As I look over this year’s CircDay agenda, I’m reminded of how much circulation and fulfillment have changed. It was just a few years ago when CircDay first dedicated a session track (or one-quarter of the schedule) to electronic marketing. Now, well over half the sessions address online technology in one way or another.

With this new technology comes new responsibility, new learning curves, and new products to manage for circulators. And yet, we don’t see many circulation staffs bulking up. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Circulators have more to do and less time to do it in, and we, for one, see them turning to their fulfillment house for help.

Circulators need tools to make their jobs easier and less time consuming. ESP continues to develop such devices, as evidenced by our new group administration tool. This tool helps simplify the often time-consuming task of managing groups and group renewals. It serves a dual purpose by making life easier for the group contact as well.

Now, at ESP, group contacts can update subscriber information, renew subscriptions, and generate invoices all online. In the B-to-B, paid world, group accounts can comprise a significant amount of the circulation, and yet, each may have its own unique renewal requirements. Our new tool, as you’ll see in this issue’s article, makes life easier for both the circulator and the subscriber.

Speaking of tools, we’ve got a myriad of them to help circulators do their jobs and save time. One might say we have so many, it’s hard to know where to start. Our next issue will include a list of ESP’s best circulator tools and reports. 

And as you read articles about ESP's tools, know that some of our big ideas come from events like CircDayLA, and others come from the 101-degree heat.