Sometimes, I have to stop and look at which online marketing techniques I respond to. I don’t follow many real patterns, but I do know that my responses all center around: strong content that answers questions, informs me, or meets any one of the other needs I might have at any given moment.
One thing I do depend on, though, is e-mail. It’s not so much e-mail itself but I actually use e-mail as a filter for the content that I have decided is really critical to me. You see, I am not an RSS guy. I tend to sign up for too many feeds that I get all giddy over, but then never read because my RSS reader tells me I have several hundred things to read right now. I’m just not wired that way.
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What I respond to is something I have opted into that lands in my inbox. It’s kind of cool to get an e-mail from a group or publication that you have said “Yes, I would like to hear from you more often.” I have that relationship with BtoB Magazine and their other properties that centers on this very concept.
I look forward to getting the latest issue of BtoB Magazine. I go to www.btobonline.com, but it’s not the same. ( I find that with most magazines experiences with me which may be just due to my age.) BtoB Magazine is usually a quick read with good information presented in a clear manner. I like that. I also like the fact the one of the reasons I am so connected to the publication is the e-mail alerts available. They are very much like the magazine. They are crisp, clean, and direct, which usually allows me to get in, get out, and move on with some new information.
These between issues e-mails actually make the magazine better for me. Even if there is some overlap in content, I am forgiving because I am getting fed with the right stuff, at the right time (my time) and in the right amount. BtoB has done a nice job of making me a fan and I recommend their suite of offerings to anyone.
Creating content that your customers anticipate is what you should be aiming for all the time. Having several one-hit wonders may create spikes in traffic but they are inconsistent and hard to make plans for.
As with most things in life, people appreciate some consistency, whether it’s from friends, family or even business relationships. If you keep showing up and giving them something they need, they might actually miss you and wonder where you have been if you don’t keep the pace. It’s at that point that you know that you have created content anticipation and that anticipation will lead to engagement, which has a much greater chance of leading to success.
Does e-mail work for you? Is it a way for you to stay connected between content events? If not, what keeps your interest? What makes you anticipate content from somewhere? We’re all a bit different, so it would interesting to hear from some of our readers.
