Greetings, friend! Welcome to this sneak peek into my newsletter world!
Today I thought it would be fun to offer a behind-the-scenes glance into my monthly newsletters.
For current newsletter subscribers, this will seem like old hat. For new “family members,” and those wishing to sign up for my monthly updates, I hope this blog post whets your appetite for good things ahead!
Sign-up is completely painless and free. I won’t sell, barter, or give away your e-mail address. I won’t swamp you with frequent content. I won’t deliver Downer Dan spiels—we get enough of that elsewhere.
What WILL you get as a newsletter subscriber?
Ooh! I’m so glad you asked!
*Sneak Peek Alert*
Always a whole lotta LOVE!
Recipes like THIS!
Ozarks’ eye-candy!
And naturally…book fun! (Pre-Covid)
Once a month you’ll receive Heartfelt, Homespun Fiction from the Ozarks. We’ll chat about life, love, inspiration, and writing. I’ll share tidbits from the home front, slice-of-life vignettes, and comfort food goodies. I won’t sugarcoat, but I will share tactfully, truthfully, and lovingly. You will leave encouraged. And hopefully—you’ll encourage your friends and family to hop on board, too. (THAT would make me really, really happy.)
It’s not about the numbers for me. Though, as an author, enlarging my platform is a huge consideration. Still, it’s much more than that.
Naturally, our “numbers” grow when we connect with readers.
By “connect,” I mean really connect. NOT the “buy me,” “like me,” or “Kiss my Great Aunt Sally and her dog Spot” connect. Yuck. Who wants that? I certainly don’t and I bet you don’t either.
Of course, as writers, we must enlarge our platform to sell books. Common sense, right? BUT the moment our thoughts become a non-stop sales pitch? Whop. That’s where we lose readers.
However, when something we share resonates with someone—when our thoughts enlighten, encourage, benefit, or bless others? That’s the difference. Our words have a rebound effect.
For instance, newsletters generally have a 20% open rate. Now, sometimes statistics are skewed for various reasons, but for the most part, those analytics are fairly accurate.
My open rates, for my small tribe (*waves*) is around 40-50%. Some months are lower, some a little higher, depending on the season or other various factors. THAT blesses me! It means my message is getting heard. It’s striking a chord with my intended audience.
I bless YOU. You bless ME. Together, we spread the love and continue blessing others. Isn’t it awesome how that works?!
To be clear, I never expect to get anything in return. But wow. Have to be honest—it’s a double-hanky day when that happens.
Take my recent newsletters, for example. I always receive some feedback when I hit SEND, but lately, responses have surprised me.
Within a few hours of my newsletters hitting inboxes, I usually receive several replies.
Why?
That’s what happens when we share honestly, openly, and creatively without an agenda.
I can only guess at some other reasons my newsletters continue to resonate.
Am I fancy?
Nope.
Am I pretentious?
Uh-uh.
Do I push books?
I do share my books and book news, but that’s not the sole purpose of my newsletters. Actually, I sent monthly newsletters long before I was published.
Well, then— Do I write well?
Yes, and still learning.
Do I uplift and inspire?
That’s my goal.
Do I meet people where they are?
Bingo! That’s the key, I think.
In my newsletters, I say things I wish others would say in a get real kind of way. I address issues, interests, and news events in a down-home way as if we were sitting across the table chatting over coffee and pie.
In other words, I let my hair down with my newsletter family.
I speak just like I do here on the blog and in the same vein I write my stories. Pompous Polly, I’m not.
As I’ve often said, I don’t eat Jello with a toothpick, but you won’t find pinkies extended at my house either.
Now, I may offer you a pretty cloth napkin and an everyday fork or spoon—your preference—but I guarantee—we’ll have a rousing conversation without the fancy, schmancy expectations you might find elsewhere, and we’ll have a ball while we’re at it!
If you’re a writer or someone who simply wants to share, mirroring what works for others won’t work for you.
We can learn SEO, formatting, and platform tips, but at the end of the day, our creativity—our voice—is what draws readers.
Let me repeat that.
Our style isn’t dependent on the perfect scenario. Perfect is boring, remember?
The draw—the come back for more factor—is us. Our uniqueness. Our ability to communicate in a way no one else can mimic.
Let that sink in for a moment.
We move others in a way someone else can’t.
When we’re ourselves, others sense that. When we pretend? Others sense that, too.
Our newsletters impact readers when we tap emotions they didn’t realize they had.
We don’t share because it’s easy or always fun. We share with the bigger purpose in mind.
To change lives and prompt our readers to do the same.
♥♥♥
PLEASE SHARE
Connecting with my readers through newsletters. What’s in it for YOU?
It’s not just about sales. Here are key reasons I enjoy communicating this way.
Do newsletters really matter to readers? What are the benefits?
Let’s break that down. The format I’ve adopted, but you do YOU.
THOUGHTS YOU MAY ENJOY
Welcome to My Newsletter Family
Why are author newsletters important? Here are six reasons!
Does a Newsletter Scare You? Five Ways to Rock It!
An oldie but goodie ~ A must-read for writers!
What do you enjoy in a newsletter?
What prompts you to subscribe/unsubscribe from a newsletter?
♥♥♥
Join me in my Facebook group where we have tons of fun! It’s a private group, but anyone can join. To weed out spam and ensure group cohesiveness, there are a few questions to answer first, but nothing hard. I promise! We’d love to welcome you there.
Much Love and Many Blessings,
