I've been noticing the 'blog vs. newsletter' debate lately. Should you have a newsletter AND a blog? If you do, do you need to create separate content for each?
I've had a newsletter in the past (The InnerMuse), and it definitely helped me to build my mailing list and stay in touch with both prospects and customers. But I must confess, I didn't enjoy the process of producing a newsletter very much. I struggled to find my natural writing style and 'voice'; it seemed hard to connect with my audience.
So when I started blogging, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven! It seemed much easier and more enjoyable, and I settled into a comfortable style of writing. I think this was because my natural style is less formal.
I want it all -- the freshness and relaxed connection of blogging AND the consistency and structure of a formal newsletter. But I don't want to have twice as much effort -- so how do you combine these two marketing approaches gracefully?
Here's a great strategy from Mark White over at Better Business Blogging:
- firstly, include your article in the members only area on your website, giving your key susbcribers access to the article first - they did actively register to receive it so this should be your first stop;
- next, send the article out as part of your Newsletter to those who had subscribed to receive the information via this method;
- then highlight the article in the RSS feeds of your Business Blog: this may well be a cutdown version sent out to all which will ensure additional distribution;
- add the article and information to the main general information areas on your website;
- finally, submit the article to the main Article banks which will promote both the article and your website for you, as well as create backlinks to your site through the article signature box.
Also, be sure to check out his original post on this topic, "Blogs and Newsletters: complementary marketing tools".
