Comments on: Garden Newsletters http://blog.douggreensgarden.com/garden-newsletters/ (you just never know what's going on in his world) Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:38:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Doug http://blog.douggreensgarden.com/garden-newsletters/comment-page-1/#comment-67700 Doug Sat, 18 Jul 2009 12:15:30 +0000 http://blog.douggreensgarden.com/?p=1533#comment-67700 <a href="#comment-67652" rel="nofollow">@Kristin</a> - Interesting take on information - thanks. I think a lot of folks on the Net would rather hunt for an hour than pay for information - but most of the time that's for specific information. I wonder about a specific body of information - like "everything" you need to know about building a boat (compared to how much time that would take to hunt down). So do you hunt down *all* the info you need in a new subject matter you know nothing about or would you purchase a real book or an ebook on the subject? Or is that still something you'd hunt down? @Kristin -
Interesting take on information – thanks. I think a lot of folks on the Net would rather hunt for an hour than pay for information – but most of the time that’s for specific information. I wonder about a specific body of information – like “everything” you need to know about building a boat (compared to how much time that would take to hunt down). So do you hunt down *all* the info you need in a new subject matter you know nothing about or would you purchase a real book or an ebook on the subject? Or is that still something you’d hunt down?

]]> By: Kristin http://blog.douggreensgarden.com/garden-newsletters/comment-page-1/#comment-67652 Kristin Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:05:49 +0000 http://blog.douggreensgarden.com/?p=1533#comment-67652 I'm a brand new Doug reader. I happened upon a video of yours about plucking petunias and it was the exact info I was looking for. Everything else I found had no detail and atop that it would be split into chunks of 1 minute videos such as 1) Here is a petunia 2) petunias grow 3) petunias have leaves (i think you get the idea). This is because they show an ad before every video - i find this takes up too much of my time and won't use those sites for information anymore. I personally like to have alot of information in my email because i often go through my emails when i'm not online because I'm on the laptop away from any internet connection (my son thinks I watch all of his hockey practices when in fact I'm in the car cleaning out email). I do, however, think that at some point everyone will be connected all the time no matter where you go. Your option #1 is one of those things I haven't been able to take to because paying for information that I can find elsewhere makes me feel icky. Even if it takes me an hour I will keep searching instead of paying and I can't read a whole magazine at a computer. Very soon I hope to be getting one of those handheld devices that allow you to download books and magazines and I personally can't wait for them to come out at a reasonable price. If you offered a full magazine for download to one of these I'd subscribe! I won't subscribe to anything paper - not for any god reason like being a tree-hugger - I just hate the messiness of piles of paper. So this is my .02 and I'm just glad someone that knows stuff that I want to know cares enough to ask so I thought it only courteous to give some feedback. I’m a brand new Doug reader. I happened upon a video of yours about plucking petunias and it was the exact info I was looking for. Everything else I found had no detail and atop that it would be split into chunks of 1 minute videos such as 1) Here is a petunia 2) petunias grow 3) petunias have leaves (i think you get the idea). This is because they show an ad before every video – i find this takes up too much of my time and won’t use those sites for information anymore.

I personally like to have alot of information in my email because i often go through my emails when i’m not online because I’m on the laptop away from any internet connection (my son thinks I watch all of his hockey practices when in fact I’m in the car cleaning out email). I do, however, think that at some point everyone will be connected all the time no matter where you go.

Your option #1 is one of those things I haven’t been able to take to because paying for information that I can find elsewhere makes me feel icky. Even if it takes me an hour I will keep searching instead of paying and I can’t read a whole magazine at a computer. Very soon I hope to be getting one of those handheld devices that allow you to download books and magazines and I personally can’t wait for them to come out at a reasonable price. If you offered a full magazine for download to one of these I’d subscribe! I won’t subscribe to anything paper – not for any god reason like being a tree-hugger – I just hate the messiness of piles of paper.

So this is my .02 and I’m just glad someone that knows stuff that I want to know cares enough to ask so I thought it only courteous to give some feedback.

]]> By: Doug http://blog.douggreensgarden.com/garden-newsletters/comment-page-1/#comment-67650 Doug Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:59:58 +0000 http://blog.douggreensgarden.com/?p=1533#comment-67650 <a href="#comment-67621" rel="nofollow">@Kathy J, Washington Gardener Mag</a> - Ask your readers. :-) I do this all the time - use an online survey to see what those who use the Net prefer. They'll tell you. And in any case, my .02 is to do either or both - it's too easy now to upload an html document and also turn the doc itself into a pdf. i.e. "Like this information? Download it right here for your notes" The key point is to make it easy for your readers to get what you're offering. Maybe make all the new issues behind a membership gate (use your membership address or label code to get in) and then publish all issues over a year old to the Net for general consumption and hopefully to increase readership. Make an ebook of all past years back issues for your readers (a yearly pdf bonus for readers) There's tons of things you can do to add value to your subscriber list. Be the local go-to people for info and resources. etc etc. Really easy to say! But a lot more work to do. :-) If you're going to Raleigh, maybe we should chat over a beer? :-) @Kathy J, Washington Gardener Mag -
Ask your readers. :-) I do this all the time – use an online survey to see what those who use the Net prefer. They’ll tell you. And in any case, my .02 is to do either or both – it’s too easy now to upload an html document and also turn the doc itself into a pdf. i.e. “Like this information? Download it right here for your notes”

The key point is to make it easy for your readers to get what you’re offering.

Maybe make all the new issues behind a membership gate (use your membership address or label code to get in) and then publish all issues over a year old to the Net for general consumption and hopefully to increase readership. Make an ebook of all past years back issues for your readers (a yearly pdf bonus for readers) There’s tons of things you can do to add value to your subscriber list. Be the local go-to people for info and resources. etc etc.

Really easy to say! But a lot more work to do. :-) If you’re going to Raleigh, maybe we should chat over a beer? :-)

]]> By: Kathy J, Washington Gardener Mag http://blog.douggreensgarden.com/garden-newsletters/comment-page-1/#comment-67621 Kathy J, Washington Gardener Mag Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:41:49 +0000 http://blog.douggreensgarden.com/?p=1533#comment-67621 Just working on revamping our mag's monthly Enewsletter and grappling with this - PDF or HTML? Mail it to all or put on site and just mail invite to view it? Just working on revamping our mag’s monthly Enewsletter and grappling with this – PDF or HTML? Mail it to all or put on site and just mail invite to view it?

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