A month ago, I pulled the trigger and finally started a newsletter. The goal was to share it twice a month, and tomorrow, the fourth newsletter will go out on time! When people ask me, “What’s new?” the thing I’m most excited to talk about is my newsletter. There are quite a few things using this new tool has helped me appreciate, and here are four lessons that my newsletter has taught me.
Engage your core (audience)
My newsletter allows me to speak to the people who love what I do. It’s exhausting fighting an algorithm to get 10% of your followers to see your posts. With the newsletter, the majority of the subscribers open the content and see what I am most excited to share! Also, social media is great for introductions, but the space doesn’t give a lot of room for engagement with depth. When people are paying attention, I want more effective ways to offer a deeper connection. Being able to speak to people and direct them to more substantial content is a big advantage of my newsletter. I love using it to link people to my website or other platforms where I can share more substance.
Align yourself with the space
Why are people on social media? I know for myself, I'm just usually trying to find some way to connect. I usually open it when I’m bored. Occasionally, I get on there looking for something specific, and usually end up getting distracted. For me, that’s what social media is - a seemingly pleasant distraction. That's not how I want my art to be consumed. My newsletter lets me be more intentional about where and how I share my art and my process. I still enjoy introducing myself to people on social media, and sharing pleasant distractions, but that is not primarily how I want to share my creative work.
Quality over Quantity
I don't know if you find social media overwhelming, but I do. We're fighting for each other's attention, and social media platforms are designed that we have to make noise to be heard. As a friend recently shared, when we sit back and pause, really we're all just screaming at each other. I’m not trying to go viral. I don't want to come up with 90+ posts a month. My newsletter is my opportunity to share a few things that matter most to me, with the people who care about it. I hope I pop up less in your social media feed. I also hope when you see my newsletter, you are excited to see what I'm sharing. I want to be heard, but I have no interest in adding to the noise.
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It can be said that "everything is content". But less time on social media gives me more time to work on my art. It also frees up my mental space. Having more time to sit with my thoughts and feelings makes me realize how big a part of my process they are. And while it doesn't make me want to post every thought in a feed, it does make me want to find meaningful ways to document my story and share my process.
A mantra for this year is “Do one small thing consistently, watch something big happen”. This definitely applies to my newsletter. Although it feels like it took me forever to follow through, sharing my newsletter with consistency has been incredibly rewarding. I feel like it gives me momentum to grow in significant ways. If you're in business or striving to connect meaningfully with others, I encourage you to take charge of your communication platform. Build an email list, use your website more fully, and perhaps, start your own newsletter.
If you haven’t already, please subscribe to follow along with my journey.