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Thank you for subscribing to The '5Ns' Newsletter. Hope you enjoyed the first two issues and found something useful and interesting. It's still busy and there's still just one guy here. No plans for that situation to change, at least not until the time is right.
This week's focus is on establishing an online business, constructing a system, identifying priorities and getting it all done in the most efficient way, ideally, as soon as possible.
Do You set priorities?
Last time I promised, that although I'm not surprised that issues are overdue, I will try harder. Believe me, I tried... and still trying. No excuse for not having everything ready. Certainly not a case of the old "analysis paralysis". Just trying to get all my ducks in a row before releasing this beast on an unsuspecting cyber community. ~( :- ))
I'm still enthused and motivated, probably more than ever, and the inevitable distractions, mentioned last time, are within the setting up of various bits of the overall system and the website.
Experience has shown what happens when establishing an online business, or introducing another aspect, and you release a partly constructed product. Especially when that product is intended for subscriber participation.
Just imagine if you're constructing a system for subscribers to use, if they choose to, and you don't have any instructions for them. Even worse if the darn thing's full of glitches. Doesn't bear thinking about.
People get restless and fidget, even when told in advance that things are not fully operational. That's often part of the reason for high dropout. I've been there and seen it happen to an old friend. It's demoralising to see those you attracted walk away disappointed. As always, they tend to blame the organiser and I refuse to let that happen here.
And yet the experts say "Just get your project out there; get it moving. Finish it or fix it afterwards." Not the way I'm made, I'm afraid. Can't see a duff start doing a bunch of good for one's reputation. Wouldn't work in this case anyway. And so, I plod on. The wait will be worth it for those who are waiting. Meanwhile, I write. It will be ready when it's ready. ~( :-o)
This is being written and published as if there were an audience already, knowing that the audience will come when invited and that there will be some material ready for them. The diligent ones will find these newsletters, read them and understand. No doubt this area's been found already by somebody.
The delay is not about perfection but more about seamless integration of the various system components, Plus... functionality of the whole thing needs to be tested. Adjustments are almost inevitable and something like this is an ongoing project in any case. Perfection can come later. ~( :- ))
So, about prioritising, you know the 80/20 Rule I suspect, which states that 80% of the value of a list of tasks lies within 20% of the tasks on your list. Simple formula to remember and a great aid to setting priorities. List your tasks and, if you have 20 listed, decide which 4 tasks are the most important.
Be careful though... don't confuse urgent with important. Often the things seen as urgent are not as urgent as the important things.
Then, when you have identified your 4 or 5 most important, or most value producing, tasks - decide their own order of importance and get on with them, starting at #1. Work it until done, then work your way through the other 3 or 4.
There yuh go... that's got you sorted. That's what setting priorities looks like. Easy enough, isn't it? All I have to do now is follow my own advice. If only this man had a smaller task list... or maybe just stop adding to it might help.
Spam Protection
This is a short newsletter, at least comparatively, but early in its life I feel the need to explain why the full copy doesn't get sent by eMail. Quite simple really. It's all the hoops to go through to get it right. Even then there's no guarantee that it will make it past your ISP's filters.
As well as formatting for the web it has to be re-formatted for eMail. Not only that, it has to be checked for words which are known to trigger spam filters. That's why, in the example which follows, there are strange punctuations and characters used to split and disguise the trigger words. It looks messy and makes the text hard to read.
Then there are those who want text whilst others want the attractive html. That would save a bit of work and time, certainly look better, but whichever way, the very size of it might cause a problem. It wouldn't suit everybody. Maybe I shouldn't talk as much ~( :- ?) but the size isn't entirely my fault.
What follows is a recommendation given to me as a member when subscribing to i-Cop. I hope I'm not infringing copyright by posting this but, as it's for the general good of all who read it and market by eMail, I don't anticipate any repercussions. I'm sure JL will understand if I add that i-Cop is the source and is an ethical body which offers good advice.
Anyway... here's what she wrote (in blue). The black text and strange punctuation are my added contribution.
I recommend that you add a legal notice to your subscription 'Thank You' page and also to every ezine newsletter issue that you send out. Something along the lines of the following…
"You receive this eMail newsletter because it was requested
from your eMail address and confirmed by someone at your
address through our double opt-in sub.scription procedure.
We do *not* use or condone sp.am and we *will* take action
against unjustified or false sp.am accusations against us.
Therefore:-
The sub.scriber agrees, by accepting this email newsletter,
to indemnify the pub.lisher against false sp.am accusations
to include, but not limited to, pa.yment of all damages, loss
of web hosting fe.es and services, all damages for loss of
busi.ness and goodwill, and any and all fe.es or fines that
may be imposed against the pub.lisher by any federal,
state, local authority or civilian busi.ness entity as a result
of the false sp.am accusation made by the sub.scriber."
Add the above paragraph, or something similar, just above your ezine unsubscribe link.
Maybe now you understand, if you didn't already, why I choose to post to the web with a short summary by eMail. Imagine adding that lot to the bottom of my newsletter, as well as full contact details which are now also required.
I know we're supposed, or advised, to give the customer what they want but, like everything else in life, we can't always have everything exactly as we would like it. The customer, in this case a FREE subscriber, must realise that.
This is not being clever, an inflated ego, or me trying to buck the system, but the way I see it, if a customer sees value in something and wants it, but can't have it delivered exactly how, when or where (s)he would like, and has to go to the tiniest bit of trouble to get it... they will take the trouble.
Entirely different situation where paid services are concerned. The above relates only to the newsletter and has nothing to do with laziness. The web is accessible 24/7 (barring tech probs) and there's no lock on the door. 'nuff said.
I don't claim or aspire to being a literary genius, but feel there is value here. And I don't write this stuff just for the fun of it, although I DOreally get pleasure from the writing. Who knows, one day I might win an award. ~( :- )) Maybe not for diplomacy though, eh? After all, Ogden Nash got away with it.
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