With the popularity of social networking and blogging many believe the days of the enewsletters are numbered if not over. However a closer consideration of the pros and cons of both mediums leads to a different conclusion.

Knowing your target market
If your market is other people in business then the question is how do they use the internet for their business needs. Most of them are too busy running their businesses to spend time diddling around on the internet. In general, they prefer to stick with what is currently working for them and email works for them. Signing up for an eNewsletter is a process they are comfortable with. They only have to make that decision one time and they are on your list until they unsubscribe.

Multiple Target Markets
Another benefit of eNewsletters is that you can control who gets what content. By segmenting your data base into multiple mailing lists you can send information that is directly relevant to your readers. You can’t break down content this way with a blog.

Monitoring results
A great advantage of using a newsletter delivery system is that you can track specifically who responds to your articles and which ones attract the most response. This generates leads and sharpens your marketing and sales communication.

Push vs. Pull Technologies
The main difference between eNewsletters and blogs is how the recipient receives the information. An eNewsletter is a “push technology” while a blog is most commonly used as a “pull technology.” With an eNewsletter, you are in charge of when they receive it; while with a blog, they are in charge of when they read it. Yes, people can easily delete your newsletter email but it’s even easier not to visit your blog.
This is the same with a website and a newsletter - a website is passive waiting for people to visit while the newsletter is proactive in taking the message to the reader. Best results come when strategies are put in place to create synergy between the website and the enewsletter.

Beyond Information Overload
Where the challenge used to be in finding information, today’s challenge is to sort through it all, figure out what’s important and what to do with it. Popular eNewsletters not only provide pertinent information, they also tell the reader why they should care and what to do with it.

It’s Not an Either/Or Situation
Smart marketers will say the best results come from using all available technologies and where possible integrating them. For example you can put links to Social Networks on your newsletter and alternatively you can promote your newsletter within your social networking contacts.

In deciding how to use these technologies the most important thing to remember is who is your reader and what are they willing to do to get your content.