About Jason Calacanis’ “retirement” from blogging… of course it was only time before his first email newsletter ended up on the web, most likely soon re-published by someone on a blog, with comments, et. al.

I wonder, what was his goal?

We expect that moving his posts to a mailing list will not achieve what he has set out for – and that is to have a conversation with the top slice of his readers. (link)

Really? He knew the email newsletter would end up on the web. He knew the logical progression. It’s unlikely that was his real goal.

What he is really does is address is the “continuous partial attention” of the web by re-creating a form of scarcity. By changing the communication channel and re-setting expectations over his own engagement, he re-frames the conversation and makes it into an exclusive club. The content is delivered to the people on the mailing list because they made it. They feel special; not just once, at the time of purchase, but every time they receive the newsletter. They will re-consider any thoughts of unsubscribing, of exiting the club. Subscribers will read it, with a new-found attention.

He re-frames the conversation between this select group of people and himself.

If content can not be scarce, what can?

Great marketing.