Okay, I know the title of this blog raises the eyebrow but this has been a commonly asked question: What is the difference between Newsletters and Email Campaigns? Let’s get to the point (because life is too short to be subtle).
Newsletters: Let’s just call “Newsletters” old fashion and outdated. Newsletters, whether in email or direct mail, entails an extended message about what’s new in the company or something exciting happening within the company (News) and newsletters seem to be missing the most important thing behind it: A Real Person.
Written by Chris Williams @ 5 Star
Email Campaigns: This is known as true Email Marketing. Email Campaigns comes from a real person allowing the reader to have interaction with the sender. Email campaigns also position the sender as an “Expert” in what they are sharing while it allows the readers to be intrigued to direct calls of action.
Email marketing is about giving readers:
- Tips
- Educational articles that position the sender as the expert
- Interaction
- Opportunities to communicate with sender
- The option to make it social
Email Campaigns are not focused on selling nor marketing. It is not about sending off a pressured message to call for more info. It is about allowing your readers feeling non-threatened into buying something and giving them the peace of mind that they have an expert in their corner. All they will want to do is refer you, call you or share what you are saying to their social media realm.
Newsletters are like a giant Press-release. It can go to anyone and everyone and cross your fingers that the “news”letter ends up in front of the right readers.
Email Campaigns is a campaign that has a purpose. It delivers results and tracks activity and interaction. It is directed at audiences who want to hear from you, who talk about your business/service/product and Email Campaigns understands their audiences.
The problem is that people send Emails in the wrong way and in the wrong fashion. There should never be any hard core selling involved or tooth and nail marketing. It sets up a pressured reputation that people may not want to hear about again.
The Solution. Instead, there should be call to actions where your readers want more and most of us need to be reminded of what to do. Call? Email? Share? Text? Send? Attend? Visit? Fax? Meet for Coffee? Beer?…Or just say ‘Hello’ next time we see each other.
So, the long style of Newsletters that have hung around since the 80’s suck. Why? Because in today’s experience and as fast as life is, they just get ignored and the response rates are very very low.
Discovering the new way of Email Marketing and following the right protocols of Email Campaigns that give us all interaction, is the way of tomorrow.