Calling all publishers, editors, journalists and freelance writers. Now’s the time to breathe more life into your copy. Turn your articles into living pieces that spark measurable debate and that allows you to engage with your readers mind and soul - we’re talking revolution.
As it was in the beginning
Publishers have for many years relied on letters to get feedback from their readers and although email has opened up this method of communication it is still time consuming and difficult to process with only a fraction of the received correspondence ever being used.
As well as being an overhead for the publisher, to most people it is an unrewarding medium in terms of the amount of effort required and response received, just consider the number of letters that go unpublished and unread.
As it is now
New channels of communication have been created by the Internet and this in turn has created opportunities that allow us to challenge traditional methods. The Internet has matured, no longer the preserve of computer geeks but an everyday technology that has been embraced globally, by the young and old, allowing the traditional way things were done to be re-evaluated. Newspapers, trade journals, magazines and ezines now have the opportunity to change the mental process.
When people read an article that provokes thought they appreciate the opportunity to comment either by writing a letter, sending an email or writing a comment. Emails make communication easier but they still take time to compose and time for the majority, is what they haven’t got.
Although of interest a letters page is at best a snapshot of views or if comments have been allowed an unmanaged and often never ending list of comments; they may be well crafted and well written but due to the free text form, collectively they are views that are notoriously difficult to measure.
As it should be
Now consider the advantages of linking articles to online surveys where as a publisher you will have the ability to obtain valuable feedback from your readers and in a form that can be easily measured. Just as important as you communicating with your readers is providing your readers with a channel to communicate with you; a method where they know it will count.
Want an instant snapshot of opinion? Did they like the article? Did the readership agree with what was said or do they have a different view?
Now it is easy
Historically surveys would have taken considerable effort to design and publish and altogether was a process too long winded and often reserved only for the niche and bigger topics.
However, using a hosted survey site surveys and questionnaires can be created and published via the Internet by anyone who has a pulse. Professional looking surveys and questionnaires created in minutes that make the perfect complement to articles that prompt opinion and debate.
The advantage over letters, e-mails and comments are that all the feedback is properly managed and measured and sites like Survey Galaxy will provide you with a real time poll that you can either keep to yourself or share with your readers.
It can be complementary
Link each article to an online survey and not only extend the life of the article as people have a channel to express their views, but involve your readers in the discussion where they now know their opinion will be counted.
You think people will still want to send an email? - not a problem - just include the facility within the survey and get the best of both worlds.
It’s fast, low cost, and easy to do; it will engage and empower the reader, provide excellent feedback and having established a dialogue you then have the opportunity to link to other related articles.
Take the opportunity to register your view of this article here:- Readership Feedback Survey
Technorati Tags: articles, feedback, Online surveys, publishing, readers, writing
source: http://www.historiography-project.org/video/one-third/09.html
Years ago, when I was working at Powell’s, a first-time author called me on the phone. We’d never spoken, but I knew about her new book because in a previous career she’d recorded several indie records that made it big in my hometown. I’d recognized her name in the publisher’s catalog.
Members of the Jus’ Sistahs Book Club of Dallas discuss SWEET GEORGIA BROWN by Cheryl Robinson, February 29, 2008 - 7 PM CST at Half Price Books, 5803 E. Northwest Hwy., Dallas, TX 75231