We are working on setting up a newsletter to go along with this blog, to keep people updated on progress with books in development, and to announce speaking or training events. Today Chris Garrett addressed this issue very succinctly. Chris also referenced an older post where the comments have been particularly useful. There was also a Marketing Profs online "Finding B-2-B Customers" seminar (webinar) which was useful as well. The recordings of the seminar/webinar should be available after it concludes.
We are looking for input as we finalize our plans. If you have a comment or suggestion, we would appreciate hearing about it. drrogera [at] modernmagellans.com
The most pressing issues are:
1) Content Quantity - length of articles and posts.
2) Delivery Frequency - Monthly, Weekly or in between.
As for our current thinking...
It's clear that only a fraction of Internet users read blogs every day. The majority of users know what RSS is let alone how to use it. Fortunately, Google, Yahoo, and others have created RSS readers. It is still an educational process to get new readers to use them. Many of my target audience members are not at their computer for hours at a time. Therefore, an email newsletter seems like the best solution.
The benefit for Modern Magellans is obvious; repeated and facilitated access to interested readers, clients, and audience members. The benefit to the recipient has been the bigger question. Just because we can send emails does not mean it has any value to the recipient. To repeat the blog content seemed redundant but given the frequency of visits we see a need to remind or increase awareness of the blogs contents.
Primary value added features:
1) Best of the blog posts - the question here is about putting the whole post or just an excerpt and a link.
2) A list of all posts with links so that it is easier to follow along or find a post.
3) Links and updates on other Modern Magellans resources such as Squidoo lenses or guest blogging posts.
4) Links to non-Modern Magellans posts, blogs, and websites of interest or value to the target audience.
5) Updates on events - speaking and training, online and off.
6) Progress on new titles - promotional offers, excerpts, and sneak peeks at new maps.
To make the subscription more valuable, subscribers will also be added to the book website registered users list. As registered users, they will have access to materials not publicly available.
1) Downloadable materials from training courses and seminars.
2) Longer videos, with higher resolution, than the 5-minute YouTube versions.
3) Previews of Chapters in Books: in print and soon to be released titles.
4) Ability to add content to the Great Maps collection.
The overall objective of the newsletter is to facilitate and increase awareness of the posted material as well as inform readers of the availability of additional materials, offers, services, and events. The secondary objective is to provide subscribers with something that they can pass along or forward to other people who they feel might benefit or wish to subscribe. Lastly, it may be more convenient for many business owners to be able to have posts delivered to them rather than having to go searching for it.
The current contact software that is a part of the backend to the book website does not allow for multiple lists, double opt-in, open rate or bounce frequencies typically found in email campaign software. Once we have identified an appropriate add-on we will switch to that.
Again, if you have comments or suggestions, we would like to hear them.
If you would like to subscribe to the newsletter, please register on book website.
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