September 2003 corporate    services    portfolio    news Hi, Life seems faster than the Internet these days! And speaking of the Internet, we're pleased to introduce a ton of new content on our web site. Our News section now includes industry perspectives and an e-bulletin archive with all past issues of "On Track". Our Corporate section now features our partners and member associations. And our Portfolio has been totally redesigned and updated. Our goal is to keep www.cardcommunications.com fresh and up-to-date with anything that's interesting and relevant to e-marketing. Let us know what you think about these site enhancements. Your feedback is encouraged! Enjoy the read! Carolyn Gardner President, cardcommunications PS - Prefer text-only emails? Click "Update your profile" in the footer of this email and check the appropriate box for text-only emails. Over the next several issues of "On Track", we're featuring tips on how to write emails that business people like. Above all, they want brevity. Write first to capture interest. Then use links to provide more information for those that want it. Think of these emails as 30-second "email pitches".   Did you know that more and more of us can't live without mobile access to our treasured inbox. It's true! In fact, KRC Research reports that over half of all Canadians say there is a direct correlation between being productive and being able to access work email. A recent survey by KRC Research reports that 44% of respondents consider email to be their primary communication tool at work. Only 28% relied more on the telephone, while 15% cited face-to-face meetings. A 2003 report by Forrester Research states that consumers report opening 2/3 of the messages they have opted in to received from retailers, manufacturers, media companies, and financial service providers. By Brian O'Grady Fear and Loathing in Marcom: why good writing projects go bad Q: I start every promotional writing task thinking we'll create something really fresh. But the results always sound like every other piece of collateral I've seen. What's going wrong? A: Assuming you know your audience and have produced a strong first draft, two things are going wrong later in the process: fear and design by committee. The latter is easier to overcome than the former so let's look at that first: Read on...   BusinessGateway.ca Big or small, any organization that plants its flag on the Internet faces the same challenge: how to attract people to its website. William McCullough confronted that problem recently when he took over as National Marketing Manager for BusinessGateway.ca, the Canadian government's flagship online portal for small and medium-sized businesses. Read on...   www.cardcommunications.com