Category: sethwCategory: sethw

Don’t rely on one platform for all your growth.

“it’s up to us to grow our own publications, and that’s true whether we’re using Substack, Ghost, Beehiiv, Buttondown or anything else.” Simon K Jones

Once we start blaming an algorithm or a platform for our “lack of new subscribers,” we’re in trouble.

Get on podcasts, attend IRL events, get on other people’s newsletters – putting all your growth into Substack’s hands is risky business.

TOMORROW!
◾ MINI ESCAPE POD Q&A #32
Got two spots open – come ask me about websites, sales pages, building an email list!
Friday, March 13 from 9:00 AM – 9:45 AM EST: (Members only, start your first month here)

NEXT WEEK!
◾ CO-WORK ESCAPE POD
Work on taxes, your website, your scales, your paintings, your opera, your ballet.
Tuesday, March 17 from 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM EST: https://luma.com/74xh39db

◾ SUBSTACK LIVE WITH MAX PETE

“The tech dream is a nightmare… more people I talk to that are in this industry want to leave and do something else—like work at the coffee shop, work at Trader Joe’s—but don’t know how to do that or feel like they can’t.”

That’s from my talk with Max Pete last year – tune in next week!
Wednesday, March 18 from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM EST (just be on Substack)

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If you want to get started making a simple landing page, a Linktree clone (like this one), or a portfolio sites, InfinityFree might be good if you’re just getting started.

A website doesn’t need to cost $25/month via Squarespace, or bog you down with admin duties tending to a dozen plugins.

Let your website tell your story. People hate being sold to, but they love buying.

Let people buy in to what you’re doing with your website.

A very common set of benefits kick off this post, “Is Social Media a Necessary Evil?”

• It’s where my friends are
• I have a community I’m a part of through a few different groups
• I can keep up with some extended family members easier
• Groups are a great tool for my personal business
• We can share our travel adventures and build a community for not only friends/family but other travelers as well

It’s great until its gone.

It’s great until you get locked out your account, or your friend’s account gets hacked, or a family member falls down a conspiracy theory rabbit hole because they spend too much time on a platform.

If you lost access today, you’d have to come up with a plan real quick to replace all that, so plan your escape from social media while you still have access.

Carly Valancy was our guest on a recent Escape Pod Zoom call, talking with our community about the art of reaching out.

This isn’t about cold emailing, or bulk mail, but gentle, direct, thoughtful messages to people for the various desires you seek (“would you write a blurb for my upcoming book?”, or the blessings want to share (“I love your work”).

Some take aways from the 75 minute Zoom call:

Your subject line can be direct: You don’t need to beat around the bush or be fancy. Your email is competing with 1,000 other emails in someone’s inbox, so stand out by being 100% you, which can include asking for the thing you want. Managing our inboxes takes time and energy – make it easy:

“Go for it. Just say what it is that you want, because it’s okay to want something. When you’re asking for something in an email, you’ll often try to make the subject line dance around the thing you actually want. What if you just said it?” Carly Valancy

Be honest. Someone on the call admitted that they hold back from reaching out because they’re not on social media, so they’re worried they might not appear to be “legit.” Carly’s advice is to just just say that. Write something like, “I almost didn’t reach out because I’m not on social media,” and then show your work.

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