Digital vs. Print – What’s The Best Format For Your Newsletter?

by Glenn Fisher

Fiona is in the process of setting up her own e-letter and got in touch to ask...

"Do you think it’s better to print hard copies and send them out rather than have the info as a download only? Or does it depend?"

It’s a good question, and a timely one.

It’s an issue that is raging at the moment. The great debate that crosses mainstream newspapers, big name magazines and the newsletter industry alike...

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Has the internet made printed media redundant?

Maybe, maybe not.

Personally I don’t think you’ll ever see newspapers disappear. It’s a matter of taste, how people prefer to receive their news. People like choice.

Hey, they said vinyl records would disappear? In 2008 sales of vinyl increased by 89%. Why? Well, with more people using the internet to get their music, vinyl becomes more collectible than a soulless MP3... plus some people just prefer the unique quality vinyl gives a record. And of course, people like choice.

So, they say printed media will disappear? Yeah, right. Not a chance. There’s more chance of me performing at the O2 arena in place of Michael Jackson. And that, my friend, won’t be happening any time soon.

However, I do believe the volume and availability of printed media will decrease - and could do so dramatically.

But the question at hand is whether you, when starting your venture, should print?

To begin with, the answer is no...

When you start printing a newsletter, you start building up serious costs. And, as you’re just starting out, those costs could be crippling to your new business.

Unlike the Royal Mint, you won’t be printing money; you could in fact be printing a massive loss.

It’s important that you remember to be realistic at this point. There’s no proof yet that your business will succeed. You need to test the market.

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And it’s the possibility of online ‘fulfilment’ - that’s the technical term for providing the service/product - is one of the main advantages of starting your own online business.

It allows you to keep things cheap and test different elements of your product or service to make sure you’ve got it right.

That’s why, when starting out you should try as much as possible to stick to online fulfilment.

Keep your costs low and concentrate on building your audience of potential customers as a priority.

After you’ve built up that audience only then should you look to investigate whether they would be interested in you turning your online e-letter into a printed newsletter.

You may find that your customers are happy with online only, or they might want it printed.

Sometimes you’ll find they just like having the choice!