Unit Magazine - any templates for such a communication tool?

[BinTharDunThat]

Does anyone have a template for a magazine which could be used for a Troop communication?

What format/application is used?

It seems like a Troop magazine, published 3 times a year, might be helpful for our unit to recruit, retain, and fundraise for council and unit.  I'd like to avoid reinventing the wheel if possible.  My last desktop publishing gig was 30 years ago.  If someone has a resource, I'd welcome the lead.

We're thinking that a digital magazine, which could have some print on demand copies, published in September, January and May, would provide an opportunity to communicate to our parents, Scouts, former members, and COR members what the Troop has done, what the Troop will be doing in the future, and how certain functions occur (like requesting or participating in BORs).  It seems a challenge to get most parents to do more than slow down to eject their youth at a meeting.  Granted, we have some parents who fully opt-in - but we keep going back to the same well for support.  It also seems like this would provide a recruiting resource which could be left behind or emailed to prospects.  Finally, it seems like it would be beneficial to maintain contact with former troop members and to provide a means for supporters to contribute to FOS (rather than squeeze the adult volunteers, who are already contributing time, effort and money).  

I'm assuming its possible since these magazines seem to come from every other organization - HOA, high school alumni, camp alumni, etc.

Thanks.

[dk516]

@BinTharDunThat it certainly possible but also a lot of effort. We use a monthly newsletter in a standard format that we email to all active and past members and other interested people. We use Mailchimp for the newsletter campaign which lets you easily structure and format things. It also serves as Newsletter archive for the Troop. This is way less involved than actually editing a digital magazine with the idea in mind of potentially printing it. This will need a whole different skillset and publishing software if you want to do it and looking good. 

There are several email campaign tools out there that let you do quite a bit for free / cheap as well (a Scout is thrifty) and that look pretty decent. Email is also an easy tool to simply forward or include your recruiting prospects or other interested folks.

[BinTharDunThat]

Thanks for the feedback,

Yes.  We use those communication tools and more, but realized our communications are either looking to future events or recapping past events in a social media stream. None of these are big picture, are often a blink-and-you-missed-it, and are of limited benefit for recruiting/retention/fundraising.  
 

We considered expanding the monthly newsletter (intended for “on the frig” display), but it wouldn’t have a big picture spread and would require accessing several to cover events past and present.  And it would frustrate brevity for “on the frig” display (we limit to 1 sheet)
 

social media doesn’t get us there.  Can’t flip between various subjects and single post gets buried rather than viewed and reviewed.

Our weekly e-blasts are limited to upcoming calendar events and RSVPs, not celebration of Court of Honor, Service projects, patrol reports, OA, high adventure, NYLT, fundraising, and FOS.

Our website has calendars, and documents, and photo galleries.  But this requires navigation and isn’t much of a put down and come back to device.
 

So, a Troop magazine 2-3 times a year, with all this, as electronic and physical leave-behind meets the goal.  

These we can distribute at Trail to Troop, Roundtable of Meet the Troops, at recruiting events and share to Cub families.

These can be sent to grandparents and alumni and, because of the limited publishing schedule, don’t become annoying spam from the troop.

A larger newsletter, with a mailchimp campaign, on a monthly basis might work, but that conversely would require more work than one every 4-6 months.  The mailchimp might work, but a printable format would be needed so we could combine for the hard copy version.  It’s a good thought.

Yes, we recognize this will be work.  But it’s something more and a viable solution.  It would be nice to use an existing template rather than creating one.  Any resources appreciated.

Edited August 22 by BinTharDunThat