Back in 2005 when FeedBlitz first saw the light of day on a FeedBurner forum, its mission was simple: Be a blog to email system that worked.
Over three years later, that's still our mission.
Between then and now, of course, we've changed a lot. FeedBlitz has grown from serving zero to nearly 7 million active subscriptions. From zero to nearly 73,000 publishers. From zero to over 216,000 lists. FeedBlitz has grown into the leading independent automated email marketing service, routinely and reliably delivering over 60 million automated messages a month directly to subscriber inboxes.
As part of that journey, we've added capabilities like branding, scheduling, newsflashes, autoresponders, surveys, Twitter and instant messenger integration, SPF and DKIM authentication, custom fields, segmentation and personalization, an API, self-modifying subscription centers, an ad network and more. FeedBlitz is the only automated service for bloggers - well, for anyone, actually, including “enterprise grade” email service providers - to offer all these capabilities in a single offering.
Customer expertise and expectations have changed greatly as well. Crucially, what used to be good enough three years ago - or even 12 months ago - isn't any more. As our audience has expanded and grown from those who knew what R.S.S. actually stood for to those who don't even know it exists; from early adopters finding FeedBlitz to be an interesting add-on to email marketers finding it an essential (yet hassle-free) component of their businesses; we've continually invested to keep FeedBlitz up and keep ahead.
But it's not just about the technology and the machines. What's crucial to success is combining these with the business. FeedBlitz has generated revenues since the introduction of our Turbo and Pro upgrades in the Fall of 2005. We have a parallel ad revenue stream. We execute professional services projects. All of which has helped FeedBlitz survive and grow while our rivals have failed. Of these failed competitors, the common factor for them all was a lack of a business model. Not one of them - not one - had a way to generate revenues. And they're no longer around. It's not a coincidence.
Which brings me back, full circle, to our mission. To be the online marketing service that, simply, works.
FeedBlitz needs, then, to keep up and ahead - indeed, you expect us to keep up and ahead - as we scale up to handle hundreds of thousands of publishers, to continue to add features and capabilities, and to be there for you in the future. To fulfill your expectations, FeedBlitz needs to generate commensurate revenues to fund both current services and future plans.
The FeedBlitz business model has ensured our survival and funded our growth so far. Still, to build for the future, starting on January 1st, 2009, we're updating it.
Ready?
As of January 1st 2009, all new publishers to FeedBlitz will be embarking on a 30-day free trial, instead of a perpetually free service.
That's it. (Mostly).
If you're publishing a newsletter with us already then nothing changes.
If you're using our ad-funded, free service, that's not changing either.
There is a little small print to go along with this change:
If you're a current premium publisher and your payment bounces or you cancel, you'll then be treated as a new publisher and put on a 30-day grace period so you can re-up.
If you run an import and it looks like your import will take your lists through 5,000 circulation, you'll be required to upgrade if you're on the ad-funded service.
To clarify item (2), if you already have more than 5,000 subscribers you're OK. If your list grows organically (via opt-in subscriptions) through 5,000 that's OK. An upgrade is only required if an import takes your circulation from under 5,000 to over 5,000.
So that's it. The site and FAQs have changed to reflect these details. Happy New Year, everyone!
Last year during the Mayapur festival many international leaders of our sankirtan movement and some of the BBT managers had a meeting about book distribution and concluded that we should revive the book distribution training course.
Pandava: Later that night I asked Anandini, my daughter who that blond girl was. To my surprise she said it was that girl Christine, who come a few month ago for her religion class in school. Christine had gone to a Christian church, a Buddhist temple and the Hare Krishna temple.
Janak Mahajana das ( Balahadra's son in law ): Request for prayers from devotees for the health of Balabhadra Das (ACBSP) 1969 GBC Minister of Cow Protection and Agriculture for ISKCON.
Malati devi dasi (LOK): Meet Sivarama Swami and Madhava Dasa in this highly intoxicating kirtan experience on Saturday 31 January and Sunday 1 February! The devotees of Radhadesh wish you a happy new year with lots of nice personal realizations under the guiding care of Lord Sri Krishna.
Ortrun Gates: Hare Krishna! The Winter Damodara Rati and AaC Newsletter for Gita Nagari, Port Royal, PA has been published. Please click the link included and enjoy!
Madhuha dasa: Starting this new year, 2009, the (Mini) Hare Krishna Festival will be available at a reasonable cost for programs at preaching centers, universities, parks, and other locations--- the front or back yard of your preaching center/home, or anyplace else where there is room for us to set up, yes, we can do it.
While the shameless economic experts are now predicting when there will be an upturn in the global economy, those same experts suffered a collective blind spot when failing to predict the biggest economic collapse in the last 80 years, everyone and their pet dog can see, like the emperor, they have neither clothes, nor a clue as to what will or won’t happen with the economy.
NY Times: it turns out that shutting down the milk supply is not as easy as closing an automobile assembly line. The thing is, they are going to produce it because they have to milk the cows.
Janardana dasa: The Camfrog Video Chat network, a system of thousands of video chatrooms from around the world, is a unique opportunity for preaching Srila Prabhupada's mission.
Tapasvini: Many temples have taken advantage of the Sunday school curriculum compiled by Tapasvini devi dasi and Sangita devi dasi. We're happy to announce that there is now a website for the Hare Krishna Sunday School program.
We would like to thank all of you for your phone calls, messages and prayers. It means a lot to Balabhadra. I will try to explain as simply as possibly what has been happening with Balabhadra's health.
Karnamrita das: Dear God please help me Hare Krishna Hare Krishna chanting toward the wood pile. Darkness has fallen felling like a blanket making the yard small; another world existing only as far as the lights.
Divyambara dasi: Dates are Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, in the enchanting Joshua Tree Forest, California.We have incredible facilitators: Giriraj Swami, Bada Haridas Prabhu, Dravida Prabhu and Yajna Purusa Prabhu... and Apurva delicious cooking waiting to serve all of you!
Ila devi dasi: Rare and unique opportunity for a mature, faithful, enthusiastic web-master ISKCON devotee to compile and run the first ISKCON Guru website!
Malati devi dasi: We humbly request all women disciples of Srila Prabhupada who had personal experiences with him to provide material for Srila Prabhupada’s daughters’ memories book.
Chayadevi dd: Dear Maharajas and Prabhus, I am sending these updates from the latest to the first as many are calling and writing but do not know the latest. Thank you.
Bhakta Piyush: Hare Krishna, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I am looking for an original Macmillan Abridged edition of Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita (1968)
Jusaniya devi dasi: Sangita devi dasi, RN, Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse, and Certified Hospice Educator, will present a V-CARE seminar at the ISKCON Houston, Texas temple.
I know where I want to go in my head, yet part of my heart is still attached to the flesh and trying to love matter. We will see how I fare in the years to come. I will continue to explore that quest in my writings.
Basu Ghosh Das: On January 3, 2009, the fifty second Vyas puja of H. H. Bhakti Vikas Swami was observed by almost eight hundred disciples, Sriman Haripada Prabhu and his wife, Phalini Mataji, both disciples of Srila Prabhupada, congregational devotees and others.
Atma-Nivedana dasa: As an initiated devotee of Krishna and attorney-at-law in New York City, my law practice involves recouping the losses of investors who have invested in companies that have committed securities fraud.
The Ramayan is one of the two best-known Indian religious epics, the other being the Mahabharat. et in ancient times, this is the story of a princely incarnation of Lord Vishnu and how His divine plan unfolded.
The legend of Lord Shiva occupies an important place in India's rich body of cultural and religious folklore. See this animated video to learn more about the God of Destruction.
By Praghosa Dasa 
NY Times: it turns out that shutting down the milk supply is not as easy as closing an automobile assembly line. The thing is, they are going to produce it because they have to milk the cows. 
