Recently Adam Engst from TidBITS published an excellent article entitled “Think Like a Publisher” that we believe all Apple User Group Leaders should read.

The personal computer — and the dynamic duo of the Macintosh and LaserWriter in particular — revolutionized print publishing by making it easy to whip up a brochure, flyer, or newsletter. The Internet extended our individual publishing capabilities even further, enabling anyone to send bulk email, start a blog, or set up a Web site.

And while anyone can now publish something, not everyone gets it right! However, Adam’s advice makes it easy for everyone to start thinking like a professional publisher!

Adam has an extremely loose definition of what he considers a “publication” — If you’re sending email to your book club about the next meeting, that’s a publication, as is your class blog if you’re a teacher, or the signup form you were asked to make for the community center’s swimming lessons. Any time you create information for consumption by others, particularly people you don’t know personally, you’re acting like a publisher, and to communicate successfully, you need to think like a professional publisher. Don’t worry, it’s not hard.

The article main discussion points covers;

• Put Yourself in Your Audience’s Shoes
• Use Multiple Distribution Methods
• The Five Ws (Who, What, When, Where, Why and How)
• Fact Check Everything
• Be Consistent
• Measure Audience
• Get Help and Plan for Succession

It is well worth the ten minutes, or less, it’ll take to read… and every Apple User Group Committee or Board member should take the time to read it and then actually implement some of Adam’s suggestions!

Read the full “Think Like a Publisher” article…