Can a New Desktop Application Replace Email Newsletters?

MarketingSherpa, the online marketing resource site, has launched a desktop alert tool, in an attempt to replace some of the problem it is facing with e-mail filters etc…since I also face similar problems with filters, I am watching this one with interest.

I have, in the past, maintained that it is very difficult for any of such standalone desktop applications to make headway…some categories like weather, sports scores etc might be some exception, but a Forbes.com desktop alert app–something it already has–is a no-go, in my opinion. RSS newsreaders, whether standalone or Web-based (I cannot live without Bloglines now…seriously.) are the way to go, for generalist news sites, or any other site, for that matter. But then, you could argue that it is difficult to monetize RSS feeds, no formatting, less branding opportunities etc. Some of these arguments are valid, most are not. The standalone desktop app is looking at the problem from the wrong end…try looking at it from the consumer’s perspective. Simplicity of solution overrides any other concern…XML feeds is that solution. I would have been more open to the idea had MarketingSherpa launched a co-branded newsreader, with the ability to add third-party XML feeds…

But then, read through Anne Holland’s comments in the linked story, for some interesting learnings…

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