Which Newsletters Should You Subscribe To?
In this edition of Ask Joel Comm, I navigate a question that could really get me in trouble! The viewer asks "Whose newsletters would you recommend I unsubscribe from so I can keep up with essential changes, but not get distracted reading too many things?"
March 7, 2008 12:04 AM
Another eye opener Joel....I ask myself how often I should communicate with my list and how much is too much
I'm conscious of over doing it, but you know what, I have never felt that you contact me too often, and I always learn at least one thing from each of your messages ... that's what I've learned from this message
Cheers
Brian
www.career-management-toolkit.com
March 8, 2008 08:02 AM
Good answer, thoughtful and valuable. Thank you!
March 8, 2008 08:04 AM
Joel,
Great point. I did that several months ago and my inbox is now a lot lighter. The good news is you made the cut.
The information you provide is valuable.
Keep up the good work and here's to Your LifetoSuccess,
John Clark
http://www.lifetosuccess.com
March 8, 2008 08:17 AM
Hi Joel,
Information overload is one of the main issues these days, we all sign up to massive lists to 1) learn something we are looking for 2) to download something that we think we need/want, etc.
But then they add up in our mailbox and we become overwhelmed.
Your point is well taken, does it have value. But the point that you did not really emphasize: is it beneficial to what you are doing?
I have been on many lists, and I can say that 99% of them have value. BUT, the value they carry may not be what I need for my business, and that is what I look at when I decide it is time to clean out my mailbox again : )
Cheers!
March 8, 2008 08:19 AM
Hi Joel
I know exactly how Lyn feels I get so many emails from newsletter I have subscribed too but what makes it more unbearable is the fact that most of the marketers also send the same email to all there lists.
so you get the same email 3 or 4 times and when you go to unsubscribe it will not let you chose which lists to stay on so its all or nothing and I have decided somtimes nothing is better as you know someone else will send you the same information.
March 8, 2008 08:19 AM
Hi Joel,
Thanks for your advice in relation to being subscribed to numerous newsletters. At times one can get overwhelmed by all of this information. Hence, as you suggest, read a newsletter and ask yourself whether it gives you value. If it doesn't then hit the unsubcribe button. I also liked your diplomacy when answering the question. No names mentioned here!
Cheers
Matt Bsat
Sydney Australia
March 8, 2008 08:29 AM
Hi Joel & everybody
There is an alternative, which is a site that I run.
Internet Marketing News Watch, www.imnewswatch.com covers only the important news.
My news site, which currently ranks #1 on Google for "internet marketing news".
IMNewswatch.com is the only internet marketing site that ever hit #1 Alexa Movers & Shakers.
You can go to http://www.imnewswatch.com/index1.html for an answer to "What Is IMNewswatch?" and how it operates. It is "powered" by qualified living, breathing human beings. IMNewswatch is not auto-powered by RSS feeds.
You can easily scan the latest news titles and click to read the ones that are of interest to you.
This is totally unlike newsletter titles like: "hey! check this out!", " and other titles that say absolutely nothing about the actual content of the email.
IMNewswatch.com is free, and currently gets over 5000 unique visitors a day.
By the way, you can choose to get the updates via email.
To read the market reaction, and testimonials of internet marketing experts about IMNewswatch, you can go to: www.imnewswatch.com/index1.html
IMNewswatch 2.0 is just around the corner with all the news categorized in a way to make it easy for our readers to read the news related to internet marketing topics that interest them.
Wishing you all the best guys.
Mike Mograbi
www.imnewswatch.com
March 8, 2008 08:57 AM
Agreed, Joel.
I get the most sales when I contact my list daily.
I also get the most 'unsubscribes' when I do this.
But that's OK, because most of us are trying to build a list of BUYERS - after all.
March 8, 2008 09:01 AM
Joel,
Totally agree! What 'value' do you get..I tend to subscribe to RSS feeds more as that is where the real content from any marketer should be.
I have 'unsubscribed' to many recently but kept their blog RSS in my bloglines feeds that way you can still keep 'in tune' with current events.
cheers
Jerry
Free opt-in food
March 8, 2008 09:13 AM
Did you go into the wrong theatre? Across the Universe was FAB! - great music, talent, costumes, scenes - it was wonderful!
March 8, 2008 09:37 AM
Hey Joel,
I would always read your newsletter. I think it has great stuff. Keep it up.
March 8, 2008 10:41 AM
Hello! Joel,
You are right, I clean up once in 6 month my box, my logic is whatever is older then 6 month it is not useful for me at this point. But...
I am straggling to produce FREE traffic with Social Bookmark.
When you start to open accounts for onlywire.com sites, put your signature in FORUMS, subscribe on Squidoo groups, create Squidoo lenses, write articles on ezines, in one month the box is full again, and when my next 6-month cleaning time arrive, I don't want to delete email coming from Social Bookmark.
Well what is your solution for Social Bookmark overload with emails.
Regards
Michaela
March 8, 2008 11:13 AM
Joel's response to this question was to pay attention to what you feel is valuable and then stay subscribed to those newsletters. My view is that this is incomplete advice. I recommend you seek out the clear experts in your field of interest and subscribe to their newsletters. All they write about may not be of immediate interest and value to you. However, I am confident their material will have long term value for you.
There are a lot of people I pay attention to but only a few who have a big impact on me long term. I suspect you will discover this is true for you as well.
Steve Pohlit
http://www.stevereports.com
March 8, 2008 01:13 PM
Hi Joel,
Newsletter which brings value-That is powerful.
Thanks for sharing this.
Best wishes,
kannan
http://www.truemlmrockstar.com
March 8, 2008 03:25 PM
Joel,
I would like to add a couple of short thoughts.
First, people have to come to the realization that they have 'jumped on board the information overload train", like it or not.
The point of bringing value is absolutely on target. To expand that just a little: is the information bringing value to what I am doing right now? Or, maybe I need it down the line a little further. So for instance, take down the information then return to the source later when you need it. Perhaps to not be tempted to use that vital time now.
Oh, but it may be gone when I get back?
Then my thought is that the odds would then lean in the favor that it was just a tactical maneuver type of info. and not a real strategic method to begin with.
Thanks, again for the great insights.
March 8, 2008 03:28 PM
Oh Good. One of important things is cleaning up all the clutter in my mailbox. This is a great tip to prevent info overload.
Thanks
Lokesh
Best Credit Cards
March 8, 2008 06:10 PM
Hey Joel,
Great advice once again. Your suggestion is my criteria as well. I read two or three emails from each marketer and if there isn't any value I unsubscribe. You'd be surprised (I have been anyway) at the number of "gurus" who bombard you with offers but don't provide value or try to establish a relationship with their readers. Anyway, thanks again for a great tip.
The best!
John Michael Christian
March 9, 2008 06:31 AM
Hi Joel, one n all ... like most ... I have a simple system I use filters to send emails to different folder categories ... then once I've been through my emails every time I open up my Outlook email system the ones that catch my attention I print them out and read up on them when it suites my time frame ... very rare do I unsubscribe to a list just send those kind to my junk folder? ... I find most information is reusable if not educational my pain with no gain is all these silly sausages that send spam post on the most stupid of products that the brain can imagine ... do they think any one would buy off a spammed email ... what a waste of good time and energy ... some of these spammers would make really good marketers if they would conform and get real.... great idea and concept Joel you have here thanks a million for letting me be on your list ... dooohhhh
All my best to you and your information overloads
Phillip Skinner
March 9, 2008 12:11 PM
Hey Joel,
Great common sense advice.
One of the things I do is see how often a newsletter comes with a product pitch.
If everytime I open an email there's always a product pitch and not much else(and there are many of them)I unsubscribe. I usually give it a week or two, depending on the frequency of the newsletter.
Never fear, Joel. Your's is one of the few I actually look forward to, even wait with great anticipation for.
Joey Phillips
March 10, 2008 07:56 AM
Good advice Joel!
I have also used Outlook 'Message Rules' to both sort and color code the newsletters which I find most valuable. Many email programs have some kind of 'rules' or 'filtering' ability which can help to keep you organized.
Regards,
Joshua
March 11, 2008 07:49 PM
Hi,
Yes that is so true i get so many mails a day. I have unsubsribed from a few that pitch all the time. There are a few that give great info and yours is one. as well as a good associate of your over at eric's tips.
thanks
steve
http://www.myxboxhacks.com
March 13, 2008 12:20 PM
Great, candid advise. I get about a million differnt SEO related stuff now. The mere fact that I'm making this post shows that your newsletters and content have risen to the top of my daily read habits