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Why I’m moving back to weekly emails to my readers

Your audience doesn’t just want to know about the product – they want to know about YOU.

Last year, right around the holidays, I experimented with sending emails to my readers every week.

Like most authors, I was hesitant to do this: unless I have a new book to announce, why would they want to hear from me? I don’t have anything to say!

But I pressed on with the experiment and noticed something remarkable: all my numbers went up.

Open rates. Click rates. Email replies! Every time I sent out an email, I got the chance to have conversations with my readers.

They got to know me. I got to know them. And the bond grew.

This year, I’ve slacked off a little bit on the weekly emails, purely because I’ve been very busy. I’ve gone through a couple career changes this year as I pursue full-time publishing. There have been points where I’ve rushed to work on things generating money now so that I could keep the bills paid for me, my wife, and our two kids.

Knowing I needed to get back to it, I sent out an email to my readers this week. Yesterday, actually.

In it, I discussed why I hadn’t emailed lately. I was just honest and open about where I was at – my plans for the future, why books haven’t been released lately, etc.

The result?

My supportive readers.

The support of my readers came out of the woodwork.

I should’ve expected this. This is how my readers have always been.

But I was still touched. It was merely an email saying “Yeah, I haven’t been writing books and here’s why.”

As readers, they shouldn’t care. They should just move onto the next author. But they don’t.

They care.

They thanked me for the update. Several of them said they were wondering about me and what was up… because they expect the weekly emails.

If you’re building a brand or a readership, don’t underestimate the value of showing up. Regularly.

Many of my readers over the past year have said they actually hate it when people only email them when they have something to sell. They want to get to know the authors and the human beings behind the product or service.

So I’m moving back to weekly emails with full confidence. And maybe you should consider it too. You might be surprised at the results.