In the past few years there has been a seismic shift in the manner in which we collect and disseminate information. New resources such as digital magazines, electronic buyers’ guides, microsites, product showrooms, webinars, eNewsletters, blogs, RSS sponsorships, e-blasts and conference sponsorships can allow you to remain better informed about your areas of expertise.

“One of the Internet’s strengths is its ability to help consumers find the right needle in a digital haystack of data.” –Jared Sandberg

In the past few years there has been a seismic shift in the manner in which we collect and disseminate information. Not too long ago, a landline, fax machine and voicemail constituted your modern communication arsenal. Nowadays we are besieged with an avalanche of information, solicited or not, in a relentless attempt to catch our ever-shrinking attention span.

Mobile e-mail devices, omnipresent wireless connections and cellular cards keep us perpetually connected to the Internet. And we’re not just browsing e-mails and company websites; social networking sites such as MySpace and FaceBook, once frequented only by teenagers, are becoming increasingly popular among the middle-aged crowd. Recent findings state that 68% of MySpace users are more 25 years old, and users between 35 and 54 make up 40.6%.* Furthermore, video sites such as YouTube have become the primary source of video information for many people. In fact some experts believe that YouTube will be a deciding factor in the upcoming 2008 presidential election.

The media mavens ofFinishing Todayhaven’t ignored these trends. As a matter of fact, earlier this year we launched a revolutionary approach to reaching your audience. Dubbed, Integrated Media or IM, this concept encompasses a fusion of emerging electronic media with the more traditional form of the printed magazine. This cornucopia of electronic media includes a digital magazine, electronic buyers’ guides, microsites, product showrooms, webinars, eNewsletters, blogs, RSS sponsorships, e-blasts and conference sponsorships. Some of these have recently been established, while others are under construction. These remarkable innovations will allow you to remain better informed about your areas of expertise.

This issue brings you a rich compendium of groundbreaking technology, not only in materials but also in process management. Whether you’re reading this issue in print, in the digital PDF, on our website from your desktop PC or on the road with your favorite RSS reader, we’re sure you’ll learn something that can help you improve your business.

“We have technology, finally, that for the first time in human history allows people to really maintain rich connections with much larger numbers of people.” –Pierre Omidyar


P.S. Don’t forget to forward your nominations for FT’s “Innovation of the Year” awards to be recognized in our December issue. E-mail me ateditor@finishingtodaymag.com. Hurry - the deadline is September 30.


*http://wcbstv.com/local/local_story_197215125.html