Email newsletters are important to both business and social communication. They can create loyalty and develop relationships and trust.
However, setting up, creating, and distributing an email newsletter can be time consuming. You’ll need a reputable email service provider, an email marketing service provider like Aweber, Constant Contact, or Mail Chimp, and might need a WordPress plugin to integrate the newsletter with your blog.
If you want something super easy and quick then look no further. You can easily send your newsletter to your blog readers, customers, and prospects with Posterous.
How to use Posterous for your email newsletter
Step 1. Sign up for a Posterous account if you don’t already have one.
To create an account, enter your email address, a username, and a password and click “almost there”.
Step 2. Choose whether you want a Posterous site or a Group site.
A Posterous site is like a blog, you can post and share anything; blog posts, pictures, videos, and links. A group site allows your members to post to the site. If you have a group site with other real estate appraisers, anyone in the group could add content to the site by emailing it to sitename@posterous.com. Group members do not need an account to post and you can also make groups private.
You probably want to create a Posterous site, not a group site, if you are gong to be using it for a newsletter.
Step 3. Add people to your site.
Option 1: Add email addresses yourself.
Under “Manage” click the “People” tab. In the People tab, you can manage who you’d like to receive emails containing your new posts, who you’d like to contribute to your site and who has complete control over your site or group.
Click “Add People” to add subscribers and contributors.
A new window will open where you can enter email address or import addresses from a CSV or vCard. You can also select to have subscribers receive your newsletter when you post it or have it sent out in a daily email. If you are creating a newsletter, you probably want to select “Instantly”.
Your subscribers will have to confirm their subscription before they receive your newsletter. Asking for permission is vital to your email marketing efforts.
Once your customers confirm their subscriptions, they’ll automatically receive an email each time you post. The email will appear as if it’s coming from you, and the title of your post will be the subject line of your email. And don’t worry about clunky attachments – all photos will appear inline with the rest of your content. via Posterous
Option 2: Have people subscribe.
Some individuals would probably rather subscribe to your newsletter themselves. No problem! Anyone visiting your posterous site can sign up to your email subscription list at any time. There is a “Subscribe by email” link on every Posterous site and you don’t need a Posterous account to subscribe.
When a visitor to your site clicks on the subscribe by email link, a new window will open. All they have to do is enter their email address and click “Subscribe by email”.
As a site owner, you will receive an email notification every time someone subscribes to your site.
Anyone with a Posterous account can manage their subscription by visiting their subscription management page.
Step 4. Send your first newsletter.
Send your first newsletter by posting content to your Posterous site.
You can post by email or post by web. To post by email, just send an email to post@posterous.com from the email address you used when you signed up. Your email will be posted instantly. The title of the post will be the same as the title of your email, all photos will appear inline with the rest of your content, and your subscribers will automatically receive the newsletter and the email will appear as if it’s coming from you.
To post by web just click the “Post by web” button under the “Posts” tab.
An editor will open in your browser where you can add text and upload images, audio, video, and docs. You can also schedule the post for the future.
That is it! In just a few minutes you can have your email newsletter setup.
Bottom Line
While it is dead simple to use, a Posterous newsletter does not integrate tightly with a real estate blog hosted somewhere else. You can’t capture email addresses on your blog and have it automatically transferred to Posterous. You will either have to collect email address on your blog and transfer them manually to Posterous or link to your Posterous site where your blog readers can sign up.
But if you are looking for something simple to use, creating and distibuting an email newsletter with Posterous couldn’t be easier. If you want to start a newsletter for your real estate website but don’t want to have to learn a new software or system, Posterous might be a good solution.
{ 4 comments }
Hi Bryan,
Wow…you’re on a roll with such awesome helps for us. Thank you so much! There’s a lot of people using Posterous as I receive a daily email from several subscriptions, Guy Kawasaki being one of them. One can gain so many blogging ideas from that site. I need to do this.
I was on SMM Camp 8 Webinar on FB Pages this week and one of the guys said that Mail Chimp works best on FB Pages. I recorded hour 1 with Ben Kinney & DotJenna if you want link.
Bryan, thank you so very much!
Bill
Thanks Bill. I really like Posterous and like you, receive a daily email of the blogs I am subscribed to. You are right, it’s a great place for blogging ideas. Share the link when you get a chance, I would like to listen to that webinar. Thanks!
Great tip, Bryan. Thank you Sir.
You are welcome Ryan!