subscriber torpedo

Fun fact:

A few days ago, I torpedoed my list and removed 450+ subscribers.

How come, you ask?

Was it because they all thought The Sopranos was better than The Wire?

Or tried to defend the cinematic atrocity known as The Last Jedi?

Neither, actually.

(although both are fineable offenses in my world)

Instead, it’s because they hadn’t opened or clicked an email from me in over 90 days.

So I set up a simple “list hygiene” automation…

Where I gave them one last chance to re-engage else they’d be deleted.

A handful elected to stick around…

But the majority took no action, and therefore were sunsetted and (likely) never to return.

Now, the reason why I share this story with you is two-fold:

First, as a newsletter publisher, it can be damn hard to see your subscriber count go down.

Even when it’s people who are clearly checked out.

It feels like you live and die by that number sometimes.

Especially in the beginning.

Ultimately though, ACTIVE subscribers matter more than total subscribers…

Because continuing to mail people long after they’ve stopped opening or clicking hurts your deliverability.

So make sure you’ve got a similar automation in place.

Secondly:

You don’t have an unlimited window to monetize subscribers.

Everyone will tune out eventually.

It’s a question of when, not if.

Some won’t even make it 90 days.

Yet most of these folks won’t go to the trouble of unsubscribing.

They’ll just let your unread emails pile up in their inbox like dirty laundry.

This is why you need a reliable and repeatable way to monetize yours immediately after they’ve joined your newsletter.

To shorten the “payback period” on your cost-of-acquisition.

Whether you paid for them with time and energy…

Via posting on social media or other organic methods…

Or if you paid for them with dollars through paid traffic.

Otherwise, they could end up feasting on the fruits of your labor for months on end without ever giving you a nickel… 

And then simply fall asleep in the chair as you continue to put fresh food in front of them… 

Instead of leaving the restaurant like a decent human being.

Which isn’t exactly a recipe for profitability when you’re the chef.

Now, as it happens…

There is a simple solution:

Learning how to write story-driven emails that sell.

This is how you can deliver a deluge of delicious dishes that some of your subscribers will actually pay for.

Plus they’re fun to read and easy to write.

So if you’re a coach, consultant, expert, or creator who’s tired of watching subscribers come and go without any money changing hands…

Or if you’d simply like to become more confident in your copywriting skills…

Without having to waste hours hand-copying outdated sales letters from the 1970s…

Then stay tuned for the release of my 15-Minute Emails That Sell Crash Course next week.

Inside, I show you the quick & dirty way to get really good at writing story-driven emails that sell…

Even if you’re not an expert.

I show you how to get AI to write them for you too if you want.

(and they’re actually pretty decent!)

Anyway, more details to come ;) 

Jim Hamilton