Why it helps
Most club newsletters are written by one busy volunteer the night before they go out. The news is all there, scattered across a committee meeting, a few emails and the group chat. Turning it into something people actually read is the hard part.
Give AI your bullet points and it will sort them into short sections with clear headings, dates up front and a friendly tone. You add the photos you have permission to use, check the dates, and send it out through your usual email tool or Facebook page.
The prompt
Copy it, swap the bits in [square brackets], and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Copilot.
I write the monthly newsletter for [group, e.g. a netball club / school PTA / community garden] in [town], New Zealand. Turn my notes into this month's newsletter. - NZ English. Warm, friendly and easy to skim. Short paragraphs. - Start with a one-line hello, then "Key dates" as a bullet list near the top. - Give each piece of news its own short heading. - End with how people can get involved or get in touch. - Use only the facts, dates, times and amounts in my notes. Don't invent events, results, names or numbers. If a date or detail looks unclear, flag it at the end instead of guessing. - Only name the people I've named. Don't add children's surnames. - Keep it to about [300] words. My notes: [paste your bullet points]
Then keep chatting
Write 3 subject line options for the email.
Make a shorter version for our Facebook page.
Make the tone a bit more fun, it's for the junior section.
Turn the key dates into a list I can paste into a calendar.
Write a short caption for each of the photos I'm adding: [describe them].
Step by step
- Jot down this month's news as bullet points: dates, results, thank-yous, requests for help, reminders.
- Copy the prompt, fill in the [square brackets] and paste your notes.
- Read the draft. Check every date, time, venue and amount against your notes and the club calendar.
- Check names. Only include people (especially kids) whose parents or the person themselves are happy to be named.
- Add your photos, paste it into your email tool (like Mailchimp or your school app) or Facebook, and send a test to yourself first.
Worked example
Example details are made up. Your results will vary, so always read and check before you use them.
Watch out for
- Privacy and kids: get permission before naming children or using photos of them, and follow your club or school's photo policy. Don't paste children's full names, ages with surnames, or family details into the prompt. See privacy.org.nz.
- Check every date, time, venue and dollar amount against your calendar and committee minutes. AI can shift a date or tidy a time.
- Only thank sponsors by name if they're happy to be named, and check you've spelled their business name right.
- If you email people who've signed up, include an easy way to unsubscribe. NZ's anti-spam law applies to commercial messages, so check what applies to you at dia.govt.nz.
Go further
Save the prompt and your favourite version as a template, so next month you only paste new notes. Keep a running notes file through the month, and add to it whenever something happens. For events that need their own push, try the event-promo use case.
