In the sales and marketing game, the email list is kind. Unfortunately, many authors hate sending email. Luckily, that's probably because they are not optimizing their own ecosystem.
THANK YOU! Just learned I’m a Desert, and I LOVE this strategy for NL building! I’m going to try it on a few of my pen names. So much better than my current strategy of I email when there’s a release or when I remember I have that list!
As someone who's always trying to up my email game (and who subscribes to an inordinate number of newsletters), this was a great analysis/synthesis of all of the different types of email marketing out there. Thank you, Russell!
I sure did, but I do think it is kind. It's easily the kindest place I have found online. Perhaps that is one of the root causes of why you have been disillusioned with this work. It's supposed to be kind. If it's not kind, then you probably have the wrong people on it.
Email is the only place online people truly value, and when they sign up for your list they are giving you access to a very special place for them. I take that very seriously. In return, they support me both mentally and financially. I have worked with people where we jettisoned 8,000+ people from their list and rebuilt from scratch. They were much happier once they were getting responses, financial and emotional. If you don't have your email as a sacred space for you,. where is your sacred space online, where you and your fans can interact together in a way that is nourishing to both of you?
Honestly, that's what I'm striving to figure out...and so far, it seems like [my channel] here on Substack is that place. Already I've had more interaction with the very few readers I've had here, than decades publishing elsewhere.
I'm finding a growing desire to UNDERSTAND email. Probably for the first time.
You are a good example of that, Russell. You're the only subscription I pay for as of today. No one else has won me over or provided the 'value' I sought for (and that list changes by subject).
I love that, and appreciate it. I would consider starting with a Universal Fantasy like you can find on Theadora Taylor's Substack. Once you have that one fantasy that goes across your work, it becomes a funnel to see everything else, and to cater an experience that is a good one. Like...I suck at community building because I have a hard time talking around a subject. I prefer to connect through the work, which makes places like Facebook and Circle hard, b/c you have to connect around the work and chat about all sorts of things. Here, though, I can be very focused on just engaging on the topics that work for me, and provide the most value.
It's kind of flavor to taste from there, but you need at least ONE sacred space where you can collect the people who you want to serve.
Oh, and I'm not saying every day is amazing. This week I've had more hater type people than any other week in a long time, so it's been hard, but in general the people I interact with, like you, are pretty amazing, and it always fills me back up.
I had already bought Theadora Taylor's before I discovered Substack -- and I've gone through her audiobook version as well. I believe my current project is both a Universal Fantasy, but it was designed to free me from confines, so I can write hundreds of other projects.
Yet they do and will all connect.
My 'sacred' place you mention, if I understand you right, would be my "Wanted Hero" Universe. Being a cartoonist yourself, I'd love for you see what has kept me sane for decades... https://wantedhero.com
Much like Terry Pratchett, I have a center story, and all else connects to it...and I looooove entertaining readers through odd, fun, sometimes funny, 'skewed' perspectives.
But I can't seem to wrap my brain around HOW to use email with all this?
Comment sections, like this, is where I have always enjoyed interacting with others...and I'm finding that same joy with readers here.
Still trying to understand a proper use for 'Notes'...and the balance through emails of when to post FREE, and when to limit it conversation and comments to paid only.
The whole process made me realize that if I made enough money to sustain myself, I'd want to give everything away for FREE.
THANK YOU! Just learned I’m a Desert, and I LOVE this strategy for NL building! I’m going to try it on a few of my pen names. So much better than my current strategy of I email when there’s a release or when I remember I have that list!
Yaaaay!!!
Thanks! I've been considering adding a "5 Bullet Friday"-like element to my newsletter to get more material out there. I'm a Forest.
Love it
As someone who's always trying to up my email game (and who subscribes to an inordinate number of newsletters), this was a great analysis/synthesis of all of the different types of email marketing out there. Thank you, Russell!
Yay! I'm so glad it helped. Look forward to seeing what you do with it :)
Russell, I, uh...did you mean “king”, when you said,...”in the sales and marketing game, the email list is kind. “
...cause I’ve never known email to be kind. Brutal, maybe. Never kind.
I sure did, but I do think it is kind. It's easily the kindest place I have found online. Perhaps that is one of the root causes of why you have been disillusioned with this work. It's supposed to be kind. If it's not kind, then you probably have the wrong people on it.
Well THATS a nice twist I wasn’t expecting.
Email has always been a struggle, since...2004 for me. Which makes Substack a nice experience for me.
Alright, going back to the article...👍
Email is the only place online people truly value, and when they sign up for your list they are giving you access to a very special place for them. I take that very seriously. In return, they support me both mentally and financially. I have worked with people where we jettisoned 8,000+ people from their list and rebuilt from scratch. They were much happier once they were getting responses, financial and emotional. If you don't have your email as a sacred space for you,. where is your sacred space online, where you and your fans can interact together in a way that is nourishing to both of you?
Honestly, that's what I'm striving to figure out...and so far, it seems like [my channel] here on Substack is that place. Already I've had more interaction with the very few readers I've had here, than decades publishing elsewhere.
I'm finding a growing desire to UNDERSTAND email. Probably for the first time.
You are a good example of that, Russell. You're the only subscription I pay for as of today. No one else has won me over or provided the 'value' I sought for (and that list changes by subject).
I love that, and appreciate it. I would consider starting with a Universal Fantasy like you can find on Theadora Taylor's Substack. Once you have that one fantasy that goes across your work, it becomes a funnel to see everything else, and to cater an experience that is a good one. Like...I suck at community building because I have a hard time talking around a subject. I prefer to connect through the work, which makes places like Facebook and Circle hard, b/c you have to connect around the work and chat about all sorts of things. Here, though, I can be very focused on just engaging on the topics that work for me, and provide the most value.
It's kind of flavor to taste from there, but you need at least ONE sacred space where you can collect the people who you want to serve.
Oh, and I'm not saying every day is amazing. This week I've had more hater type people than any other week in a long time, so it's been hard, but in general the people I interact with, like you, are pretty amazing, and it always fills me back up.
I had already bought Theadora Taylor's before I discovered Substack -- and I've gone through her audiobook version as well. I believe my current project is both a Universal Fantasy, but it was designed to free me from confines, so I can write hundreds of other projects.
Yet they do and will all connect.
My 'sacred' place you mention, if I understand you right, would be my "Wanted Hero" Universe. Being a cartoonist yourself, I'd love for you see what has kept me sane for decades... https://wantedhero.com
Much like Terry Pratchett, I have a center story, and all else connects to it...and I looooove entertaining readers through odd, fun, sometimes funny, 'skewed' perspectives.
But I can't seem to wrap my brain around HOW to use email with all this?
Comment sections, like this, is where I have always enjoyed interacting with others...and I'm finding that same joy with readers here.
Still trying to understand a proper use for 'Notes'...and the balance through emails of when to post FREE, and when to limit it conversation and comments to paid only.
The whole process made me realize that if I made enough money to sustain myself, I'd want to give everything away for FREE.
Not wise, I've been told (many times)...
Actually, it's really wise. I give almost everything away for free.
Thanks for the mention. This looks like a helpful comprehensive article - looking forward to digging into it later today <3
Look forward to hearing what you think!
Yay! You’re welcome :)