Comments for Thinking Man Marketing http://thinkingmanmarketing.com Practical Approaches to Modern Marketing Mon, 12 Mar 2012 16:01:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on Email Pronounced Dead Yet Again (So Why Is It Still Making So Much Money?) by TC http://thinkingmanmarketing.com/2011/10/18/email-pronounced-dead-yet-again-so-why-is-it-still-making-so-much-money/comment-page-1/#comment-624 TC Mon, 12 Mar 2012 16:01:06 +0000 http://thinkingmanmarketing.com/?p=402#comment-624 Look, the trick is to leverage whatever content you're generating across multiple media channels so your readers can experience it any way they want (email, blog, Twitter, mobile, etc). Speculating about the different commitment levels of blog vs email readers isn't all that helpful; the ties between email and the blog are so tight, you should never have one without the other. Basically, you use the blog for what it is -- an exceedingly easy-to-use digital publishing platform that also serves as a very handy landing page generator for all your other media (including email). And everything that goes on the blog gets tweeted and put on Facebook too. For example, best email practices suggest you don't place whole articles in the newsletter, but post them on the blog, then write a teaser paragraph and link to them from the newsletter. Automate as much of the interconnection as possible, and keep sending the email, which remains an extremely valuable tool for online marketers. Finally, your open/click rates aren't stellar, and while I hate to suggest it, it might be a reflection that your content isn't competitive (you're competing for time after all) or a little off target. One client who operates in the fly fishing world has seen their open rates climb steadily to 50+% -- a sign they're giving their readers what they want. Good luck, Tom Chandler Look, the trick is to leverage whatever content you’re generating across multiple media channels so your readers can experience it any way they want (email, blog, Twitter, mobile, etc). Speculating about the different commitment levels of blog vs email readers isn’t all that helpful; the ties between email and the blog are so tight, you should never have one without the other.

Basically, you use the blog for what it is — an exceedingly easy-to-use digital publishing platform that also serves as a very handy landing page generator for all your other media (including email).

And everything that goes on the blog gets tweeted and put on Facebook too.

For example, best email practices suggest you don’t place whole articles in the newsletter, but post them on the blog, then write a teaser paragraph and link to them from the newsletter.

Automate as much of the interconnection as possible, and keep sending the email, which remains an extremely valuable tool for online marketers.

Finally, your open/click rates aren’t stellar, and while I hate to suggest it, it might be a reflection that your content isn’t competitive (you’re competing for time after all) or a little off target.

One client who operates in the fly fishing world has seen their open rates climb steadily to 50+% — a sign they’re giving their readers what they want.

Good luck, Tom Chandler

]]> Comment on Email Pronounced Dead Yet Again (So Why Is It Still Making So Much Money?) by Mike D http://thinkingmanmarketing.com/2011/10/18/email-pronounced-dead-yet-again-so-why-is-it-still-making-so-much-money/comment-page-1/#comment-601 Mike D Thu, 08 Mar 2012 21:02:30 +0000 http://thinkingmanmarketing.com/?p=402#comment-601 hi Tom, just discovered your blogs. nice display of insight - thank you. i write content for one particular on-line fly shop. i also put together monthly emails/newsletters. much effort is put into the newsletters - trying to create an interesting landscape for people. it seems we have a small core of folks who take the time to explore and appreciate. but the stats are pretty bad. 2 out of 7 people actually open it. and of those who open, only 24% (max) actually click on a link. I have been thinking lately about the commitment level of email viewers vs. blog viewers... seems to me, of the two, the one reading the blog would have a higher level of interest - after all, they are already interested and have put aside time in their busy day to explore this type of content. i picture the email opener (at least the majority in our case) taking a quick glance, getting the immediate jist and then marking it as "read" and moving onto the next one in the stack. For most, i think, the timing is not perfect for this initial opening. they may tell themselves that they'll return later when they have more time - but i fear not for the majority. so when i think about what i should center my efforts on i feel that the blog might be most important - because it involves a more captivated audience? they have already scheduled you into their busy day... what do you think Tom? i do understand the part about "2 out of 7" having the potential to be a big audience and that is always better than not sending one... just thinking about the importance of blog vs. email and how to spread my resources. much thanks for the content on your sites Tom, -Mike hi Tom,
just discovered your blogs. nice display of insight – thank you.
i write content for one particular on-line fly shop. i also put together monthly emails/newsletters. much effort is put into the newsletters – trying to create an interesting landscape for people. it seems we have a small core of folks who take the time to explore and appreciate. but the stats are pretty bad. 2 out of 7 people actually open it. and of those who open, only 24% (max) actually click on a link.
I have been thinking lately about the commitment level of email viewers vs. blog viewers… seems to me, of the two, the one reading the blog would have a higher level of interest – after all, they are already interested and have put aside time in their busy day to explore this type of content. i picture the email opener (at least the majority in our case) taking a quick glance, getting the immediate jist and then marking it as “read” and moving onto the next one in the stack. For most, i think, the timing is not perfect for this initial opening. they may tell themselves that they’ll return later when they have more time – but i fear not for the majority. so when i think about what i should center my efforts on i feel that the blog might be most important – because it involves a more captivated audience? they have already scheduled you into their busy day… what do you think Tom? i do understand the part about “2 out of 7″ having the potential to be a big audience and that is always better than not sending one… just thinking about the importance of blog vs. email and how to spread my resources.
much thanks for the content on your sites Tom,
-Mike

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