Printed Newsletter vs. electronic alternatives:
You may already use a printed Newsletter on a regular basis and be wondering if you should be saving the printing and postage costs by switching to an electronic alternative. There are options during the conversion. After you read these options, you should have a good idea how these components all need to work together.
Comparison of Newsletter Media Types
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Media Type
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Advantages |
Disadvantages |
Printed |
- Arrives at the home
- No hardware needed to read
- Can be read away from the computer (in bed or bath)
- Can be filed and shared with others
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- Expensive to print & mail
- Can’t be updated as quickly or often
- Depending on budget may not include color photos
- Not searchable
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Website |
- Can update frequently for little or no additional expense
- Can include unlimited color images
- Length is not an issue
- Can cross reference within site and to other sites
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- Not everyone uses the web
- Connection speed influences amount of time spent online
- The user must make the effort to go there, it doesn’t come to them
- It can’t be read away from the computer
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E-mailed |
- Can send frequently for little or no cost
- Can include links to more info on your own website or on other websites
- Can also be sent in html format so that it displays as web page inside mail reader
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- Do you have email addresses for all your Subscription Members?
- Not everyone has email access
- What about those who don’t have email?
- If it is text only, it might be considered boring (no images)
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If you already have a printed Newsletter the next step might be to use it to survey your Subscription Members to determine their ability to access the web and email. Here are a few possible questions to include:
- Do you have email? Please provide your address here:
- How often do you access your email?
- Is it setup for text only or can it receive images and HTML pages?
- Do you have access to the Internet?
- Do you have a dial-up account or a high-speed broadband account?
- How often do you read material on the Internet vs. reading printed pieces?
This approach allows you to collect email addresses and decide if an emailed Newsletter would be read, as well as if it should be a text-only newsletter or if sending an HTML newsletter (formatted with images) would also work for your Subscription Members.
Electronic Delivery Methods
Now that you’ve collected email addresses you can start sending an electronic newsletter. There are many methods to deliver your message.
Basic Tickler |
This text-only approach includes a sentence or two about each article with a link to the article on your website. Good for busy readers so they can follow links and read selectively. |
Self-Contained Text |
This approach tells the reader everything within the email without needing to jump to links on a website. (Particularly good if you don’t have a website yet!) Can be read off-line. |
Self-Contained HTML |
Like the text only but is visually presented and includes graphic images. Readers must have their email program configured to read this format. |
Attachment |
Send the completed Newsletter as an Acrobat PDF file. Readers must have the free Acrobat Reader. Be sure the PDF is optimized for the web. Never send large files. Don’t use Word files as they can hide viruses. |
Subscription |
Any of these approaches may be sent to your entire database (if you’re a membership organization) or to those who choose to get it by subscribing via your website. If you use your own database always provide a way to un-subscribe otherwise it is considered spam. Subscription management interfaces are used to add, delete, or modify subscriber and subscription data. The interface can be a Web application that runs on your web site. |
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The Methods and Media Types Work Together
In the best of all worlds you would continue to mail your printed Newsletter on a consistent basis and use it to point readers to your website where they’ll find additional and expanded information related to the printed articles. This means your website will be updated at a minimum every time you publish a printed Newsletter. Between Newsletters use the Basic Tickler email (or another type of emailed newsletter) to keep your Subscription Members up to date on time-sensitive information, invite them to take an action and direct them to new items on your website.
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