In the Web 2.0 world, do email newsletters really make an impact any more in business to business sales?

With the advent of blogs and social networks, are 'newsletters' still relevant... well, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater -- I think there could be a really powerful blending of things that could still have 'newsletters' be relevant, if not slightly modified and better given the effort that goes into them... read on...

By all accounts email marketing is by far the highest ROI channel that marketing has available. That said, there is an opportunity to couple your email marketing with a blog or a microsite that contains the newsletter topics, subjects and articles.

We have taken this approach with a microsite we sponsor, that goes along with the B2B Online Marketing Group at LinkedIn. We maintain a microsite for that group, that has a schedule of topics (editorial calendar or focus), and we send an email each month to members and direct them back to the microsite. That site is focused on B2B Online Marketing Strategies and Tactics.

The benefit is that we can provide the information on the site, and people can bookmark the things they find of interest (rather than having to keep an email around or in a folder within their email), and the email is only a quick overview of what's contained, with a link to the site. We can also get the site search engine optimized, and the information is there and available for use in a variety of ways that provides much more value over the long haul - both for the members of the B2B Online Marketing Group, and those who are searching the web for content that they'll find at the site given the search results. These are people we don't even know about.

We use our own company's products to manage the microsite, send the emails, and measure response. We have very high open and click through rates - and we've had people 'subscribe' on the site itself based on the value of the information contained. Genoo's B2B Marketing and Lead Management tools have made this really easy.

So I would suggest a hybrid approach -- email marketing is still, indisputably one of the best ways to engage your target market. The key is to have permission to engage them, and then to provide relevant information. If you can use a microsite or blog to hold that 'newsletter' content, then you've opened yourself up to gain far more value from the content you're putting together for that newsletter, and can use it for Search Engine Optimization strategies - which are critical in today's environment.

Comments

[Dave Kustin]

WrapMail is interesting because it is designed to market to people you already to communicate with - hence you have their permission to email them.

Our product helps clients brand, market, promote, sell and research with every external email from every employee.

Dave

[Douglas Karr]

I think email is a tremendous means of engaging clients and prospects who ALREADY have a relationship with you (after all, they had to opt-in, right?).

In a Web 2.0 world, I believe the way to engage prospects is through search because that's the primary means through which internet users seek information. And... if you want to engage through search, writing great content that the search engines deem relevant is the best possible way of engaging prospects.

Your blog post is a great example! For businesses, though, blogging can be difficult - that's what our product is for!

[Kim Albee]

Doug,

You raise a TERRIFIC point about using the content for search engine optimization -- a study done last year revealed that 80% of customers say they found their vendor and not the other way around.

That means that search engine optimization is critical. Either they're going to find you or they're going to find a competitor -- and which would you rather have happen?!

Given the challenges of content marketing and what it takes to develop and produce that content (hence your comment about blogging not being for everyone) - companies should look for ways they can maximize the content they develop, so it can be used for a bigger bang.

Kim