In the beginning, email was an effective tool for getting our ezines out and our marketing messages to our readers. The truth is, email is no longer a viable alternative. In all likelihood it may not recover unless some serious changes are made to the technical protocol of how email can be created.

In the meantime, your business has been suffering in a big way. And if you continue to rely on email, you may find yourself out of business.

Publishers today have become extremely frustrated with email as their method of delivery and for good reason. Do any of these sound familiar to you?

- ISPs cancelling your service without explanation
- risk of being placed on a ban list
- creating a special issue for email to avoid tripping filters
- re-creating the issue for your website archives
- mundane and mind-numbing list maintenance tasks
- processing unsubscribes
- processing bouncebacks
- dealing with unwarranted spam complaints
- should you use opt-in or double opt-in
- trying to find email addresses that don't exist

If that's not bad enough, how many of you send out a note a day or two after you've sent your ezine to say 'If you didn't receive the latest issue, it was probably caught in the filters'?

What a colossal waste of valuable time. You should be taking advantage of some of the emerging technologies that are available today. A large number of publishers have gone to a weblog format for presenting their information and while a step in the right direction, there is still a big gap in their use. They still use email to notify you about new content.

Quikonnex is the best one I've come across so far simply because it offers so much to both the publisher and the subscriber. And you don't require a 'techie degree' to use it.

It's a complete direct-to-desktop publishing service that offers media-rich content management in your choice of text, html, audio and/or video as well as two way communication with your readers and fellow members. It's the most user-friendly content management and communication system you'll find today. It's easier to use than email and more interactive than a website. Best of all, no programming is required.

It uses an rss (rich site summary or really simple syndication) feed to deliver your content right to the desk of your subscriber. To make it even easier, they have created their own free cross-browser, cross-platform viewer called QuikView to make viewing channels a snap regardless of your, or their, operating system. QuikView is also a remarkable little bookmark server and you can import all your favorite links to it. When your readers sign up for QuikView they also become members and will receive their own private messaging service too.

Quikonnex provides a safe, clean, spam free environment for your content and your readers automatically receive the new information you post. Quikonnex is the perfect solution for anyone who wants to stay in contact with a large number of people. It can be easily tied in with your website if you have one or stand on it's own if you don't.

You better believe that rss is leading the way. Microsoft is going to be implementing it in their next release. Even AOL's new version 10 has something in the works. Everyone is fed up with email.

We're starting to see another rash of virus mania hit the net. Do you really want to keep risking your business? Viruses, trojans and hackers (the bad ones) are going to continue to wreak havoc.

The solution is simple. Break the email habit - just say 'no' to email. And replace it with something that works - Quikonnex.