The Interview
Quikonnex

An Exclusive Interview With Jim Gray (co-founder)

So, let's dive right back into the second and final part of this intriguing interview!.... Last time we left of with the following question.


Good point.  Therefore, Quikonnex has a way of creating the newsletter within Quikonnex. 

It is really a different method of publishing. Many of the so-called “gurus” on the Internet have taught methods of doing newsletters/ezines. Just like printed newsletters are different that the emailed newsletters, RSS is different from the emailed newsletters. With RSS, there is no requirement to assemble a group of articles that would constitute one publication. It is a more free flowing system, where when any specific article or piece of information is ready for release, it can be released without waiting for fill copy. This also provides for a more dynamic publication and for more frequent “pinging of weblogs”.

What if a publisher has problems implementing Quikonnex?

Quikonnex support is available from 8am to 8pm Monday through Friday via our Live Support system. Additionally, any publisher joining Quikonnex is made aware of my instant messenger ID as well as Carolyn’s, my partner. Our private messaging system is also a very effective and efficient way to contact us.


 Any weakness publishers should be aware of with Quikonnex right now.

Our emphasis has been on developing a web-based, cross-browser and cross platform system. Some subscribers are still looking for some type of immediate notification of new articles or new messages. While we do have a visual notification of new articles and new message via our QuikView system, there is still some expectation that we should provide an AOL-like “You’ve got mail” notification. There are solutions to this, but the subscriber would need to download an application specific to their computer system.


 Such as?  Can you explain this a bit? 

Most of the RSS newsreaders can provide a visual or audible notification of new items, but they usually need to be setup to do it. Additionally, I have used different website monitoring tools, such as WebMon, to track changes. The RSS feeds can be accessed just like any other webpage, so these tools work great. However, we are discovering that subscribers are not really using these instant notification methods. Even with email, no one sits around waiting for email to arrive. Busy, successful business people schedule times within their days to go through their emails. RSS channels are like newspapers, you subscribe to the news and you scan the headlines for articles you want to read. The headline catches your attention; you read the first paragraph, if the article pulls you in, then you read more.
 

As a publisher, how do I advise my subscribers of a changeover in communications?

Publishers who currently deliver their newsletter via email should dual publish for a while. In their emailed newsletter, they should post notices of their new alternative delivery system. Additionally, we provide cut & paste code that they can put on their websites to allow easy subscription to their new channels. We have provided a lot of information on the Quikonnex website specifically oriented to the conversion of subscribers. It is keyed to the publisher and should be a simple process for any subscriber.


Will the follow me?  What is the trend?

There is a lot of “ifs” in this question. If the publisher is writing or publishing quality content, and if the publisher has loyal subscribers that want to receive their information, then they should follow him or her.

However, experience has shown that most email lists are not of the quality that the publisher thought they were. Before the CAN-SPAM Act was passed, quite a few publishers went through a process of converting their lists to double-opt-in. The results were not good at all with many publisher’s losing 90% or more of their subscribers. The reality is “they didn’t really have a good list of subscribers”, they were not publishing information that the subscribers still wanted to receive (they may not have unsubscribed due to the popular belief that un-subscriptions do not work), or their emails were never delivered and they never received the bounces. This is new shift in thinking and over the next 12-18 months there will be increase awareness of this publishing method. It is really the only alternative, but it will take time to build up the huge lists of yesterday.


Do I dump the email system, and if I do:

• What will happen to my membership?

First of all, I do not recommend dumping a successful email program (if it is generating revenue).

Publishers should provide a Quikonnex channel as an alternative. However, if a publisher is fed up with the hassles of email, they can probably expect a 5-10% conversion rate (again, this is based on their production of quality information).

• How will I attract more members if I do not use email?

We have found that producing a channel is actually increasing visibility of many of our publisher’s own websites on the search engines. Search engine are looking for relevant content to deliver and RSS/Blogs provide a mechanism that they can use to get it. The information delivered via email was inaccessible to the search engines, the information delivered by Quikonnex is. If you add the subscription links to your website, just like the email subscription methods of the past, you will gain subscribers.

• How can I convince subscribers that “this is the future of communication”?

I recommend having them do a search on Google for “business to business blogging growth” or “RSS as Email Alternative”. The results are huge. In addition, here are some other good quotes:

                *How many blogs are there?*

                “Based on the rapid growth rate demonstrated by the leading services, we expect the number of hosted blogs created to exceed five million by the end of 2003 and to exceed ten million by the end of 2004.”

((http://www.perseus.com/blogsurvey/thebloggingiceberg.html)

                *Do they work?*

<http://www.sitemeter.com/default.asp?action=stats&site=s11instapundit&report=36>,

Where we can see that he averages around 100,000 visitors a day and more than 2 million uniques a month. Considering that he is only one person, that is astounding. By comparison, HoustonChronicle.com reports 1.5 million unique monthly readers. Granted, Instapundit is one of the most widely read bloggers out there, but it puts the phenomenon in perspective.

Meanwhile, Matt Drudge -- who hates to be called a blogger, but he is, so he should just get over it -- hinted to Radar Magazine <http://www.radarmagazine.com/features/issue_02/drudge.html> last year that he earns more than a million dollars a year selling banner ads on his hugely popular DrudgeReport.”

((http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/3162.asp)

We are the only service that linked private messaging into our RSS feeds.


What are the costs to get Quikonnex?

    Subscriber/Members are free.

    Publisher pays $19.95 per month.
            1. Initial sign up - $0
            2. Set up fees - $0
            3. Maintenance - $0
            4. Other – If a publisher elects to have a version of QuikView customized for their business, we do this for a :
                        $49.95 setup fee and an additional
                        $  9.95 per month.

 The most any publisher will pay for their Quikonnex system is $29.90 per month.

Why would a publisher want to get a customized quickview?  What are the main differences of a customized and none customized.

A Customize QuikView system allows a publisher to select multiple channels to for their new subscribers to be automatically subscribed to. Additionally, the logos on the main page and installation page are customized for the publisher. The publisher can update this information at anytime. Additionally, Custom QuikViews provide publisher with additional drop down panels in QuikView that can be further customized for their subscribers. For example, an entire website navigation system can be programmed into a QuikView panel. For an example see: http://quikonnex.com/quikview/cwi/quikview.php for an example.

 
What is you recommendation for jittery publisher unsure of what route to take?

Do not hesitate. Join and try it out, there is absolutely no risk.

 
Is there a trial period available for nervous publishers unsure of Quikonnex?

Not a trial period, however, Quikonnex  provides a 30 day 100% money back guarantee. If you signup and do not think meets your needs, then cancel your subscription within the first 30 days and we will automatically refund anything paid.

 
In your perception, what is the future of “channeling”?

The technology and the tools will significantly improve over the next few months and over the years. It, unlike, email is not subject to spam death. The quality of information will increase significantly and business utilizing “channels” and private messaging as their primary means to communicate with their customers will see significant increases of revenue. Advertising will play heavily in the production of channels, but it will not be overbearing. There is going to be a lot of publishers working on the fine balance of delivery of information versus advertising. They will realize that their subscribers are more important than their advertisers and will take care of them better. In addition, since the subscriber base will be “more loyal” the Quikonnex publisher will be able to demand higher rates for any advertising delivered.

Where to you plan to take Quikonnex in the next five years?

I would like to see Quikonnex grow to about 10,000 high quality publishers over the next 5 years. 10,000 doesn’t sound like a huge number, but maintaining and building a quality publisher base will be of more benefit to everyone. The production of the information will significantly increase the value of the Quikonnex search engine and we will be a major destination on the Internet for anyone searching about current events and happenings. It is all about content, and newsletter publishers provide what folks want to read and know about. We may start providing white label versions of the Quikonnex system to businesses that have select audiences to communicate with, however, our primary goal is to meet the need of the thousands of ezine/newsletter publishers reeling over the impact that spam has made on their businesses. 

Affiliate program.  I seem to recall something of about affiliate. Do you have such a program?  If you do, what are the basics?

Yes we do have an affiliate program. It is very simple, any one of our members can refer subscribers or other publishers to Quikonnex. Our affiliate program is what is called a 2 level system. For example if you referred a publisher to us, they would be a 1^st level referral and we would pay you a 15% commission on a monthly basis. If that publisher, subsequently referred another publisher (who would be on your 2^nd level), we pay him a 15% commission and you a 15% commission.

 
Anything else you would want the readers, publishers and the public at large to know about you, about Quikonnex?

Yes, our goal with Quikonnex is to assemble a large group of high quality writers and publishers. This will produce some a very valuable information repository for all of their subscribers. Additionally, the community aspect of Quikonnex is key. We are experiencing a lot of publishers who are extending their helping hands to other publishers. It is truly turning into environment where we all win. The synergy created by working as a team and as a community benefits everyone.