http://bspagnola.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by Barbara S. en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 03:50:33 GMT 2010-01-01T03:50:33Z en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 http://www.gather.com/images/header/logo_gather.gif http://www.gather.com/ http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356744 While planning your postcard campaign, you created your goals, offer and message for the postcard campaign. A critical component of the planning was to define your target audience. Your target audience . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 18:32:01 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356744 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T18:32:01Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356742 After two grueling years, you finally finished and self published your book. How will anyone find out about it? Your volunteer organization needs more volunteers to attend the annual beach clean-up . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 18:31:13 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356742 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T18:31:13Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356739 Your press release is ready to go. You have decided which audience you want to target and determined that your release is going to newspapers, magazines, internet wire services, and television and radio . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 18:28:10 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356739 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T18:28:10Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356737 You have painstakingly designed your postcards with attention grabbing photos, imagery and headline. You believe you have selected the best mailing list for your target audience. After all this careful . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 18:26:09 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356737 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T18:26:09Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356736 You have decided to write and distribute a Press Release about your upcoming lecture series that promotes your newly published novel. By following the accepted format established by media outlets, you . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 18:24:55 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356736 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T18:24:55Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356731 The most fundamental part of living in any free society is the ability to organize to form groups of people with similar interests. Often these are called Associations although there are a whole host of . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 18:23:41 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356731 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T18:23:41Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356726 Most of us think of postcards as something we send to our friends and relatives while we are away on vacation. But this communication piece is now favored by many businesses as well. Using postcards . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 18:18:28 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356726 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T18:18:28Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356725 A nonprofit is essentially like creating a business. It requires the same need to engage in serious planning much, as a business does, before filing the incorporation papers, and applying for your tax . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 18:16:58 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356725 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T18:16:58Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356722 A part of planning your postcard campaign included determining your target audience. You took the time to profile your current and potential customers to ensure your message is received by those who will . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 18:15:42 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356722 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T18:15:42Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356721 Have you noticed that sometimes you receive a postcard from a company every month or every quarter for a year? You ask yourself, "Why are they doing this? I don't need this now." Here is . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 18:14:37 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356721 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T18:14:37Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356720 How do newspapers, magazines, television and radio stations get their news? How can they possibly know about Silicon Valley's latest product; the promotion of Bob Smith at the Acme Company; the results . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 18:13:38 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356720 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T18:13:38Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356714 You have decided you need to distribute a Press Release to the local newspapers about your upcoming lecture at the neighborhood library. You also think that the listeners at local radio station FM 99.9 . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 18:10:26 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356714 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T18:10:26Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356711 Most journalists have been taught that they must be able to answer the five Ws before they have a credible piece of journalism. The five Ws are Who, What, When, Where and Why. It seems so simple, doesn't . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 18:06:35 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356711 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T18:06:35Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356709 Your Press Release is ready to go. Now you have to determine what audience would be the most interested in reading or hearing about it. But it is also important to think about where these people are located . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 18:05:33 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356709 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T18:05:33Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356707 One of the guidelines for writing an effective Press Release is to write in the third person. You want to avoid "I", "You", "We", "Us" because you are reporting . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 18:04:54 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356707 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T18:04:54Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356706 The United States Postal Service (USPS) has different postage guidelines dependent upon how fast you want your postcard delivered; the size of the postcard; whether or not you are a non-profit organization . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 18:04:02 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356706 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T18:04:02Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356704 Planning is the key to a successful postcard campaign. There are a number of questions you need to ask yourself beforehand. Your answers will help drive your campaign to success. What do you hope . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 18:02:43 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356704 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T18:02:43Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356703 When planning for your Press Release, you decide who would be the most interested in hearing your story as well as where your audience is located. If you are releasing information about a local public . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 18:01:44 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356703 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T18:01:44Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356694 There was the classic TV Show and more recently the movie, "Dragnet". The main character, Sergeant Joe Friday, was known for the quotation, "Just the facts ma'am, just the facts." . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 17:56:41 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356694 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T17:56:41Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356692 You probably wonder how the small amount of space on a postcard conveys all the information about your offer, your company and the advantages you have over your competitors. Postcards must be attention . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 17:55:36 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356692 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T17:55:36Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356689 When you meet someone for the very first time either you remember something very good about the person or you remember something very bad about them. It doesn't matter how delightful the person might . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 17:54:22 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356689 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T17:54:22Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356688 Postcards are the perfect communication piece for announcing a new product, offering time specific discounts or merely asking the recipient to get in contact with you. In all these circumstances, the postcard . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 17:53:16 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356688 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T17:53:16Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356685 Creating a successful direct marketing program involves clean data records with highly deliverable addresses. Cleaning, enhancing and filling the gaps in your in-house files will mean cost effective postage . . . Thu, 29 May 2008 17:50:58 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977356685 Barbara S. 2008-05-29T17:50:58Z