Got a lemon? Make lemonade.Frank S. Joseph, publisher at Key Communications Inc., is a well-known consultant and DM copywriter, with clients throughout the newsletter industry. His thoughts on marketing, editorial, publishing and the future of the newsletter industry will appear in this space occasionally. You can reach Frank at 800-705-5353 or keycom@bellatlantic.net. Y2K See Y2K problem and Y2K compliant. Y2K - Year 2000 is a lemon if ever there was one. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. doomsayers, the "Year 2000 bug n. 1. (Computers) an error in the coding of certain computer programs in which the year portion of dates was represented by only two decimal digits, assuming that the first two digits are "19". In such a program the the year 1975 is represented as "75". " (casually known as Y2K) will either: (a) destroy civilization, (b) destroy every business, or (c) at a minimum be the granddaddy pain-in-the-butt of the New Millennium. To those choices I would add: (d) all of the above, (e) some of the above, and (f) none of the above. But don't ask me which answer is the right one. However, ask me what the average newsletter or specialized spe·cial·ize v. spe·cial·ized, spe·cial·iz·ing, spe·cial·iz·es v.intr. 1. To pursue a special activity, occupation, or field of study. 2. information publisher should do about Y2K, and I do have an idea. I suggest you send a personalized per·son·al·ize tr.v. per·son·al·ized, per·son·al·iz·ing, per·son·al·iz·es 1. To take (a general remark or characterization) in a personal manner. 2. To attribute human or personal qualities to; personify. letter to all your subscribers. It should go out in, say, September, and say something like this: * Here at Widget Pronounced "wih-jit," for decades, the term has been a popular word for a generic "thing" when there is no real name for it. It is often used to describe examples of made-up products along with other fictitious names; for example, "10 widgets, 5 frabbits and 2 dingits. News we're concerned about Y2K just like you. * Disruptions are possible. The mails could go haywire. Phone and fax service could, too. E-mail might not work right either. * So, as an advance preparation, please send us all the available ways we can contact you--all your phone and fax numbers, e-mail addresses See Internet address. e-mail address - electronic mail address , street address and PO. box. If we can't get you your Widget News issue to you one way, we'll get it to you another. * And just to be on the safe side, why not renew in advance right now? That way, you'll be protected if there are any Y2K disruptions. And to make certain you are protected, we'll send you a dated receipt saying when your subscription expires, so you'll have proof in case the computers all crash. Y2K is serious. You ought to be making certain right now that your company is Y2K-ready. If you decide to send the letter I'm suggesting, make sure it includes assurances of privacy protection for subscribers' phone, fax and e-mail numbers, as well as other customer-friendly safeguards. But if the Y2K lemon has lemonade potential, I say, "Bottoms up!" |
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