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Using Newsletters To Communicate In Modern Times

Written by Alec James Friday, 30 October 2009 14:43

Over the last ten years the number of paper newsletters has increased dramatically; up to ten times more in the United States than previously. The same applies in Europe and elsewhere, and even as far away as Australia and New Zealand, though of course, all with somewhat lower numbers. This has happened mainly because of the current widespread growth in ownership of personal computers

Over the last ten years the number of paper newsletters has increased dramatically; up to ten times more in the United States than previously. The same applies in Europe and elsewhere, and even as far away as Australia and New Zealand, though of course, all with somewhat lower numbers. This has happened mainly because of the current widespread growth in ownership of personal computers

The fact is that newsletters, which need little in the way of extra skills other than those that most people who have a computer of their own and a desktop printer already have, can be published remarkably easily. Newsletters produced at home make a substantial contribution to the numbers of new publications on the market even though the quality of some may place them at the bottom end of the scale.

The figures for paper newsletters, although impressive, are not as dramatic as those for electronic newsletters. After all, nowhere near the same effort is required as for hard copy newsletter production. They don't have to be printed, processed and prepared before they are ready for distribution and no money has to be found to cover other costs such as paper and physical distribution.

E-newsletters, or ezines as they are more commonly called nowadays, are more popular than ever because they are produced electronically and distributed over computer networks, including of course, the ubiquitous Internet. The rise of these types of newsletters is nothing short of phenomenal. Every subject is covered and every conceivable group that can be thought of has become a recipient. In fact, they became established as the major form of communication for special interest groups during the first decade of the Internet.

The perception that the electronic format is not to be trusted is a hard one to dispel. People are still more used to the feeling of permanence that they get from paper newsletters compared to the fly-by-night reputation of some ezines. Also, there are many who have always readily believed what they read in print but who have a totally different perception of what they read online.

Over time, the continuing rise in numbers of Internet users will eventually mean that almost all newsletters are produced and distributed electronically. Currently though, if the readers of a newsletter, or a majority of them, do not have access to a computer, they will still prefer to receive a paper copy of their newsletter. The eventual adoption of electronically produced newsletters for everyone will be determined by the number of people who have easy and cheap Internet access.