I had an email list.
And like many of your email lists likely have…it had gone stale.
Too many people that changed emails, stopped checking their promotions tab, or just lost interest.
It’s not their fault. It’s mine.
We’re all being bombarded by digital communications across too many channels. An ever-increasing demand for our time and attention has far exceeded our limited, but consistent supply. As a content creator, it’s my responsibility to keep my audience interested.
This lead me to the obvious question we should all be asking ourselves:
Is my content good enough?
Not good enough as in “the bare minimum.” I mean good enough to build true fans and not just passive subscribers. Good enough to miss me when I don’t publish. Good enough to spend money when I offer something to buy.
I think the answer is a resounding no.
But there’s another part of the equation:
Am I promoting my content effectively?
This is the other side of the coin.
Maybe my content is interesting. Maybe it would be interesting to a larger number of people than currently see it.
And maybe the big problem is I’m just not effectively promoting it or getting it in front of others.
Crickets are deafening
You’ve been there…
- You write something from your heart. Nothing. No comments. Only a few shares.
- You put together a video. You’re relatively happy with the outcome. 17 views on Youtube.
- You buy the equipment, choose the name, find the hosting, record the podcast, edit the podcast, upload the podcast. 5 downloads.
What’s the minimum threshold for success?
Kevin Kelly wrote an essay in 2008 (which you can find here) in which he suggests that as a creator, you really only need 1,000 true fans to make a living.
In his essay, he does some quick math. If 1,000 fans spend $100 per year on your content, assuming no other costs, you would make $100,00 per year.
So Jeff, what’s the point?
The point is I want my 1,000 true fans. Because I already know some of my true fans, and they are fucking awesome. I want more people who are fucking awesome.
I want to be able to spend all of my time doing work that serves these people who cheer for me when I succeed, give me strength when I fail, and trust that I’ll be there for them when they need help.
Is that YOU? I don’t know for sure. But here’s what I DO know. If it is YOU, then you would help me find my 1,000 true fans. Because my true fans are just like YOU.
2018
Every single one of us is busy, and every single one of us has to balance priorities. We have family, friends, health, career, hobbies, and sleep. In the midst of this, we’re trying to make it all work. We have to allocate time where it’s most valuable.
I want more of my time to be spent providing you with value, but I need to get the traction to make it worth it.
Help me find my 1,000 true fans. Send them one of my most popular posts from the sidebar. Tell them why they should subscribe.
Thanks for reading.
Sincerely,
Your number one fan: Jeff