For many years businesses and organizations found it difficult to maintain the ongoing requirements of publishing and distributing company newsletters.  Although the desire was in place, most small businesses lacked the staffing and resources necessary to support a sustained newsletter initiative. Maintaining continuity and frequency required discipline and follow through, particularly for weekly or monthly publications, and many well-intended campaigns fizzled out after the first few editions.

Fortunately, email and newsletter template publishing software has helped change the landscape, allowing any size business to more efficiently publish and distribute newsletters to any number of customers. Printed hard copies and postage costs have been significantly reduced by newsletter-in-a-box solutions and email delivery. Companies like Constant Contact have paved the way for mass adoption of newsletter campaigns.

Businesses have, for the most part, always recognized the value of communicating with their customer base, and today there is a multitude of ways to accomplish this vital activity.  In addition to email promotions, texting, surveys, newsletters, online media and social networking, telephone systems and call centers continue to provide vital means of contact. And, like newsletters, Message-On-Hold programs provide a cost-effective opportunity to disseminate targeted information to customers and prospects.  No other medium (not even newsletters!) delivers information within such a focused one-on-one environment to such a motivated audience of existing and potential users of your products and services.

So, if you have jumped on the newsletter “bandwagon”, and have implemented Message-On-Hold services, be sure that there is integration between the two.  Many companies and healthcare organizations will coordinate the update frequency of both, and make a point that they share some content.  This alignment between newsletter and Message-On-Hold will reinforce delivery of your timely announcements and promotions, raise awareness of your latest activities and enhance the distribution of valuable information.

James Cameron’s "Avatar" movie will soon be the largest grossing movie of all time, passing Cameron’s other monster hit, "Titanic".  There’s been no shortage of promotion or hype around this blockbuster movie.

The creativity and originality surrounding these promotions may be as distinctive as the movie itself.  HOLDCOM’s partner Oddcast, developed a unique online promotion for McDonalds which allows website visitors to create custom "avatars" of themselves by uploading their photos into a special software program. Titled "Avatarize Yourself", this is just another example of viral marketing, something in which Oddcast helps their clients excel.  Also, check out programs designed for eTrade, Progressive Insurance, Sonic, and more at www.oddcast.com. 

Holdcom has been working with Oddcast since 2004, providing Professional Voice Talent recordings to match their interactive "avatars".  HOLDCOM was excited to partner with this new up-and-coming internet media marketing company.  From corporate reads to character voices, HOLDCOM continues to answer Oddcast's requests as technology continues to change.

Feel free to leave your comments about the movie "Avatar" or your thoughts regarding these type of Social Media marketing programs.