The problem

The parish office faced a recurring challenge: the weekly newsletter, often hastily assembled on Friday afternoons, lacked the quality and attention to detail it deserved. As the primary communication piece for newcomers and a key source of information about parish life, it frequently contained typos and felt uninspired, failing to effectively represent the vibrant community it served.

The approach

Conducting a thorough needs assessment with the parish office was the first step to understanding their specific challenges and requirements. This involved several meetings and workshops to gather input from various stakeholders, including office staff, volunteers, and parishioners. Based on these insights, a user-friendly interface for the newsletter generator was designed. The interface was intuitive, allowing users with minimal technical skills to easily create and edit newsletter content. Training sessions were also provided for the office staff to ensure they were comfortable using the new system and could make the most of its features.

A feedback loop was established with the parish office to continuously gather input and make iterative improvements to the system. This approach ensured that the solution remained relevant and effective in meeting the evolving needs of the parish. By fostering a collaborative environment, a sense of ownership was created among the staff, leading to higher adoption rates and overall satisfaction with the new system.

The solution

To address these issues, we implemented a comprehensive digital strategy that included the development of a custom plugin for Craft CMS, enabling the parish office to streamline the newsletter creation process. This plugin provided templates and automated checks for common errors, ensuring consistency and quality in every edition. Additionally, we integrated an EDM content distribution system, allowing the parish to send out newsletters efficiently and track engagement metrics. This holistic approach not only improved the quality of the newsletters but also saved valuable time for the parish staff, enabling them to focus more on community-building activities.

This initiative has greatly enhanced the parish's ability to communicate effectively with its community, fostering a stronger sense of connection and engagement among parishioners. The feedback from the community has been overwhelmingly positive, with many parishioners appreciating the timely and well-organized information. The streamlined process has not only reduced the workload for theparish staff but also improved the overall efficiency of the communication efforts. Additionally, the integration of the new system has allowed for better data management and analysis, providing insights that help tailor future communications to better meet the needs of the community.