ForeThought: Demand and supply

February 2, 2010 | Galynn Nordstrom

Last issue I talked about the prevalence and importance of using social media marketing for two-way conversations with customers, and then cannily covered all my bases by adding that it isn’t only electronic conversations that need to be kick-started in 2010. But now that it’s February and time to be thinking about production of the annual Review Buyer’s Guide, I’m going to pretend that I never got off the topic of online utility.

In February, many of you will be receiving an e-mail about the 2010 Review Buyer’s Guide. Because we’re making some changes this year, I’m going to put my journalistic training to hard use here and answer all your questions in advance:

What: the Specialty Fabrics Review Buyer’s Guide is a comprehensive annual resource of industry products and suppliers. It’s our biggest print issue, and our most-visited resource on www.specialtyfabricsreview.com as well. (Although I am determined to surpass it with my blog.)

Why: for suppliers, it gets your product information to thousands of potential customers, all year long. For manufacturers, it puts thousands of industry products at your fingertips, both in print and online.

When: an e-mail to potential participants will be sent in mid-February. Deadline for submitting information is March 25th. And we mean it.

Where: The Buyer’s Guide will be published in May, 2010, and posted online as well as mailed to all Review readers. My call to Steve Jobs about also adding it to all new iPads hasn’t been answered yet, but the world will definitely have access.

Who: as in previous years, IFAI members and advertisers in that issue (members and nonmembers) are eligible to be included. And now, the big one …

How: the e-mail this month will provide both instructions and a login ID for participants to access the buyer’s guide website. Eligible companies will be able to update contact information and select product listings online.

That’s right—we’ll be saving trees, time and trouble because we will not mail you forms and instructions. And the information you submit will be uploaded directly to our database, ensuring that what you enter will be what we print.

This year’s online conversation will also allow you to: view and update your information in all seven IFAI buyer’s guides as needed; change your information at any time before that publication’s posted deadline; and update your membership directory information as well. Eligibility requirements and product categories differ for each publication, so you will need to enter information for each one that’s relevant to your business. But once you’re done, you’re done for the year; and you can go back to reading my blog and posting insightful responses.

Have keyboard, will travel.

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