Category: Email GuidanceCategory: Email Guidance

Sometimes I help people realize that building something is a lot of work. Here are two examples of that, where we arrived a few rounds into our Email Guidance sessions:

“Took some time to sit with it and realized that pursuing [REDACTED] isn’t realistic for me at this time. I really appreciate your insight and the clarity it helped bring me.”

“In the end, I was able to decide that I actually want to scale back and just have [REDACTED] as a “fun thing” for me and that my [main job] needs to be my sole focus for work. I don’t have the energy to do both and so your help also helped me figure that out too!”

It’s not “never,” it’s just not now. Sometimes things need to come into alignment, doors need to open, others need to shut. That can take time, even years. I didn’t set off years ago thinking I’d be helping people with this as I approach turning 50 years of age, but I know 25 years ago all of this would have been “not now.”

From a recent Email Guidance client:

Decided to go through my “General” IG mailbox and send a version of this note: [REDACTED]

Picked up two new free sub’s in the first five mins.

This writer reached out to people already in his DMs with a note saying they could subscribe to his newsletter, and two people did that just that in the first five minutes.

I’m not saying automated systems cheapen the exchange, but honest communication certainly can’t hurt.

I started all this as music blogger in 2001. I’ve been flown (all expenses paid) to a music festival in Norway. Interviewed Slayer. Met bands before they blew up.

Below is a lightly edited Email Guidance reply to someone in the midst of promoting their upcoming book:

One of my favorite promos over the years for bands and musicians was the holiday themed round-ups.

Valentine’s Day, tell us about your worst break ups.
Halloween, tell us your favorite horror movies.

Everyone involved had a new album coming up, or a tour to announce, but this was a fun way to learn more about the bands, beyond “hi I have an album coming out.” ZZzzzz.

Now, you don’t need to talk about your favorite horror movies of course (haha), but whatever you’re into, other people are into probably, too. Not everyone, but that’s okay. It’s a busy crowded world out there. Maybe you’ve got a book coming out. Well, lots of people have books coming out!

But only you can talk about the book and your work and your life in the way that you can, so capitalize on that.

While everyone else is screaming “pre-order my book” (boring!), you can talk about that adventure on the river back in 1999, the bookstore you visited that had a cat named Wizard, or the meal that changed your life in Italy (your own stories may vary). Things that nobody else gets to talk about because they’re not you, but they’re tiny glimpses into who you are, which is the first step towards someone thinking, “this story is amazing – oooh, and they have a whole book coming out!?”

From a recent Email Guidance exchange, helping someone clarify what their paid offering actually is. What’s the thing they want to put into the world and invite people to support?

The big thing I feel with a lot of us creative people is we think we have this OFFER than people will want, and if we just word it the right way, or promote it enough, people will flock to it and pay us for it. Even if we’re good at it! We can do this stuff, hire me!

What I’ve found is instead leaning into the thing that’s ridiculously easy for us that could be the beacon that shines for the right sort of people that need what we offer.

Rather than turn ourselves into round pegs to fit into square holes, what if we doubled down on what comes natural?

I believe when we work from a space of almost supernatural flow we’re bound to attract the right sort of clients, co-conspirators, and allies.

A nice note from a former Email Guidance client:

Can I say your suggestion to start hosting zoom calls was a gamechanger over here? I now have a tiny group of people who are on a journey together and are making things happen. I know them and they know me and so much more can happen at that level ❤️ it’s like we’ve done intros already, lets get to work now

Not everyone needs to “post more,” or get more subscribers. Sometimes the magic you’re seeking is in the audience you already have. Get started here.