Need to Know | What We Do

Need To Know^tm Information Solutions was created in 1988 to provide market and product development consulting services to new and established information companies, publishers and tools providers. Millions of people regularly use the agents, conferencing services, databases, CD-ROMs and Web services we've helped create and implement. Founded by Jo Ann Mandinach, Need To Know is a virtual corporation drawing on her extended network of friends, partners and former colleagues from the East Coast publishing worlds, Seattle, Europe, Silicon Valley, Austin and Multimedia Gulch in San Francisco.

In short, we're Info-Maniacs with solid track records in execution, and we love what we do. We're convinced that users get the most benefit from services combining the "pull" of personal ties within interactive communities, the "push" and convenience of agents, and easy access to who and what you need to know when you need it.

Personalized Delivery of Broadcast investment news & information: ON24.com's personalized Webcasts make it easy for investors to track the networked economy. ON24 Inc. is the premier source of original and syndicated streaming broadcast news and opinion created for the on-line investor. ON24's programming is available free to more than100 million users through partnerships with the leading web and financial portals including Yahoo, Alta Vista, Lycos, SNAP and more than 400 other sites.,

Founded in 1998, the San Francisco-based company is privately held. The Internet Broadcast Network for Online Investors is developing new content co-creation partnerships with publishers, investment banks, analysts, trading experts and conferences producers covering the networked economy. Missed a conference session at, say, Upside's Showcase or the Thomas Weisel Partners B2B E-Commerce Conference?

Personalized EMAIL Delivery: .

Check out Cheetah Mail, a comprehensive service for publishers who want to distribute articles their readers need on a regular basis. Of all the companies we've looked at in this area, the folks at this Manhattan-based company, are the most responsive -- and they understand new media needs. Formed in 1998, this early stage company offers an easy-to-use interface for publishers who want to get up and running quickly -- and without any of the back-end hassles that come along with email publishing.

Update On GBI: GBI was recently acquired by Exchange Applications, Inc., giving founder Gino Borland the "delightful acquisition" he richly deserved. He's now seeking a VP-Engineering for his new startup, ExStaticSoftware.com, in Seattle. Read on for his background.

On a different scale for email delivery, GBI/ ActiveExchange, a 3-year-old Seattle-based company. If you've registered for Microsoft's Personal Information Center and subscribed to any of their newsletters, you know our partner's scripted email delivery, profiling and response management works. GBI'sCommunique' is global and truly high-volume, reliably delivering more than 1.2 million opt-in messages daily. GBI licenses its technology to corporations seeking high volume intranet/extranet s olutions and is pursuing strategic partnerships as it ramps up its service-bureau business for lower-volume customers seeking precisely targeted message management solutions.

Market/Business Development Services

business development & strategic relationships
marketing & positioning
commercial online research and cybrarian services
partnership development and relationship management
powerful press releases, marketing copy and business plans
"rainmaking" and credible online evangelism
trade shows and conferences

Product Development Services

concept development and refinement
capabilities and tools identification
content identification, acquisition and development
site indexing, channel segmentation and content aggregation (we are indexers, cybrarians and editors after all!)
meta content planning and training, category development and quality control
directories & images/navigation/navigation
conferencing & community
usability testing -- making sure it really works
Customer Feedback Enhancement -- making sure it gets better as it gets used

Projects That Always Stay On Our Radar

Search techologies and knowledge management.
Convenient personalized delivery and access that people really need. We're still dreaming about the klutz-proof portable "wrap-around Rolodex" and information appliance. If you find one, we need to know!
In-depth but easy-to-use information services with valuable content.
New media information networks
Online communities