Newsletter No. 165
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FreePint
"Helping 70,000 people use the Web for their work"
http://www.freepint.com/
ISSN 1460-7239 12th August 2004 No.165
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IN THIS ISSUE
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EDITORIAL
MY FAVOURITE TIPPLES
By Kay Renfrew
FREEPINT BAR
In Association with Factiva
a Dow Jones & Reuters Company
JOBS
Information Officer (Advertising Agency)
Information Officer
TIPS ARTICLE
"Radio Frequency Identification: An Update"
By Patrice Curtis
BOOKSHELF
"Evidence-based Practice for Information Professionals: A Handbook"
Reviewed by Jela Webb
FEATURE ARTICLE
"E-Newsletters: What's the point? And how do you make it?"
By Robin Neidorf
EVENTS, GOLD AND FORTHCOMING ARTICLES
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EDITORIAL
My last editorial was partly about robots and artificial intelligence,
and, glancing at it again, reminded me that I was recently contacted by
a BBC journalist looking for expert comment on new robot librarians
developed by researchers at a University in Spain. What I like about
Jo Twist's final piece "Robots Get Bookish in Libraries" is that it
doesn't take the usual cliched angle of libraries or librarians
being replaced by technology
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3897583.stm>.
Being advocates of the skills of the (often misunderstood)
information professional continues to be one of FreePint's ongoing
concerns. Librarians who become known as experts in understanding the
latest technological advances are good news for the profession. One
such person, who has made it her business to be bang up to date on her
topic, is Patrice Curtis, who today gives us an interesting article on
RFID - radio frequency identification. She is so right in saying that
"tracking fast moving developments ... gives information research
professionals an opportunity to shine". Patrice explains that RFID is
the next step on from bar codes, and is set to revolutionise supply
chain management -- initially in supermarkets but, if the US Library
and Information Technology Association are to be believed, also to
have a major impact on libraries in the next decade or so.
Our other article today is by Robin Neidorf who explains the power of
effective e-newsletters in running an e-business or small enterprise.
It comes back to demonstrating expertise again: do this for clients
via an e-newsletter, particularly in a niche area, and you can build
trust and enhance business relationships.
Robin's full report on e-Newsletters is also published today by
FreePint and is available to purchase at:
<http://www.freepint.com/shop/report/>
In the full report, Robin emphasises the importance of word-of-mouth
marketing and "the power of the forward"; in other words, the ease of
forwarding information electronically and the huge benefits of
interactivity.
Of course, both of these are integral to FreePint's continued success:
we need you to continually give us ideas and feedback. So, what do you
think about a special media experts area at the FreePint Bar?
Journalists who need expert comment can come to a designated media
area, and we can continue to lobby the press to accurately reflect the
skills and expertise we have. Send your thoughts direct to me or post
them to the Bar at <http://www.freepint.com/go/b29640>.
Thanks for reading and please tell your colleagues about FreePint.
Annabel Colley
Editor, FreePint
<annabel.colley@freepint.com>
FreePint is a Registered Trademark of Free Pint Limited (R) 1997-2004
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Keeps information professionals up to date on aspects
of the law that impact upon them and their customers.
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FreePint's range of in-depth reports can now be
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Topics covered include copyright, freedom of information,
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MY FAVOURITE TIPPLES
By Kay Renfrew
* <http://europa.eu.int/> is a good starting point to find out what is
going on in the European Union - its activities, institutions,
publications and any new developments.
* <http://ted.publications.eu.int> Tenders Electronic Daily or TED is
a useful market research resource to check out who is issuing calls
for tenders, and which organisations have successfully bid for them.
Allows users to store search profiles.
* I refer to <http://foia.blogspot.com> to keep up-to-date on news on
the Freedom of Information Act in the UK, and FoI generally. It is
good for coming across titbits that may otherwise escape notice.
* For FoI developments 'straight from the horse's mouth', I use
<http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk>
* As a Londoner (by residence) I find
<http://www.capitalwastefacts.com> a useful way to find out about
recycling in my Borough - and no less than Michael Palin endorses
the site.
Kay Renfrew is a Consultant, specialising in Information Management
with Oakleigh Consulting <http://www.oakleigh.co.uk> recognised by the
Sunday Times as one of the top 100 fastest growing unquoted companies,
and listed in their Tech Track 100 for the second year running.
Submit your top five favourite Web sites. See the guidelines at
<http://www.freepint.com/author.htm>.
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FREEPINT BAR
In Association with Factiva
a Dow Jones & Reuters Company
There are times at the Bar when a particular posting solicits a
whole raft of responses, and usually it is the most unexpected of
topics which does so. A couple of examples of recent lengthy threads
include building a library catalogue using Microsoft Access
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b27882> and identifying a painting of
Venus, without actually ever having seen it
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b29487>.
The current thread "Becoming a Librarian...where do I start?" is
another topic which has received multiple responses from around the
world, attracting both positive and negative comments about library
and information work. The replies make fascinating reading and it's
quite an eye opener to read the differing perceptions of the
information profession and the necessity to have professional
qualifications. Why not add your thoughts and experiences?
There have also been a number of requests about thesauri and
taxonomies. Someone is looking for the 'Thermal Subject Index'
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b29597> and another wants a thesaurus for
Social Research/Social Policy <http://www.freepint.com/go/b29517>,
with a suggestion of a site to download and buy taxonomies. Any
thoughts on restricting the number of terms a user can use to search
a database based on a thesaurus of internal and external terms?
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b29518>
Can you suggest good providers of copyright and competition act
training? <http://www.freepint.com/go/b29614>. Do you work in
knowledge/records management for a social services department and
would like to meet like-minded individuals?
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b29573>. Can you help a Brazilian
FreePinter estimate the size of the market for competitive
intelligence and information services in their country?
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b29479>. Had experience of transferring
abstracting services offshore? <http://www.freepint.com/go/b29641>.
On the Webmaster side of things, we've had some interesting
suggestions for thinking up a new domain name
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b29598>. Do you know of any research which
measures the effectiveness of Websites, especially when compared to
getting new customers in more traditional ways?
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b29629>.
On FreePint-specific topics, if you're organising an information-
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the VIP Wire <http://www.vivaVIP.com>. Also, the twice-monthly
FreePint Jobs Update now has a fully-formatted PDF version, which
looks great <http://www.freepint.com/go/b29534>.
Thanks indeed to everyone who makes the FreePint Bar such a great
place to frequent.
William Hann <william.hann@freepint.com>
Founder and Managing Editor, FreePint
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Tell your marketing and PR people about this free resource:
<http://www.vivaVIP.com/>
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<http://www.freepint.com/jobs>
The FreePint Jobs Update is being circulated widely every two
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is posted at the Bar and in the Bar Digest (circulation 12,000).
To see the Jobs Update No.78 and read the new 'Jobs Advice' section,
visit <http://www.freepint.com/go/b29534>. To subscribe, modify your
account at <http://web.freepint.com>.
Here are some of the latest featured jobs:
Information Officer (Advertising Agency)
MEDIA VACANCY. New opportunity for bright, proactive person to
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friendly Agency. Recruiter: Glen Recruitment
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Info Officer at law firm in Norwich, provide varied info service,
good pay for recent post-grad or looking for 2nd job.
Recruiter: Sue Hill Recruitment
<http://www.freepint.com/go/j3431>
NB: There are 39 other jobs in the current edition of the Jobs Update
<http://www.freepint.com/go/29534>.
[The above jobs are paid listings]
FreePint Jobs -- the best place for information vacancies.
* VACANCY SEARCHING -- Free search and sign up to the Job Update.
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TIPS ARTICLE
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/120804.htm#tips>
"Radio Frequency Identification: An Update"
By Patrice Curtis
Did you see 'The Minority Report'? In the movie, Detective John Anderton
(played by Tom Cruise) walks through a mall, and, as he passes several
electronic billboards, sultry computerized female voices call him by
name and ask if he would like to buy a pair of jeans, or maybe have a
pint of beer. The technology exists to make this science fiction fact:
called radio frequency identification technology, it has gained
greater visibility in the past year.
What is radio frequency identification technology (RFID), how does it
work, and why should we care about it?
RFID is a decades old technology that can be used, amongst other
things, for keeping track of things. The system comprises two parts.
First, we have the tags, which are small radio transmitters/responders
(transponders). These transponders include a miniature antenna, and
can be attached to pallets and cases (and individual products someday
- right now, the price of a single tag is too high). The tag is
programmed with information, such as where the items on the pallet
were manufactured, and when and how it was shipped.
These RFID tags by themselves are "dumb": an RFID reader, the second
part of the system, is needed to make the tags divulge the information
programmed into them. An RFID reader is a transceiver, which sends out
a query via a radio signal that is then answered by an RFID tag. In
other words, you can put all the information you want on an RFID tag,
but if there is no RFID reader, you will not be able to extract that
information. You can get a complete definition of radio frequency
technology at
<http://www.aimglobal.org/technologies/rfid/what_is_rfid.asp>.
Utilizing RFID Technology
=========================
Now we know a bit about the what and how, the question of why we
should care is much easier to answer: Many analysts see RFID as
revolutionizing supply chain management in a large number of
industries. A good overview article on the subject is:
Radio ID Tags: Beyond Bar Codes
<http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,52343,00.html>.
Retailers, the auto and pharmaceutical industries, and libraries all
represent organizations already employing RFID at some level.
Yet they are not without their challengers, from those concerned
with the breach of consumer privacy.
Examining the surge in interest in RFID in the last twelve to eighteen
months leads us to a handful of catalytic organizations. In Europe,
retailers like Tesco and Metro Group are leading the charge
<http://www.in-sourced.com/article/articleview/1181/1/1/>. In the
United States, the biggest drivers of RFID technology adoption are
super-chain Wal-Mart Stores and the U.S. Department of Defense. The
sheer number and size of the companies that provide products to these
organizations alone is providing strong momentum toward adoption of
this technology by a huge number of vendors.
Catalyst Organizations
----------------------
-- Metro Group
<http://www.mre.de/>
<http://www.future-store.org>
-- Tesco, the UK's largest food supermarket
<http://www.tesco.co.uk>
<http://www.tesco.com>
<http://digbig.com/4bmnj>
<http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/articleview/658/1/1/>
-- Carrefour, Europe's largest retailer and second worldwide
<http://www.carrefour.com/>
-- Wal-Mart: One of the world's largest retailers has begun testing
in Dallas, TX and is requiring that its top 100 suppliers implement
RFID by 2005. Eventually, Wal-Mart wants RFID technology in 100
distribution centers and 3,000 stores.
<http://walmart.com>
<http://digbig.com/4bmnk>
<http://digbig.com/4bmnm>
-- U.S. Department of Defense: The military has put RFID tags on
270,000 cargo containers. This allows it to track shipments across 40
countries.
DoD Announces Radio Frequency Identification Policy
<http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/2003/nr20031023-0568.html>
DoD Tests Supply Tracking Technology
<http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jan2004/n01092004_200401094.html>
DoD Discusses New Supply Tracking System With Vendors
<http://www.dod.gov/news/Apr2004/n04072004_200404073.html>
Industries
----------
Several other industries are either already employing RFID technology,
or are close to doing so. Here are a few:
Auto Industry General Motors CTO sees auto industry embracing RFID
by 2008 <http://digbig.com/4bmnn>
Opel Enhances Smart Production Safety
<http://digbig.com/4bmnp>
M-LAB: The Promise of Auto-ID in the Automotive Industry
<http://www.autoid.org/SC31/clr/200305_3826_Automotive%20Prpsl.pdf>
Public Libraries
----------------
Six technology experts, who are members of the Library and
Information Technology Association, a division of the American
Library Association, met in San Diego earlier this year and chose
ten top trends for libraries: RFID was second on the list:
<http://digbig.com/4bmnq>
Tagging Books to Prevent Theft
<http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,52493,00.html>
Libraries eye RFID to track books; Privacy issues raised as San
Francisco plans chips' use <http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3131173/>
RFID Implementation in Libraries: Some Recommendations for "Best
Practices" <http://www.privacyrights.org/ar/RFID-ALA.htm>
RFID in Libraries: Tracking technology applications and patron privacy
implications of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) [blog]
<http://libraryrfid.typepad.com/libraryrfid/>
You can read an editorial on the usage of RFID technology at the San
Francisco Public Library: <http://www.sfbg.com/38/03/news_ed_spy.html>
Industrial-style technology streamlines library operations
<http://digbig.com/4bmnr>
Pharmaceuticals
---------------
The Food and Drug Administration Report Calls for the Adoption of RFID
<http://digbig.com/4bmns>
Privacy Protection
==================
Finally, as with most new technologies, opponents to RFID have already
begun to organize and make their voices heard. The complaints focus
not on the use of RFID at the supply management level, but at the
individual product level: they are battling against the world of
Detective Anderton, the detective in the film mentioned at the
beginning. One of the most vocal is the Electronic Frontier Foundation
<http://www.eff.org/Privacy/Surveillance/RFID/>. Another source is
the Privacy Rights Coalition, which provides a nice collection of
articles at <http://www.privacyrights.org/ar/RFIDposition.htm>.
Other good reads and resources include:
UK: <http://www.notags.co.uk/>
Japanese RFID Privacy Guidelines Released
<http://ubiks.net/local/blog/jmt/archives3/001114.html#more>
Wal-Mart Attracts More RFID Flak
<http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/05/12/wal_mart_rfid_flak/>
Watchdogs Push for RFID Laws
<http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,62922,00.html>
Jamming Tags Block RFID Scanners
<http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,62468,00.html>
Final Thoughts
==============
The best thinkers on radio frequency technology state that we are
still some five or so years out from seeing RFID completely
revolutionize supply chain management, and perhaps a decade from
deployment of the tags at the single product level. To delve deeper
into the business of RFID, you can find articles in leading newspapers
like the Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal. You will find
even greater granularity by following these links:
Gartner Group: <http://www.gartner.com>
RFID Journal: <http://www.rfidjournal.com/>
Soreon Research: <http://www.soreon.de/site1/>
RFID News: <http://www.rfidnews.org/>
Forrester: <http://www.forrester.com>
As information research professionals, chaotic and rapidly changing
events give us an opportunity to shine by keeping our clients -
internal or external - up to speed on the latest developments.
Regardless of whether you wish for the world of Detective Anderton
today or you hope it never comes to pass, I hope this article gives
you a good leg-up on keeping abreast of the not-so-furturistic radio
frequency identification technology.
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Patrice Curtis, MA (Hons) is Principal of Curtis Research Group, which
specializes in finding and interpreting information that supports
businesses and non-government organisations. A former research analyst
for the Library of Congress, Patrice has published reports for U.S.
Congress, and articles within the field of humanitarian aid. She is a
member of the Association of Independent Information Professionals
(AIIP). Contact her at <pc@curtisresearch.com>.
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Related FreePint links:
* 'Telecommunications' articles and resources in the FreePint Portal
<http://www.freepint.com/go/p134>
* Post a message to the author, Patrice Curtis, or suggest further
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* Read this article online, with activated hyperlinks
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/120804.htm#feature>
* Access the entire archive of FreePint content
<http://www.freepint.com/portal/content/>
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FREEPINT BOOKSHELF
<http://www.freepint.com/bookshelf>
"Evidence-based Practice for Information Professionals: A Handbook"
Edited by Andrew Booth and Anne Brice
Reviewed by Jela Webb
What is evidence-based practice?
--------------------------------
Evidence-based practice is a paradigm that originated within medicine.
It can be defined as 'the use of existing research to support
practical decision-making, to improve the quality of services to
clients'.
Within medicine/healthcare, the research findings from studying a
group of patients were applied to the management and care of the
individual patient. Since the mid-to-late 1990's, evidence-based
approaches have been developed in many health fields and, in more
recent times, evidence-based approaches have been advocated and indeed
adopted in non-health based disciplines and professions, e.g. social
work, education and human resource management.
This book addresses questions such as: 'Is it possible to adapt
evidence-based practice to librarianship and information work?'; 'To
what extent are the skills and techniques, used in evidence-based
practice, transferable to other areas of professional practice?'; 'Is
it desirable for information professionals to integrate research
findings into their day-to-day decision-making?'.
These issues and related topics are discussed in the book, which is
edited by Andrew Booth (Director of Information Resources and Senior
Lecturer in Evidence-based Healthcare at the School of Health and
Related Research, University of Sheffield) and Anne Brice (Head of
Knowledge and Information Sciences at the Public Health Resource Unit,
Oxford). Contributing chapters themselves, they have also drawn upon
the expertise of a range of contributors not only from the UK but also
from Canada, Australia and USA.
The book is divided into three parts:
Part 1 - The context for evidence-based information practice.
This first part includes an introduction to evidence-based practice,
its history, how to identify and obtain the evidence base (the
research) and concludes with a chapter on why it is perceived that
librarians fail to use research findings in the course of their
professional activities.
The chapters are written in a concise style (which I like) but are
extensively referenced so that if more detail is required, the reader
has a ready source of further reading material.
Part 2 - Skills and resources for evidence-based information practice.
This part contains 'how-to-do-it' chapters, ranging from initiation to
evaluation to review. Presentation of the topics follows in a logical
fashion -- amongst others, topics covered include: formulating the
right questions; searching the library and information science
literature; critical appraisal techniques; how to apply evidence to
everyday practice. It is a very practical 'how to' section which, I
think, many will find useful particularly if they are new to the
concept of evidence-based information practice.
Part 3 - Using the evidence base in practice.
The final (and longest) part explores the six domains of
evidence-based librarianship identified in research, to demonstrate
the application of evidence-based information practice to a
practical decision-making context:
* Reference/enquiries
* Education
* Collections
* Management
* Information access and retrieval
* Marketing and promotion
These chapters with their associated 'Special Topics' present concise
summaries of evidence-based information practice within generic areas
of work, together with practical examples of the application of
evidence-based principles and methods. It is these examples that
really bring to life how a method that originated in healthcare can be
very usefully applied in the information profession.
The book is written in a concise style; the editors and contributors
bring a wealth of expertise to their subject matter. From the extent
of references provided, there is little doubt that the book has been
well researched.
I believe that this book will find favour with both new and
established information professionals, whether they work in healthcare
or in other fields where the evidence-based paradigm may be something
that they are just beginning to encounter.
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Jela Webb is a freelance strategic advisor, consultant, lecturer and
trainer in information and knowledge management, working with private
and public sector clients. An associate of Ashridge, Learnership and
TFPL, she has implemented KM programmes in FTSE 100 companies and, in
collaboration, developed 'The Integrated Learning Model' which
combines traditional training with online learning and knowledge
management.
Jela has recently completed a research assignment investigating KM for
SMEs and is currently developing an e-learning programme on
information literacy for a public sector organisation.
She may be contacted via <http://www.azione.co.uk>
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FEATURE ARTICLE
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/120804.htm#feature>
"E-Newsletters: What's the point? And how do you make it?"
By Robin Neidorf
[This article is an introduction to the new in-depth report published
today by FreePint: "E-Newsletters: A Guide for Publishers"
ISBN 1-904769-06-3 <http://www.freepint.com/shop/report/>]
If my in-box is any indication, most of the business world is hot on
e-newsletters. I receive half a dozen every day. Some are thinly
masked advertisements; most, however, provide some degree of valuable
information.
E-newsletters provide a relatively easy and low-cost way to accomplish
a number of business goals, including:
* Maintaining connections with current and past clients
* Demonstrating expertise in a particular field
* Sharing resources and building an active network
* Educating clients and prospects about products, services and how
best to access them
As a communication professional, though, I review the newsletters I
receive with a critical eye; many of them leave much to be desired in
their planning and execution. Luckily, it isn't difficult to make the
leap from adequate to fabulous, if a newsletter publisher is willing
to take a close look at the purpose, audience, content and execution
of the project.
What's the Point?
-----------------
E-newsletter publishers often confuse the tool with the purpose. An
e-newsletter is a tool used to achieve some greater business purpose,
yet novice publishers often forget the greater purpose in the effort
to put out the newsletter on something resembling a regular basis.
Knowing the point of the newsletter within your business context,
though, helps you make better decisions on everything from content to
frequency. It's critical to your success - and your sanity - to
understand up front what the purpose of the newsletter really is.
Newsletters always address one or more of the following three
purposes:
1 Serve the needs of current and past clients
2 Position in front of prospective clients
3 Build a base of repeat business
In other words, e-newsletters, like all business communications, have
the core intention of creating, sustaining or deepening a business
relationship. As a newsletter publisher, you have to know what kind
of relationship you are asking your readers for; what do you want from
them? Loyalty? New business? Referrals? Increased business? Believe
it or not, most of your readers are perfectly willing to give you what
you want, as long as your wants are clearly communicated. Most
publishers don't communicate clearly enough.
Which of the three purposes is most important to you?
-----------------------------------------------------
Are you helping current and past clients improve some aspect of their
work on an ongoing basis? Are you demonstrating your skills to
prospective clients? Do you offer a wide range of services that could
lead to repeat business if your clients only knew about them all?
Naturally, some overlap exists between the three essential purposes,
but one may emerge as the primary purpose. Know what it is, and plan
your content to satisfy the requirements of that purpose.
Make Your Point
---------------
Once you have a clear idea of the purpose of your e-newsletter, you
will find it easier to make decisions that help you maximise the
benefits of publishing in a digital medium, while overcoming some of
the obstacles.
Chief among the obstacles is the notoriously short attention span of
online readers. A writing style that engages readers emotionally as
well as logically is a must. When your e-newsletter arrives in their
inbox, the very subject line must capture their attention. Then, in
the body of the newsletter, use compelling headlines, short sentences,
action verbs and a story-telling approach to draw readers in.
Headlines are of great importance because readers make nanosecond
decisions on whether to delete or keep reading based on headlines.
Try these suggestions to come up with effective headlines for your
e-newsletter
* Solve a problem. Examples:
Spend more time providing value than hunting for information.
Don't make your business vulnerable to the taxing authority.
* Use a statistic. Examples:
Most companies lose 30 percent of their mailing lists each year.
Office workers waste 6 weeks per year searching for lost information.
* State a quote or adage. Example:
Whoever said "ignorance is bliss" didn't know a librarian.
* Ask a question. Examples:
Is It Possible to Get Through Divorce with Dignity?
What Do Your Clients Really Think of You?
* Create a mystery. Example:
What Is the Real Agenda of Google?
Interact!
---------
Unlike print media, e-newsletters offer the opportunity for
two-way communication with your readers. This capability can be one
of the biggest benefits of publishing an e-newsletter, so make
creative and strategic use of it. Build the expectation of
interaction into your newsletter, and you create the opportunity for
meaningful engagement with audiences of all kinds.
For example, you can incorporate links in your text inviting readers
to send immediate feedback or questions on content. Live links
embedded in the text are more effective than relying on the "reply"
function of e-mail, for a number of reasons, not the least of which is
that readers often need to be reminded that you really do want them to
respond. By including the link (which handily shows up in an
eye-catching blue amidst a plain-text message), you reinforce
the suggestion that you are inviting discussion and response.
Where do these links lead the reader?
-------------------------------------
If you have a web site, the links can bring readers right into your
site to fill out a form, join a discussion forum, or complete a
registration for a program. Be sure to create a back-end automated
tracking system that will capture information about how many visitors
arrived by clicking a newsletter link, what they did when they
arrived, and other data points that will help you deepen your
relationship with them individually and en masse.
Realistic Outcomes
------------------
Quality e-newsletters take time to create and manage. Expect to devote
time to each issue for planning, writing, editing, layout and
production, distribution, and database management. A monthly e-
newsletter will require human and financial resources; I usually
counsel clients to start with a quarterly or bimonthly newsletter, as
it is preferable to increase frequency than to create the expectation
of more than you can consistently deliver.
As you create and distribute your newsletter, think carefully about
what specific result you want for each issue. What do you want a
reader to say, think or do as a result of receiving the newsletter?
Your desired outcome might be for readers to:
* Visit your web site
* Request additional information
* Sign up for a class or seminar
* Use a particular tool/resource
* Refer you to others
* Give you feedback
* Feel they can't live without you
All but the last of these desired outcomes are measurable and
relatively easy to communicate to readers. When reviewing your
newsletter content, ask yourself if what you want is clear. Put your
"call to action" in no uncertain terms, and make it easy for readers
to fulfil their side of the bargain by placing live links, contact
information and other next steps right in their path.
Within the context of your e-newsletter, your words can shape
opinions, behaviours, business decisions and profitable relationships.
Make your efforts pay off by understanding your purpose and how to
work toward it in every single issue.
E-Newsletters: A Guide for Publishers -- ISBN 1-904769-06-3
-----------------------------------------------------------
Are you creating or already running an e-newsletter for your
freelance or small business enterprise or for those of your clients?
Robin Neidorf's full report 'E-Newsletters: A Guide for Publishers'
is essential reading, providing details on the issues of style,
distribution, formatting and measurable outcomes for e-newsletters.
The report is also important reading for those who are part of larger
non-profits, academic institutions, corporations and corporate
departments who will find much to help them along the continuum toward
more effective electronic communications.
You can see a sample and purchase the report at:
<http://www.freepint.com/shop/report/>
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Robin Neidorf provides research and communications training, project
work and consulting through her company, Electric Muse. She helps
small business and nonprofit clients identify low-cost marketing
methods and is particularly skilled at helping clients find the right
combination of message, medium and audience to meet their goals.
Robin's articles on public relations, communications, research and
knowledge management have appeared in numerous business publications.
She is the co-author of E-Merchant: Retail Strategies for E-Commerce
(Addison Wesley, 2001) and is currently at work on a book on designing
and delivering distance learning curricula, scheduled for publication
in 2005. Contact her at <robin@electric-muse.com>.
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Related FreePint links:
* "E-Newsletters: A Guide for Publishers", Robin Neidorf, August 2004,
ISBN 1-904769-06-3 <http://www.freepint.com/shop/report/>
* 'Publishing' articles in the FreePint Portal
<http://www.freepint.com/go/p121>
* Post a message to the author, Robin Neidorf, or suggest
further resources at the FreePint Bar <http://www.freepint.com/bar>
* Read this article online, with activated hyperlinks
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/120804.htm#feature>
* Access the entire archive of FreePint content
<http://www.freepint.com/portal/content/>
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