Big Picture

So you have a great company doing great work providing excellent products services or experiences. You're growing past the point where you can keep up with all the sales leads, prospects and customers. You don't have the budget to hire your way out of the crunch. So what are you going to do to continue communicating with your customers and potential customers while tending to the demands of executing with the same excellence that has brought you this far?

You need to find out about online interactive communications. It's the car analogy all over again. You don't need to become an engine builder or even a skilled mechanic you just need to know how to drive.

There has always been a lot of hype and hyperbole surrounding the Internet and the revolution it has ignited. What is true is that it has created some important new ways to communicate. Whether your business is technology driven or not chances are very good that your customers have online access and are open to valuable online communications from you. What's critically important in these days of spam overload is to provide high value content and information in your communications and only communicate with people from whom you have permission.

E-mail newsletters and Blogs(or weblogs) are two major forms of electronic communication that can be employed to enhance your connection and communication with customers and prospects.

E-mail Newsletters
Customers and prospective customers who are interested in learning more about your products, company and industry are often willing to sign-up(give permission) to receive a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly newsletter from you detailing additional information about your offerings. Often people will be motivated to opt in based on the perceived value of the information they will receive. Other times they may need either an incentive or tasting of your content. That's where blogs come in.

Blogs
In short a corporate blog is a place to offer fresh updated content "chunks" that give those interested in your offerings a sample of your viewpoint and your expertise in your industry. If you are reading this you have some awareness of blogs. Blogs are a vehicle for communication and, with a comments feature, a place for two-way communication. In a "Cluetrain" world where markets are conversations it's the companies that communicate openly and honestly with customers and prospects that will win market share, trust, customer loyalty and consequently increased revenues. Practically speaking blogs can attract traffic to your website and promote your e-mail newsletter. Your website and newsletter can convert prospects into customers and customers into loyal customers.

We're just touching the treetops here. Successful email newsletter publishing and blogging is a complex undertaking with a huge potential upside. They can help you move from "plate spinner" to trusted industry expert and valued supplier where marketing communication is concerned.

Continue to read BeConnected for additional information about the world of online marketing communications. We will talk in depth about email newsletter marketing and corporate blogging. We will also have a mix of news and commentary on things affecting the online marketing world.