We have a website. And it's a great step forward for this magazine.
Let me start by looking backwards. A few years ago, I was having a conversation with a very smart consultant who had worked at IBM. We were talking about websites, and she said without preamble: “If you don't have a website, you don't exist.”
Really strong words. Well, I was not in total agreement with her back then, but I'm drawing closer to her pronouncement. It would take someone in a trance to be unaware of how more and more information continues to migrate to the Internet as the main or supplementary source of information. This applies to us. The new Web address is www.hvacrdistributionbusiness.com.
The Penton Custom Media team did a superb job developing the new website and doing so with incredible speed and thoroughness. I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank them for their efforts.
As HARDI's official magazine, here's how the new site will benefit you.
It will have a complete copy of the current issue of the magazine.
We will also archive past issues so that you can visit the site to recapture those words of wisdom in an article that struck a resonant cord.
Another section will have breaking news.
We will also post columns, our monthly spotlight features of top distributors and manufacturers, and articles that we feel fall under the hot topics category.
We'll round out the website with a calendar of HARDI events, industry links and a section for advertisers. I'm on the editorial side of the magazine, but a reminder is in order: There's no better way to reach distributors and independent reps than through HARDI's official magazine.
You can expect more bells and whistles in the future.
There are several more important elements about the website that I would like to emphasize.
Like any launch, we tried to be thoughtful and thorough. But if there is content for the website that you think we should consider, please let me know. I know many of you, and you probably realize that when YOU speak, I really do listen. I would welcome your comments.
The other element is that while this new digital product is a wonderful addition to the Penton family, we know the value of print and intend to continue the print magazine for a very long time. As Joe Pulizzi, a media guru, told me recently: “Print is not going away.” The print version started in November 1999, as a quarterly with yours truly as the founding editor. Since then, we've become a bimonthly and have added special issues.
This year, our March publication was about disaster planning and we will have another special edition in the fall, bringing this year's total to eight issues.
“www.HVACRDistributionBusiness.com is a new communication vehicle to provide useful and timely information to wholesalers and distributors and complements our partnership with HARDI. It will allow manufacturers and service providers to more easily and efficiently reach the top wholesalers in our industry with their new products, programs and offerings,” said John Ehlen, the magazine's publisher. He's right.
Print publications hold a special spot for me. I find nothing more relaxing than taking a magazine I want to read with me when I'm having lunch alone or to my favorite reading spot. It's just me and my magazine. I hope you feel the same way.
Cheers.
HVACR Distribution Business welcomes letters to the editor.
Please send correspondence to: Tom Peric', Editor 2040 Fairfax Avenue Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
856/874-0049 or e-mail [email protected].