If a blog entry can be made into a press release, I expand exposure that way through the free press release sites, which help to improve
SEO. I prefer the paid press release sites but not all clients are willing to pay for these nor do they see the importance of them either. I also like to include, in my e-newsletters some type of activity that requires the recipient to return something back to me. For example, I've run drawings for free tickets to major movie theaters or create a box for trivia where someone has to answer fun questions to receive an entry into a drawing. Often these types of contests are forwarded by the initial recipient to someone else to participate, which in turn means that that newsletter distribution list grows.
I have also asked my clients to mail me a stack of business cards where I enter their email addresses in a data base and add new names to the email list, with their permission, of course. I also post parts of the newsletter, such as a book review to the client's websites to keep the site current with new information. I also search for local newspapers for the client and often I submit an article from the newsletter to these sources.
I also handle real estate clients, so I have sought out homeowner association newsletters and have asked if my clients could have a monthly column in their papers. I'll submit an article or two from the newsletter for these publications and include an email address where folks can opt in. Often these local publications are really grass roots style but they do bring in business for the clients. I also suggest to the client that they build a database for printing of the newsletter so that it can reach those who do not have email. Even though it can be expensive to mail a newsletter to a particular market, I do suggest that sending out at least one or two per year, say a holiday newsletter, which can be very effective. Finally, in the case of real estate clients, but this can be done with other types of businesses, I do suggest that they print the newsletter and keep copies in the flyer box in the listing or at least on the kitchen counter in the home they are trying to sell. You'd be surprised how many are picked up and how many people sign on to the client site to opt in for the e-newsletter.
Oh, and one more idea...I once took a
PR course and one idea that helped was to ask my clients if they would include a hover ad on their website which asked people to opt in for the newsletter or for a 'Tip a Week' type of correspondence. There is much talk about how annoying these little hover ads are but almost everyone who visits the clients' websites opt in for the newsletter, thus greatly increasing the mailing list and exposure.
Ads for opting in for an e-newsletter, should be, in my opinion be placed on each page of a website. That's the marketer in me...
I'm not sure if these are suggestions you are looking for. Posting on the blogs is great. If you can post entries that create a buzz...that's even better. It's the conversation that creates the exposure.
Eva
Question re Blogs and e-newsletters
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