How to Distribute Information on the Internet.

By Mike Barnett, Broker CRS, GRI
VP, Technology--InternetCrusade™

I am quite often asked.... how to format information for digital dissemination to (many) people at once on the Internet... so that there are the least problems in reading the information.

Below is a question that came in from an Association Executive just recently....

"Mike, can you give me some pointers in what would be acceptable formatting in our E-newsletter recently purchased from the InternetCrusade? I guess we need to keep things pretty simple. No bold, tabs, or extra spaces. I looked at how the newsletter looked on a basic eMail editor and it wasn't very pretty. Thanks in advance for your help"

To discuss our options, please understand that in this example, the "mail-person" (method of delivering the E-message) will be the InternetCrusade(tm) "Web based" E-Newsletter.

This is one of our latest (and hottest selling) communication tools created to enhance distribution and dissemination of Information over the Internet. This product allows the user to create an E-Newsletter (on the Internet or their own computer and on the fly ;-) and distribute it to everyone at the push of a button.

This E-Newsletter can be changed as often as you like and sent as often as you want.... The beauty of this product is that you can add and delete people (eMail subscribers) without any real training using basic point-and-click Web tools.

It is simple. You go to a special website (on anyone's computer), you enter your eMail address and password, and then you add or delete subscribers without fear of duplication. Interestingly enough, you don't even have to own a computer because you can do this from any computer that has Internet Access.

The E-Newsletter is a type of Mail-List.... it is a "one-way Mail-List", meaning others CANNOT post returns back to the list. Instead, the E-Newsletter owner has the option to review or reject any reply or just tell the Web-Based software to not even allow return messages to be received.

So the question.... now that you have this powerful delivery vehicle, what is the best method to "Format" the E-Newsletter so that everyone will be able to read it.......

We have three choices at hand..... and you need to decide.... .

.1. will it be an eMail message?

..2. will it be an attachment to an eMail message? .

.3. will it be posted to a web page with an eMail announcement?

~~~1. If the E-Newsletter is copied and pasted (or created) in an eMail message, then you must consider that most people have different eMail client software -- all of which have different formatting features.... AOL is different from Netscape (although they might start looking similar now with the take-over ;-) which is different from Eudora which is different from Lotus which is different from Outlook and Outlook Express. In fact, within our company, each of our employees uses the same version Outlook and they all look different.

>>>To begin with,

as the question itself suggests... you want to keep the eMail message as 'basic' as possible

...DO NOT USE formatting characters, BOLD, underline, colors, different fonts, bullets.... for they will often appear differently than you intended.

...DO NOT USE "tabs" because everyone's tabs are set differently... .

..DO NOT USE paragraph returns (carriage returns... pressing Enter) except for the end of a paragraph. Rely on 'word-wrapping' to make things appear better. In most instances, without any extra carriage returns, you will be able to minimize and maximize the screen and all will look as intended (the operative word in that sentence is 'most')

...DO NOT USE TOO MANY CAPS because that is considered shouting on the Internet.

…In fact, the best suggestion I can make is that if you are going to prepare the message in eMail format, try using the other characters on the keyboard like-----

~~~~~~ ^^^^^^^^ >>>>>>><<<<<<< ********** (((()))) _______ --------

and other ASCII characters (on your keyboard) to emphasize words or phrases and/or to (((group items)))....

~~~2. If you are going to take your document and make it an attachment, you must make sure that everyone has the same "type" of software and the same "version" software as you are using. Also you need to make sure that their software is set up the same as yours if you want it to look the same on everybody's monitors. Sound like a challenge? It is…. Also, people have to be able to open attachments (and first notice that they are there ;-) Many people are reluctant to open attachments for fear of a "virus" bug.

~~~.3. The last choice -- posting as a web page -- is a very good solution… To most people, posting seems 'out of the question' because it is too hard or difficult.....

Here are the steps (simplified a little ;-)

..1. Create your document in your word processor (like Word). Add whatever formatting characters you like.

..2. Save your document "Save as HTML"

..3. Post to your web site with FTP software or FrontPage or other HTML editor

..4. Send a 'summary eMail' to the list with a hot hyperlink to your information

A quick tip is be sure to use the http:// so it becomes a hot link.

Samples:

~~~~~Visit http://InternetCrusade.com/MediaKit to find out about our seminar services....

~~~~~Visit http://InternetCrusade.com/RealTalk/Virus to learn about Back Orifice and NetBus Trojan Horse programs

Those (who know how to point and click) will find themselves reading your document on the Web...because everyone will be able to see it in their current Internet Browser. For those with older browsers, they can simply cut and paste your address into their URL address locator window.

The real advantage to this posting to the Web method is you begin to accumulate and archive the E-Newsletters. They are then "searchable"— and, in addition, they can be formatted (font, color, graphics) however you like...

~~~~~Visit http://InternetCrusade.com/MikeBarnett/postinginfo ;-) -------------------

Mike Barnett is VP of InternetCrusade™ http://InternetCrusade.com Mike@MikeBarnett.com