Thread: is facebook taking over the need for newsletters?

do customers really read newsletters or do you think they are signed up to hear about the sales? can the same be done by creating a fan page and posting on facebook?

I don't think so...
You can do a lot w/ Facebook - but not everyone social networks, and Facebook does have it's limitations. I've been on it (and other such sites) for a while, and am now looking to add a regular monthy e-newsletter to my campaigns.

I wouldn't rely on the customer to remember to check your FB fan page. Even though I want to know what you are up to, I am lazy and bombarded with a million other things to remember. A newsletter delivered to my email once a month with all the info gathered onto it is my ideal method of receiving alerts.

I like to read your newsletters!

I much prefer Twitter & Facebook over newsletters.

I think people can have strong preferences for the way in which they receive their info, so I think it's good to do both. They're also different vehicles. Newsletters offer you scope to provide more detailed info, stories, etc. Facebook is good for an 'hey, check this out' snippet with instant weblink.

I tried to attend a webinar on email marketing today but my technology (or I) failed. So hopefully once I get the notes I'll be able to add some more informed comments!

I like having my fanpage but there are MANY people who don't use Facebook. I don't really "use" it... I joined reluctantly and the only things I like about it are the fanpage, which lots of RL friends/former students view, and the way it allows me to keep up with RL friends living overseas. I've reconnected with many old pals via FB and keep up with newer ones who have moved. Oh, and I have chats with my nephew now. But many, many people don't like or use it, and there are a fair few who don't even use computers. So a physical newsletter is far from obsolete if you are serious about your business.

I'd definitely prefer a newsletter. I don't check my Facebook account very often, but something in the mail or even email would be better for me. Facebook conversations are hard to follow. Here to there and everywhere.

Edna

I think we're headed that direction, but not yet...Check out this new study: Social Networks Trounce Email in Study — Datamation.com

I prefer e-mail newsletter and I never read Facebook Page "Updates" anymore.

everyone goes to my web site for the class grid.even if they find me somewhere else..i am not on facebook . i am barely on myspace.my town STILL is deep into print yellow pages ..my wed address is under my phone listing.

Newsletter and/or private website. I'm a FB refusenik - why should I have to join YET ANOTHER website to keep up with what I want when I can go to "their" webpage?

Witchvox just moved their "news" to a FB page.... WHY!!!!!???

AGAINST FB: There are still some people (like Zorba ) who refuse to join the collective. And there are some countries/networks where people can't access FB (like China).

FOR FB: I'll admit I'm a FB junkie. ..g.: It's done wonders for my business since I joined. In this age of "social networking" never has the adage "It's who you know, not what you know." rang truer. I only use FB to mass message people (through a group or page). In the rare case that someone contacts me by email I answer their query, and politely refer them to Facebook.

Having said all that .... some people just don't read newsletters/mass mail regardless of whether it's sent via FB or regular email! ..l;,

Originally Posted by azhaar

There are still some people (like Zorba ) who refuse to join the collective.

Collective? Hmmm... Maybe the "Matrix"!

Originally Posted by zorba

Collective? Hmmm... Maybe the "Matrix"!

..l;, Actually, I was alluding to "The Borg" but "The Matrix" works just as well! ..g.:

stick with email newsletters (or regular mail). Unfortunately, there are too many businesses/dancers who abuse FB and send multiple updates multiple times day - so I usually end up just deleting all invites and emails that I get without even looking at them. Most of them are for events that aren't even in my state, and I'm not going to wade through all of them to find the one or two that I might actually be interested in.

Not to mention that people like me always miss crap on the newsfeed any way. I still prefer reading stuff in print as well so I am kind of slow to the internet party. Can't stand the idea of reading a book on a screen and still love getting my Dahlal news letter in the mail.

Originally Posted by azhaar

AGAINST FB: There are still some people (like Zorba ) who refuse to join the collective.

I am on FB - but there are just soooo many social networking sites (which ones do I join and which ones do I just leave out?).
I have to admit that I don't keep up w/ the ones I am on as often as perhaps should (or want) due to demands on my time w/ full time regular job, a full time dance and teaching schedule as well, not to mention I ocassionally manage to squeeze in some time for a RL evey now & again...

Originally Posted by zorba

Witchvox just moved their "news" to a FB page.... WHY!!!!!???

I didn't know you were on Witchvox - I've been on there for eons (but again, I'm not constantly checking things there. But prob more than I do my FB or MS). Do you have a profile there? Look mine up at (I'm on there for my spiritual beliefs so I didn't include any mention of belly dance in my profile)

Another social networking/business guru I follow on Twitter cited a study asserting that over 80% of people still using email as a form of communication. So, spread a wide net, use them ALL.

Originally Posted by Azhia

Another social networking/business guru I follow on Twitter cited a study asserting that over 80% of people still using email as a form of communication. So, spread a wide net, use them ALL.

WORD.

I'm trying to use all of them (newsletter, FB, MS, Twitter, etc...) It ends up being a little redundant.

I'm trying to network by collecting FB friends and finding many dancers don't have FB pages. So, I'm adding them to my newsletter.

I wish daughter would use Facebook enough so that I could have an opinion. She's glad I do our website and the studio newsletter but she has no interest in facebook-myspace-twittering -- I would say about half her students fall into the same category. Half post on FB frequently, the others don't care much or at all.

As a consumer, I like to receive an occasional newsletter e-mail from a vendor that interests me. Fewer people seem to be using e-mail for marketing these days, so I'm actually more inclined to notice an update via e-mail than yet another event blast on Facebook. I agree that people are getting nutzy with Facebook messages.

Status updates and tweets are a good way to make a quick announcement, though - say you wanted to briefly tell your followers about a new colorway for your veils, or a recent writeup in the local media, or whatever. I do pay attention to wall posts.

I completely agree with Azhia. Use ALL platforms. And figure out what works for you. At the end of the day, there really is no one-size-fits-all marketing solution because we're not all after the same consumer.

:soapbox:

One thing dancers should NOT do is take people's e-mail addresses from FB and other social networking sites and add them to their mailing list without permission. Several US dancers have done this to me and I've tried to opt out and it never works. If you use a newsletter, make sure you're complying with all CAN-SPAM act laws. .p::

Some enewsletters I sign up for are so I don't miss sales and promotions or new product releases; some are for informational/educational purposes. I don't always read them, but I always scan them and if there is something of interest to me at that time I will click through. I have unsubscribed from some because they simply sent too many; one business would send me multiple emails daily! Don't overdo it.

I am a FB junkie and I do check my news feed more than once a day. I participate in polls and surveys and when a business asks me for my opinion on FB, I give it to them if I am in the mood. If there is a blog post that looks interesting, I click through. If you know how to use it, FB is a great tool to build customer relationships, get good feedback and allow additional cost effective avenues of promotion. But simply having a page isn't enough, social networking is about interaction. So if you are going to do FB, you have to keep your page current and up to date; post new photos and videos, updates, links, etc. on a regular basis. If you never show up in the newsfeeds of your friends and fans you will be quickly forgotten.

Also, I prefer to be fans of businesses than friends. When a business asks me to be their friend, they are on a restricted list so they can't access my contact information.

And don't forget that while not all your current customers are social networking, your future customers definitely are, or will be.

Originally Posted by andalee-oriental

:soapbox:

One thing dancers should NOT do is take people's e-mail addresses from FB and other social networking sites and add them to their mailing list without permission. Several US dancers have done this to me and I've tried to opt out and it never works. If you use a newsletter, make sure you're complying with all CAN-SPAM act laws. .p::

YES!! THIS!! It's so frustrating the amount of belly spam I get.

Originally Posted by Chandra

I didn't know you were on Witchvox - I've been on there for eons (but again, I'm not constantly checking things there. But prob more than I do my FB or MS). Do you have a profile there?

Yea, I joined eons ago too - and only check it sporadically, mainly for "Wren's News". I joined mainly so I could comment on Wren's News stories - and now they've been moved off to FB. I don't get it...

Originally Posted by Azhia

...study asserting that over 80% of people still using email as a form of communication.

Well, like, DUH!

I use email for probably 95% of my communcations...

i'm with zorba. i do not do facebook ! it gets heated, political...just not fun!

Not to mention all the games on FB or MS sending feed updates every 3 seconds or so. I don't care if you have a baby sloth that needs adopting, or what you've added to your zoo/restaurant, who got 'hit' in mafia wars, or what your sorority is planning.
,m:: I'm not on there for those things and get REALLY TIRED of all the invites and updates.

I wanna know what my peeps are doing in the RW, how they're feeling,
and where the next big thing going on is at.

So IMHO social networks are both an asset and a royal pain in the tucas!

Because I teach and dance on a university campus, FB is an important resource for me. What drives me crazy, though, as others have mentioned, is redundancy. At times I've received the same event update through e-mail, FB event invitation, FB message, and Tribe PM!

I'm thinking of starting a newsletter, and, if I do, I will suggest to my students that they opt-in either to my FB page or to the newsletter, based on which of the two they think will be more convenient for them, so that they don't feel overwhelmed with repetitive messages.

Originally Posted by andalee-oriental

One thing dancers should NOT do is take people's e-mail addresses from FB and other social networking sites and add them to their mailing list without permission.

A hundred times yes! I believe I've had my e-mail address harvested from Bhuz as well. The only effective response is to abide by the Boulder Pledge and to opt not to support events or products advertised through spam messaging tactics.