The Community Advantage

The Community Advantage
by Lois M. Jeary, March 2004

If you've been working online for any length of time, you already
know that it's pretty tough trying to 'do' everything by
yourself. Without the assistance and guidance of fellow publishers and mentors, you would not come as far as you have in
your business.

The right software can also eliminate some of the workload, but
it's the people we come into to contact with and the
relationships we build that are vital to our success.

Sharing Knowledge and Skills

This is why forums have become so popular. They offer advice,
suggestions and assistance to those looking for answers. It's a
great way to develop your internet presence while helping others
to succeed. Websites that offer 'how-to' tutorials or videos are
also gaining recognition and popularity.

Eliminate the Need For eMail

If I was just starting out and had to rely on email as my method
of delivery today, I would not start publishing. When I first
started publishing KIT in 2001, delivering my content and
receiving feedback from my readers was a relatively simple task.

Today, it's become something of a nightmare. You see more
publishers sending out notes to let you know that if you didn't receive the latest issue, it probably got killed by the filters.
I would suggest that another reason for this second notice is
that publishers are no longer receiving the kinds responses they
are used to when they send out their latest issue.

Each time we step up our level of security or protection by
switching from single opt-in to double opt-in for instance, our subscribers are also being asked to jump through hoops just to
stay with us.

The reason: email is broken. Until the protocol for email is
modified, you will continue to see invalid email addresses, false
headers, spoofing and phishing scams that directly affect your
business while putting everyone at risk. It's time to put an end
to this risk.

Direct To Desktop Publishing

There are no two ways about it. If you are a publisher, you know
how much time, effort and commitment is involved to put out good
content on a regular basis.

Now add all the nonsense that goes hand in hand with publishing
through email today. Masking words so they don't trip the
filters. Invalid email addresses. Handling bouncebacks. ISP
blocking and filtering. The list goes on and on and it's costing
you.

Using the rss (real simple syndication) technology to deliver
your content is the best solution I've come across in a long
time. All your subscriber is required to do is download what is
known as a reader and from then on, all your content arrives on
their desktop automatically and unaltered. It's also cross-
browser, cross-platform friendly at Quikonnex. That's why I
chose them. You don't have to worry about which browser or
operating system your readers use. Unlike a regular weblog, the
rss feed updates your content automatically which means you don't
have to send out a message telling your readers that your content
has been updated.

And don't be concerned about it being a 'new technology' because
Quikonnex was made for those of us without a techie degree. They
believe in support and live training. They even created their
own reader called QuikView which you can customize. It's also a
bookmark server so you can add your favorite links and access
everything from any computer.

You're still notified when someone subscribes to your site. You
can track your ad campaigns. Your readers can comment directly
on items you post. And the beauty is that it's all done from one
place. Once you see how easy it is, you will wonder why you are
sticking with email as your delivery method. Take a look at:
http://quikonnex.com/channel/quikview/home4success
and you'll see for yourself how easy it is to become a member of
the Quikonnex community and that membership in Quikonnex
definitely has it's privileges. Give it a try. It won't cost
you a thing and you will be pleasantly surprised.

Direct To Desktop Communication

And since email has become so unreliable, the creators of
Quikonnex even developed their own direct to desktop
communication medium called QMTP. Membership in Quikonnex will
give you access to this system. Connect with your fellow
publishers or subscribers without having to wade through your
email client to do it. For me it's been an effective alternative
to email.

Web Conferencing

The latest addition to Quikonnex is web conferencing. Imagine
being able to show your readers how your latest software works or
help them with a problem on their computer. What about training
through a web conference? The possibilities are endless. As a
Quikonnex member, you'll be able to set up your own web
conference room.

Valuable Real Estate

Anyone connected to the internet will use their browser to gain
access to different websites. And since Quikonnex resides as a
sidebar tool in your browser, you and your readers will have easy
access to everything you need. This sidebar can also be
customized to carry your logo as well as links to your website.
Now that's viral marketing.

The Community Advantage

The advantage of building and working within a community is that
you aren't left on your own trying to 're-invent the wheel'.
Working as a team can benefit your business in numerous ways
because you can share ideas, expand your marketing efforts and
brainstorm with like-minded and innovative individuals.

And that's why I believe the Quikonnex system is perfect for
anyone serious about their publishing efforts. It's quick, it's
clean and it's safe and gives you a simple way to stay connected
to your readers. And isn't that what it's all about? Staying
connected?