[New-hampshire-students] Fw: May 2009 NFB-NEWSLINE Happenings, the newsletter for Sponsors
Marie Johnson
jomar2000 at comcast.net
Mon Jun 1 19:07:11 UTC 2009
Hi folks,
Thought you may be interested in reading this newsletter particularly for the purpose of gaining a better handle on the usage stats.
Although we may not be gaining in Newsline subscribers , it's extremely nice to hear that we are 1 of the 4 states that comprise over 90 percent of local call rates.
This is a pretty good indication that the service continues to be of value to quite a few people in NH.
If you have any ideas on new marketing tips, I would be sincerely appreciative if you would send them on to me to follow up on.
As an FYI, I do post the Granite Bits on the local channel and will be adding Carol's BTB column as well.
Does anyone have any other suggestions that may be of interest to those going there for info?
I'm always open to any comments you may want to share..so.. feel free to comment!
Thanks for your help and support.
Marie
----- Original Message -----
From: Wilson, Joanne
Sent: Monday, June 01, 2009 1:13 PM
Subject: FW: May 2009 NFB-NEWSLINE Happenings, the newsletter for Sponsors
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NFB Affiliate Presidents:
Please find attached and below (in plain-text format) the May 2009 issue of NFB-NEWSLINE® Happenings, the monthly newsletter for our sponsors. This newsletter is provided to you for your information; should you have any questions please email Renee West at rwest at nfb.org.
Thank you.
Renee West
Manager, Marketing and Outreach
Sponsored Technology Programs
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore MD 21230
Phone: (410) 659-9314 ext. 2411
Fax: (410) 659-5129
Websites: www.nfb.org; www.nfbnewsline.org; www.nfbnewslineonline.org
Text of the May NFB-NEWSLINE Happenings follows:
NFB-NEWSLINE® HAPPENINGS-MAY 2009
Main Menu
Hello Sponsors! Things have certainly been busy with the NFB-NEWSLINE® team since we last wrote. We have been promoting our new initiatives, pursuing the addition of new publications, and working to make the service better for our subscribers. In the promotion of our new initiatives we may have even met you at a recent event! Scott White has attended a couple of conventions recently; including the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind and the NLS Northern/Southern Joint Regional conferences, and both Scott and Renee West will be busy attending conferences in early June. Also in the works are plans to promote NFB-NEWSLINE® to a wide array of audiences via various podcasts, Internet radio shows, and Webinars. If you would like to "tune in," here are some definite show dates:
The Guerra Show (www.theguerra.com), May 31st at 8, p.m. Eastern
Thru Our Eyes (www.thruoureyes.org), June 3 at 8 p.m. Eastern
Serotek, June 11th at 8 p.m. Eastern, you can hear the podcast of our discussion by visiting http://serotalk.com.
EASI Webinar (www.easi.cc). June 16 at 2 p.m. Eastern
As noted, we are approaching a variety of publications with a view to adding them to our roster; one magazine we're exploring for this purpose is NARFE Magazine. NARFE, the acronym for the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, has an award-winning monthly magazine that will be of special interest to current and former public employees. We'll be sure to let you know if and when this publication or any other is made available on our service.
The National Federation of the Blind's national convention is rapidly approaching. We have a total of 51 hours of exhibiting time, both in the exhibit hall and in our own private suite. Fifty-one hours means a lot of time offered to convention attendees so that they can learn about NFB-NEWSLINE® and the new initiatives, but it also means a great deal of assistance will be required. If you will be attending national convention and have some time to spare, please contact Renee West at rwest at nfb.org to volunteer. Further, please e-mail Renee if you would like to arrange for some time to speak with her or Scott White personally.
And, lastly, a request of those who administer subscriber data. When entering new subscriber phone numbers, or when changing the number of an existing subscriber, please make sure that the format you use in the phone number field is as so: 555-555-5555. Including parentheses in this field will cause an automatic rejection of that data. We sincerely appreciate your help in this regard.
Channel Chat
I've mentioned a few times how we've worked to make it easier for our sponsors to enlist a volunteer to help you to make full and innovative use of your local information channel. Some of you may have questions about finding someone to assist you in this way; if this is indeed so, please contact Renee West at rwest at nfb.org to find someone for this role. She'll happily work with you to locate a willing and capable individual to serve in this capacity.
Remember.this is YOUR space, so get out YOUR message!
JUST THE STATS, MA'AM
Along with the April showers we received a total of 764 new subscribers, that's up by nearly 5 percent over the number for March, with no small thanks to Florida once again in the lead! We received a total of 142,799 calls last month, which shows that this year is off to a running start where usage is concerned. In April, our four champions-- Connecticut, Delaware, New Hampshire and Washington, D.C.--all saw local call rates exceeding 90 percent, which is just super(fecta)!
Top Ten Minutes Used:
A total of 2,732,003 minutes of service were enjoyed in April. Contestants with a stake in the race are below. All of our contenders have got a good track record for excellent usage, and this month's medallist is Massachusetts, who has an increase of 2,530 minutes more than were reported for March!
1. California 285,703
2. New York 180,480
3. Massachusetts 173,249
4. Florida 159,201
5. Illinois 144,711
6. Ohio 134,973
7. Maryland 124,676
8. Texas 104,388
9. Pennsylvania 94,314
10. Virginia 86,068
Top Ten New Subscribers:
Our trophy-winning top ten showcases impressive gains in new members. Massachusetts and California are both trotting along nicely with each adding 11 more than were added in March, and Pennsylvania, who we haven't seen in this roster since December's numbers, certainly can do, can do! Kentucky, who knows how to place 'em, comes in the running with an addition of 24 members more than were added in March, a 150% increase! And finally, welcome to the starting gate, Maryland, my home state!
1. Florida, with 208
2. Texas, with 57
3. California, with 46
4. Kentucky, with 40
5. Illinois, with 30
6. Massachusetts, with 28
7. New Mexico, with 28
8. Pennsylvania, with 26
9. Virginia, with 26
10. Maryland, with 25
E-mail Superstars:
We are still working to resolve the issue that prevents us from properly displaying statistical data about the delivery of e-mails. We hope to have the situation fixed soon so that we can post the finalists! Although we don't have state-by-state statistics for e-mails sent, we do know that a total of 158,848 e-mails were delivered, which is a crowning achievement for this statistic!
Top Ten Registered Subscribers:
The contenders for our top ten registered have been around the track before; this month Florida breaks the 10,000 mark, and New York and Ohio are jockeying for position. Huzzah for our champions!
1. Florida, with 10,124
2. California, with 6,519
3. Maryland, with 2,969
4. Texas, with 2,704
5. Michigan, with 2,594
6. North Carolina, with 2,544
7. Wisconsin, with 2,314
8. New York, with 2,300
9. Ohio, with 2,232
10. Massachusetts, with 2,019
Congratulations, Everyone!
Six Super Sponsors!!!
Occasionally, I want to spotlight some of our sponsors who are doing a superb job of managing the NFB-NEWSLINE® service in their states. Whether providing valuable content via their Local Information Channel, actively promoting NFB-NEWSLINE® to varying audiences, or connecting with subscribers to ensure they reap the benefits of the service, the sponsors below deserve recognition of, and appreciation for, their efforts on behalf of their subscribers.
Firstly, applause goes to Massachusetts, who is using their Local Information Channel to provide space for updates from their state's Commission for the Blind. It would be of value to approach your state's agency for the blind to enquire as to how they might benefit from the use of this resource.
Kudos to Idaho, who made bus schedule information available on their channel! This information, which can be difficult to acquire for print-disabled individuals, is now readily accessible wherever and whenever it is needed. We'd be happy to explore providing this valuable information to your state's subscribers, you need only call!
Sponsors in both Iowa and New Jersey feature ads from local grocery stores on their channels. Many subscribers have told us that they wish that the circulars from supermarkets that are included with print newspapers could be made available to them over NFB-NEWSLINE®. You as a sponsor could play a key role in helping your subscribers by identifying a grocery store chain serving your state and working with us to place their circulars content on our service. Excellent work, New Jersey and Iowa!
Texas and Florida have been going gangbusters with their marketing efforts these past months! Steve Tompkins from Texas has been promoting the service at various fairs and meetings throughout the state, and Florida has been calling all NFB-NEWSLINE® subscribers in their state to try and build a relationship to their subscriber base. Both Florida and Texas have been building stronger relationships with subscribers; one way you can create this connection is by making follow-up calls to your subscribers a week or so after sending out the welcome letter. Many subscribers will need some assistance in becoming familiar with the service, and may need to have additional materials (like a Users' Guide) sent to them. Even simply providing your subscribers (both new and inactive) with their personal codes can make a big difference in their usage.
NFB-NEWSLINE® is the door that provides access to the world for members of the print-disabled community; you as the sponsor are the key to that door. Please contact Renee West if you need a new set of keys.
Your Monthly Helpful Hint
Please make sure to note in your next newsletter that subscribers can choose how they receive their NFB-NEWSLINE® emails (either with or without updates). Many subscribers who might enjoy receiving their publications in this way have turned off their e-mail delivery as they were unhappy receiving updates throughout the day, advising these individuals of the new options regarding e-mail delivery might rekindle their interest. Please note in your newsletter that by selecting the first-issue only option, NFB-NEWSLINE® subscribers will only receive the first issue of their favorite publications, instead of the first issue with all updates that are created. To turn the updates option on or off, you as the state sponsor will need to contact us at the National Office at this time.
We Need Your Help!
Support Braille Literacy and help provide blind children and adults with the tools they need to succeed by purchasing the Louis Braille Coin. Created in honor of the 200th birthday of Louis Braille, this beautiful coin is made of 90% silver and is the first US coin ever to feature readable Braille. Visit www.braille.org or call the National Federation of the Blind at (410) 659-9314, extension 2216 to learn how you can make change with a dollar!
Talk with you next month!
The NFB-NEWSLINE® Team
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