No more suspense - it's called having a newsletter.
In the end, you'll believe me, especially when you read the last paragraph.
3 reasons you need a newsletter
- This is the only audience you own: no matter how large your following is online, the algorithm decides who sees your content, and you have no control over it. Some days, LinkedIn shows my content to 200K people, some days only 20K. Even though I have 225K followers!
Think about it - why should a platform control who sees your work?
- Building relationships: Consistent newsletter issues build trust and interaction between you and the readers, and having access to them via email makes it much easier. I respond to most of the replies I receive, unless they're generic.
- Selling: unless you're running ads, selling on social media is hard because the algorithm doesn't like external links or you selling. This is where you can run email marketing campaigns, as I do.
When you give value for free 99% of the time, some people are ready to pay for 1% of your paid products or services.
Here's what you can do
1/ Start a Substack
If you're a writer, you have to be on this platform. It's still in its early stages and has an excellent community factor, so don't tell me later you missed the bus!
Two platforms I recommend starting with, are:
- Substack: free, has a social networking element
- Kit: free up to 10K subs, excellent for email marketing
You're receiving this email via Kit. But I recommend Substack because it's more beginner-friendly and has a community factor.
Here's my Substack if you want to get a feel of it.
2/ Post weekly about something
Or once in 2 weeks if you think weekly is too much!
It doesn't need to be a long-ass newsletter like the one you're reading right now, if you've made it this far :') It can be something as simple as a compilation of one thing you've learnt, one quote, and a book recommendation.
I'm just throwing in random ideas here.
You can also post your LinkedIn post as a newsletter if you're too busy.
3/ Make it valuable
This is the key.
Always make your content valuable.
People don't follow you for who you are or what you know. They want to know what is in it for them. So make it worthwhile!
4/ Add a CTA or buttons
I have various CTAs (call-to-action) in the beginning and end that showcase my offerings.
However, on Substack, you can just end the post with a button to comment and to share your post. That way, if someone resonates with your post, they'll share it, and views will increase.
Finally
Sid from my LinkedIn coaching, Authentic Influence started a Substack newsletter and told me he enjoys it more than writing on LinkedIn. From having never written on LinkedIn, in this issue, he speaks about how he's been writing so consistently.
I encourage you to read it to know
- Even if you've never written online, it's possible
- It doesn't matter what work stage you're in
- There's a world for online writers
Even right now, a part of you may think this doesn't make sense.
But look around you... Your successful full-time creators like Ali Abdaal, Tim Denning, Eric Partaker, Matt Gray - they rake in 7-figure revenue, and they all have a newsletter.
Or a slightly more humble example like me and my friend Anangsha Alammyan, who started at zero and ended up quitting our jobs to write full-time.
That's where I rest my case.
All the best!
Love,
N