What works better - Newsletters or Blogs?

[JandJC]

I just want to obtain a marketing perspective on what works better in attracting new business.

Newsletters via e-mail shot or writing a series of blogs?

 

[jacobc]

Hi Martin,

I suppose that really depends on if you have a good list of contacts to initially send your newsletter to. If you do then that is going to be very targeted and direct to their inbox - so that is ideal.

If you don't then, blogs are likely to be better and you can get people signing up from there.

Regards,

Jacob

 

[Jester]

Why not do both? You write your blog and then when you send out your newsletter provide links back to your blog. Call it something like "Top three blog posts of the week", that way you're getting content for your blog and newsletter for one peice of work.

 

[Mike W]

Why not do both? You write your blog and then when you send out your newsletter provide links back to your blog. Call it something like "Top three blog posts of the week", that way you're getting content for your blog and newsletter for one peice of work.

Couldn't agree more. That said, do you have a database to send to?

 

[Remys]

Use both, and offer something worthwhile to get people to sign up for the newsletter.

But do not stop with that. Put a few articles out in the main article directories, do a Facebook & Google+ page, Twitter account, etc... you can get plugins for Wordpress that will update them automatically when you update the blog

 

[The Wholesale Forums]

They should be done at the same time but weigh in your business' current status first. Balance it out between newsletters, blogs, and social media. You could play around with them and cross-link all of them to gain more audience and loyal customers. If you prefer of doing just one of the two at first, work out your blogs first, then have your readers sign up for newsletters. You should still end up working with both mediums.

 

[aprilfloyd]

Do both, but

1. Measure them (use analytics) right down to what was successful and what was not (e.g. how many leads generated by each medium and each email newsletter)

2. Learn what works and what doesn't - improve what works - ditch what does not.

3. Don't got for number of email contacts, go for quality.

4. Personalise them or they will just be junked

5. Segment your list into different customer types - don't send a new customer offer to existing customers - you will look unprofessional.

6. Clean your list regularly.

7. Don't send too often.

6. Always have a Call to Action and not information about your company or your new dog - people are not interested.

 

[Jonah E]

hi,
If anyone would ask me, i would say go with blogging. it does not have boundaries, or target audience or anything.. it simply targets anybody who's genuinely interesting thus giving you an edge automatically.

Though emails and newsletter do serve their directed purpose but still they have limited audience and they usually end up in spam or junk mail.

Why don't you give a try to blogging and for further support contact relevant business for their promos, then surely your blog would stand out.

hope this helps.

 

[eventdomain]

blogs are likely to be better and you can get people signing up from there.

NO! you don't want people signing up to your blog - you'll get a ton of link-droppers (spammers).

Newsletters require subscribers/client lists in quantity. There's 2 types:

1. Current client list

2. Cold call sales list


Client list

You need a content newsletter to keep readers interested. Good content is related subject matter or links to this content.

This can be a lot of work and like running a separate website. Some newsletters are resources in their own right eg:

http://www.webpronews.com/ (if you sign-up, request their newsletter and you'll see what I mean).

IEntry own them and quite a few newsletter and forum sites - but you get the idea of how they reach users. http://www.ientry.com/

I do admire the webpronews newsletter - its nicely done and is attractive - so content-wise it's the way to go these days.


Cold call sales list

I've heard the best way to go about this is to send straight sales letters, but add offers and content. SO, again content is a must as its about keeping people interested. Although, we receive a few newsletters ourselves, hardly have the time to read them. But content 'stuff' is vital nowadays to add value.