Frank Bardack--one newsletter with consistent renewal rates, no special reports or surveys, no seminars, no website, no e-mail updates.

Frank Bardack's story at Interwood Publishing is one that once was perhaps "typical" of the newsletter business, but now seems bathed in the warm light of last-century nostalgia.

A quarter-century ago, after a 20-year career in advertising, with agencies on the creative side, Frank was looking for a new career.

He wanted one which--

* Continued to involve writing

* Could allow him to remain in Cincinnati

* Could allow him to have his own business.

Doing some research, he hit upon newsletter publishing and then subscribed to The Newsletter on Newsletters.

"The next spring, 1980, I saw a notice in NL/NL that Plus Publications, a Washington, D.C., multi-title publisher, was in bankruptcy and an auction of newsletter properties was going to be held," Bardack said. (See sidebar.)

"I attended and purchased Health Labor Relations Report, It seemed to me a title that wasn't tied to the 'Inside the Beltway' Washington area, one which I could research and publish from Cincinnati."

Adds second title

For the next ten years he published it twice monthly. In 1985, Bardack added a second title, the monthly Mental Health Law News.

"Doing research for the labor relations newsletter, I came across more and more news in the mental health law area. And, besides, the mid-1980s were difficult times for labor in the health area (it was the Reagan union-busting years, you'll remember), and the mental health area seemed secure from those problems," Bardack said.

In 1988, Bardack sold the labor relations title. "I was ready to slow down a little and putting out both titles was getting to be too much," he said.

Some newsletters can be published anywhere

Then in 2001, making another major decision, Bardack said to his wife, "Why are we still living in Cincinnati, down on the Kentucky border, where the long, hot summers are followed by hot falls?

'So we looked for someplace cooler to relocate. We're both from 'back East' and we picked Freeport, Maine. I wanted to be someplace nice but close to a city (Portland's only a 10-minute drive) where I knew I could find printers and mail houses, etc."

Being a small operation, he says it isn't a problem for him that in Freeport it's a lot easier to buy a new pair of L.L. Bean duck shoes than hire a newsletter marketing specialist.

"Actually," Bardack said, "Maine abounds in writers and other freelancers available if you need their services."

Marketing

Regarding marketing, Bardack is again a traditionalist. "I use a full sample issue in my direct mail and always have. To be honest, Plus had been doing it that way and I didn't see reason to change. At one time, though, looking to save some money on printing and postage, I tested using a partial sample issue. Response fell off, so I went back."

In 2004 he reports that response to his direct mail is seeing a "slight decrease" but not a large one, and renewal rates have been consistent.

Over the years, Bardack said, he has "thought about" doing special reports or surveys or sponsoring seminars, but he hasn't ever done any of those.

Unsolicited testimonial: "Pretty much everything I've learned about newsletter publishing has come from The Newsletter on Newsletters and attending several newsletter association conferences," Bardack said.

Interwood doesn't have a website. They don't get online orders, don't do e-mail marketing or offer an e-letter update.

"What I use the internet for is research and it has made that a lot easier. I don't really have competition from the internet.

"What I do in Mental Health Law News is summaries and condensations of legal cases in the field. Westlaw online is an excellent site for this type of material, but it's pricey. If they wanted, my subscribers could get a lot of what I publish online from Westlaw, but for a lot more money."

Interwood Publishing, 4 Arnold Road, Freeport, ME, 207-865-9800, [e-mail]