload to community asset.

There are multiple ways to build a great newsletter.

Newsletters should solve an information problem. It’s just a question of how you want to solve it because each approaches it in a different format: go get the information, skim the information, here’s all the information.

The Curator: Here’s the info. Pick what you wish.

This newsletter relies primarily on headlines and links. Think of it as a weekly roundup of the most important things happening in your business community.

The benefit is efficiency. Readers can scan quickly and click into the topics that matter most.

It also creates opportunities to drive traffic back to your website, where visitors can explore additional resources and content.

Keep in mind every click takes readers away from the newsletter.

The Guide: Here’s the info and why you should care.

A guide-style newsletter provides context before asking readers to click. Instead of simply linking to a member promotion, you highlight a few featured offers. Instead of listing an upcoming event, you explain who should attend and why. Readers gain value immediately, even if they never leave their inbox.

This approach often generates stronger engagement because it answers an important question upfront:

"Why should I care?"

It’s also slightly longer than the curator style.

The Destination: all the information here.

Some newsletters contain nearly everything readers need.

Event details. Member stories. Community updates. Business resources. No extra clicks required.

This approach can create a highly engaged audience, but it requires discipline. Without strong organization, a full-content newsletter can become overwhelming.

You want relevance, not an encyclopedia of information.