January Newsletter: A new way to stay in touch

Connecting better with you

By Niels R. Jensen, Port Captain, past Commodore

     Welcome to the new, monthly, digital Lifeline newsletter.

     It is the result of a confluence of evolving needs, expectations and technology. Lifeline is moving from a quarterly print publication to a monthly electronic publication. This was done to better serve our members, allowing us all to more effectively and more timely communicate club news and features.

     This was not done lightly. This change reflects a year’s careful work by the Lifeline and Communications committees. It wasn’t an easy decision. Ultimately, the committees found our members increasingly prefer to have their information delivered digitally – and more frequently. 

     The GLCC committees took a critical look at the quarterly, printed Lifeline to see if it was time for a gradual transition to digital. A GLCC membership survey reinforced the thought that it indeed was time. 

     The committees evaluated the available options for publishing electronic newsletters. They found that the software has matured to the point that the club can deliver more, and more timely, information with an electronic newsletter than is possible with a quarterly, paper-based publication.

     There are discussions within the Communications committee to publish, in print, a special yearbook magazine featuring noteworthy events and accomplishments from the past cruising season.

     The GLCC will use a digital marketing and email platform for these monthly newsletters that provides a “front page” from which the reader can easily identify topics of interest. Readers of the newsletter can click on items of interest and go to the website for more detailed information.

     This electronic newsletter is the result of these careful deliberations. Based on our extensive conversations with you, our members, we believe you will find the new Lifeline news bulletin to be interesting, attractive and, most importantly, more useful.