Maybe you don't need more subscribers
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What if the people receiving your emails forwarded it to friends? What if they copied the text from it and posted it on social media? What if your words traveled from the inbox into Facebook group chats and meeting rooms?
When was the last time you sent a newsletter that got 10 replies?
If none of those things happened — not even close— maybe getting more subscribers isn’t the answer.
From social media to Substack Notes, people post in the void. No comments, likes, or engagement of any kind.
Hey, sometimes things don’t work!
Your “questions to everyone” or “open invites” have good intentions, but after a dozen or so attempts, it’s time to reassess your strategy.
Stop asking “everyone” and start actually asking people.
➡️ Reply to someone else’s post. Go into the comments section of another post, or another Tweet, and reply there. Be the person that people love seeing in the comments section by being insightful, gracious, and / or funny.
➡️ Email someone directly in your network. If you’re hoping those people even see your original post and take the time to reply is a long shot. Instead, reach out and ask them. Say you’re looking for their insight for an upcoming post.
➡️ Invite someone before inviting everyone. If you’re just getting started in hosting video hangouts, live sessions, or workshops, consider inviting a few people you know directly. See if you can get three people to commit before announcing to “everyone.”
➡️ Go beyond “just sharing” and make it a big deal. Make a whole post about it. Go deeper than typing “THIS,” and explain why this piece resonated. Don’t just “curate your feed,” rolling the dice hoping that 10% of your audience might see it. Take the time to write about something (or make a video or an audio snippet), and share it directly with your audience in an upcoming newsletter (where 99% of your subscribers will see it in their inbox).
“Yeah, but Seth, I just want to post my thing and go do other things,” you might say.
Well, you see the results that “just posting” gets you.
Also, how can talking to your fans, audience, and readers be a waste of time?
Setting a timer for 15 minutes and communicating with real people five days a week will probably get you more results than the hour you spend making one Reel for 153 “people” to see (and which will never be seen again after 12 hours).
Does it scale? Fuck scale, do the work.
The strategy of “just posting” ain’t working, and it’s not going to get any easier to reach your fans in that way as we roll into the second half of 2024.
◼️ Quitting social media is scary, so start your adventure with other creative folks on the same journey. Paid subscribers get to join my weekly Escape Pod Zoom calls. Find out more info here.
◼️ Let’s skip the Zoom call and work together via email. Send backstory and a question or two here: free-trial@socialmediaescape.club
To niche or not to niche?!
How do I write better?
Can you build an email list without social media?
Should you use Substack Notes or not?
Make videos? GO LIVE?!?!
Should I update my About page?
Go paid?
I’m tired of Mailchimp. Now what?
I basically write you a personalized newsletter, responding to your initial questions and quandaries.
If it resonates, they’ll be a payment link to book a 10 day Email Guidance package.
Try me: free-trial@socialmediaescape.club
◼️ P.S.Ditch Gmail and switch to Fastmail: get a free 30-day trial and 10% off your first year here (affiliate link).
This is all excellent - and true - stuff. I've tried both sides. It's nice to post something, walk away, and hope it'll resonate and the comments and engagement will just naturally happen. It's never worked for me. But jumping into conversations in the comments of other stacks I read or even my own posts immediately sparks more engagement from my readers and from prospective subscribers. And it makes me feel like I'm part of something. So I chase that feeling of fulfillment instead of bigger numbers.
"fuck scale, do the work" - my new motto