MadridMan.com Newsletter: Ideas?

I am thinking seriously about putting together a MadridMan.com newsletter for all who would want it. The point of such a newsletter would be to update interested persons on the additions and modifications of the website, including "Hot Topics" on the message board.

I welcome all ideas, comments, and concerns about the proposed newsletter because YOU have made MadridMan's Spain Message Board what it is and I value your input on the other features of MadridMan.com as well. "What do the people want??"

Curious, MadridMan

Sounds like a great idea! and a lot more work for you. hee hee

I think it sounds like a good idea...you're talking about an online newsletter, right? You could also do a "current news" page (perhaps as the "enter here" page?) and update that regularly. One "newsy" page I just love is at http://fethard.com/mainpages/cnews.html

(Spain's not my only travel obsession, just the biggest!). That page is updated every day or so by the webmaster, and the bottom few stories/entries are taken off. That way the news stays up for a week or so, and you can check in whenever it's convenient. Yours could include a cool new photo, interesting new site information, a blurb or two from a recent "hot topic" on the board, a member profile, photos from get-togethers, etc. And if there was an "enter here" button oh-so-conveniently located at the bottom of that page, we would just go there (like the Spain-obsessed lemmings that we are) to get to the bulletin board.

Obviously, if you were thinking of a print (gasp! does anyone do those any more?) newsletter, none of this applies!! And if you were thinking of an e-mail thing, ugh...I can hardly keep up with my in-box as it is!

And here's another possible page idea...how about a calendar in which we can enter our Spain travel plans? It would be fun to see who will be where in Spain at what time, and perhaps it would facilitate some get-togethers in towns/cities in Spain. Of course, I have no idea whether such a thing can be created (not knowing how to do web design lets me dream big!).

Tara

[ 05-18-2001: Message edited by: taravb ]

you could have a experience's page so pepz could tell others if they had a good or a badd time while in spain...or how it compares to their home countries..

Taravb, your ideas/suggestions are great! I was actually thinking of an email newsletter, but understand your point about getting too many. I too subscribe to only one and never read it -- guess I don't care about the topic anyway -- it's more of a newsgroup listing of discussion threads all on one page and that's pretty boring.

An online newsletter is a good idea, but I'm fairly certain that few would visit it simply out of curiosity. About 80% of the message board visitors come directly here via the index page , bypassing all other MadridMan.com pages and many may not know what they're missing. Still, I don't want the newsletter to be intrusive - ONLY sending to those who really want it.

Any more comments? By the way, *I* won't be putting the newletter together, but will be friend (a mystery man) from this message board (oooohhh... the plot thickens!) and someone we can all trust.

Have a nice weekend, all! Saludos, MadridMan

Sounds like a great concept - what about offering the option to receive/not receive an electronic newsletter? Seem to me that would allow those who prefer not to subscribe to have the option ...And agree - it's going to entail alot of time for the "mystery writer"

Sounds good to me too, Puna. It would be nice to have the option if possible. Who IS this mystery man.........any bets?

ANTONIO???

Jo

[ 05-18-2001: Message edited by: Jo-Anne ]

MM--
The index page link you have above is the main "www.madridman.com" page, right? Because from there, you have to click on the link for the message board, and then on the "enter here" link...so what if you replaced the "enter here" page with a page of current news? And had an "enter here" at the bottom of it? As long as it wasn't too graphics-heavy (slow loads for photos would be a drag), people would probably skim through as they enter the message board (I'm guessing).

Or is there some side door to the message board that I have been missing? I'll still come in from the main page, just to see what MadridMan's wearing today (he-he! ).

Tara

[ 05-18-2001: Message edited by: taravb ]

Tara that's funny. But, I do enter the same way. Not to look at MM's attire, but because my computer is slow at home, I just automatically click over to the board. I still haven't formed my complete opinion about the newsletter. On one hand, Do I need another newsletter that I delete?? On the otherhand, do I delete the ones I get now, becuase I am disinterested?? Those are usually the ones that web sites force you to join, to sign into their site. So, MM, I like the concept, and your newsletter may be the only one that I look forward too.
As a side note, I'll be in Columbus 5/31-6/2. Do you have any favorite hangout spots? I'll be staying with my old (maybe I should say former-she'd be offended if I called her old) college roommate in the Henderson Road area.

I'm betting it is Antonio, too!!

I'd like a newsletter, delivered to my e-mail box, once a week! Sometimes I can't get to the board and check all the new threads.

Speaking of Spain calendars... I leave in 9
days and haven't even begun to THINK about the trip, so automatic is it for me to put some cloze in a suitcase and GO.

Oh, one nice travel newsletter is FROMMERS. I get it everyday, and the European one once a week. I find great info. on it.

saludos a todos

re: the newsletter idea.... I was thinking it would be an email newsletter, every 2-weeks or so covering all facets of MadridMan.com including the message board. ALL would have the opportuntity to sign up for it if they'd care to receive it. I'm sure it will be slow-to-start, but hope to be more "active" thereafter. We'll see. It's kind of a pilot project and if it doesn't work then it will be discontinued.

Nic, I'd LOVE to meet YOU AND your "old" roommate :p here in Columbus, but as you may have read in the NYC Dinner Group thread, I'm visiting my grandpa in Florida that weekend and it turns out I'll spend the rest of that week after in New Mexico helping my ladyfriend sell-off her belongings before her departure/return to Madrid.

Saludos, MadridMan

Hmmm. What would I most like in a newsletter? I think the number one thing would be a "Great Deals" section, which would include links to bargain airfares or hotel specials.

I think it would also be really cool to have a "journal entry" section in which every week a different MadridMan.com member wrote a paragraph or two about their recent travels in Spain. Members could submit entries any time they wanted, and MadridMan (or the mystery man) could choose the best one to put in the newsletter.

A neat sidenote could be a Glossary section which would feature two or three vocab words or phrases that are used frequently in Spain which non-natives might not be familiar with.

How about an "Hostal de la Semana" in which a different hostal is featured during each issue, including a pic of the hostal, comments from the user board and MM, and contact info.

And of course a "This Week in Spain" which would list any major festivals or holidays and some historical background on each.

Just some thoughts.

Thanks Jo-Anne and rgf for thinking of me as the "mistery writer". But I'm not.

I'd bet Jeremy is the mistery man.

The newsletter would mainly be about all the features/functions of MadridMan.com the main website as well as the message board and not so much of an "Spain Updates" newsletter. It would tell about the additions to the websites, newly added photos, radio links, regular links, Group Chatroom Chats schedules, HOT topics on the message boards, and things like this.

I like mel-knee's suggestion of a "guest journal" entry, but not sure if that would/could be different from what the message board offers, same with the hostels.

And you're all wrong about the identity of the would-be Editor of the newsletter. :p If it works out, you'll just have to wait and see.. ( )

Your comments are great. What else would you care to see in the newsletter?? I really appreciate your feedback and ideas.

Saludos, MadridMan

Let's see...I know the editor isn't me, and it's not Antonio, so if we all just guess 1 person, we should have the answer soon!!

I think the newsletter is great, since most of the time I know I just head straight for the messageboard to see what's new with everyone here...

How about a 'word of the day' type section? Or maybe a 'traveler's phrase' of the day?

MM, sorry we'll miss you, for some reason I thought that you were going to be in Sarasota the last week of June, the same time I was going to be there. But anyway, I am sure you will have a rough week out west. Still gives you some time for some pleading and begging for her to stay. Or is it the other way around for you to go??I like the ideas you have for the newsletter, sending the hot topics etc. Maybe it would cut down on the searches.

[ 05-21-2001: Message edited by: Nic ]

MM, I too like your idea for a newsletter, regular updates on your site would, I'm sure, attract many of us to read it. Have Faith!!!!

i think that this is a great idea. how about if the newsletter includes a section on the latest events happening in madrid for the month. also an update on your members would be awesome. you know like, this week boogerpie is on a plane to madrid for the first time... etc... anyways, just a thought...roses

BOOGERPIE???!!!!?!??!! Hahahahahahaa!!!!! That's a great idea, though, Roses. For example, as I just posted in the "Madrid Webcam" posting by replay, he showed around one of our message board members and her daughter around Madrid last weekend.

There's been some thought of having the newsletter online first and those who want to read it that way can, but through that online newsletter they can sign up to have it emailed them too, but with more features.

Saludos, MadridMan

I personally prefer MM's message boards, a 'dynamic' newsletter (if you will) where we can each post our input whenever we think we have something to contribute. Newsletters tend to go downhill because they have a section for this and a section for that and if this or that is not newsworthy for a time, one might feel an obligation to write something in there - anything. People get tired of reading 'fillers' and the whole idea crumbles under its own weight. A 'No' vote? :p

Good points, Eddie. I'll keep these things in mind. So maybe the "online" newsletter" is the way to go, eh? Still, I have a pretty good feeling very very few people would bother to read it. Maybe on the front page of my website I could have a "banner" or sign saying "The Newsletter Has been updated on X/XX/XXXX" and then people would be aware that it has new information since they last saw it.

MM - the banner & updates on the front page makes sense .... Eddie makes some solid points for the need to really diferentiate (sp?) between our fav message board and the contents of an electronic newsletter ...

I met boogerpie for dinner...he's a nice fellow... :p

How about a "Top Ten Spain URLs" column. You could make them ANY ten URLs, as long as they have Spain as a common thread.

In addition, I appreciate Eddie's concerns. I think they are quite valid, so you would have to carefully balance the "live" newsletter with the "historical" newsletter. I can also appreciate rgf's thought about not being able to stay "al día" with everything. Perhaps a newsletter pointing people in certain directions would be good.

In addition, I think a "rincón del cocinero" would be good (chef's corner). We could easily tap into recipes by going archiving through the newsletter instead of searching through endless posts with comments and replies to recipes included, and perhaps not really knowing where a recipe is because of the thread title. (Is it any wonder that food would come up from me on this post?)

There's my dos duros worth...

Oh! Good idea about the recipes. I have just started to learn to cook and always mean to get the recipes and then get lazy about searching and printing them all out (I also keep meaning to buy one of Penelope Casas' books, but never seem to get around to it).

I was at party FRiday night, and one of the guests brought a cooler of sangria (!!!!). I told everyone to be careful, but turns out it was just red wine with fruit and apple juice, nice and suave. i was kicking myself for not having printed out the recipes for sangria posted on the board, because everyone wanted to know how to make it.