02

Elvis goes on to sing, “Maybe I didn’t love you, quite as often as I should have.”

I don’t think I’m being melodramatic when I think about you and how sporadically I’ve written in the past, and feel like channeling The King. (Who wants to split an Elvis sandwich with me?)

Look, I’ve been doing email marketing for years and it’s worked really, really well.

I create interesting, helpful content on my website that brings in traffic from social & search. I layer additional free offers, like eBooks, that you need to register for, and I follow-up that email delivery with drip campaigns that give you more value, teach you more about me, and introduce you to some of the things I have can make a buck off of.

And I think because I’m a halfway-decent writer, I’ve been able to achieve a modicum of success with that approach. But other than the scheduled drip campaigns (which I’ve since disabled), the only time I have ever showed you some love with an email was when I wanted something from you, whether that was to buy a planner or read a post or attend an event.

Don’t get me wrong – there is nothing horrific about letting your subscribers know you have something new to offer that they might be interested in. I certainly am not going to stop announcing new books or products or events.

But…

I’ve come around to the conclusion that if I want to be invited back into your Casa de Email week after week, I can’t be a freeloader who just drinks your beer, eats your tacos, and then leaves. I have to bring something tasty for you and the fam to enjoy.

The question for me was, what does that look like?

While templates abound for email newsletters, email itself is akin to dark social. We know it’s out there, that people are using it, but it’s hard to really know how many people and what impact it’s having. Just because someone has a seemingly nice-looking newsletter doesn’t mean it’s being read at any higher rate than anyone else’s. (Unless you *cough* hack *cough* into their service and check.)

So I considered this to be a personal discovery journey for me and started, probably late 2019, to pay more attention to who was writing newsletters, what they looked like, and what content and formats and styles really resonated with me. If you take a step back (metaphorically, not physically) and consider the format of this newsletter, you might see it bears some resemblance to some of the greats in our industry.

I’d been particularly inspired by Ann Handley (I mean, who isn’t, right?!) and her gorgeous melding of style and format. As a writer and marketer, I could really appreciate how every email she sends leads off with masterful storytelling that dovetails into a lesson that’s as universally applicable as learning chopsticks. (Seriously, pick up a pair and learn it.)

And then earlier this year while I was bouncing ideas back and forth with Stephanie Liu on what her newsletter might look like, she did something super clever with some sections of her format where she labeled them, “Lights” and “Camera” and “Live” which mirror her site and show name and gave her a structured place to share helpful resources, shine a spotlight on others, and share upcoming events. It was as inspiring as it was brilliant and while we were in the midst of book editing and time was precious, I made a note of it and filed it away for when I would have time to implement.

Which is now! Last week was the first issue and now that we’re into the second issue it’s like a pilot episode that’s been bought by the network. This is now a thing and we’re doing it.

I’ll share in a moment some of the other newsletters that inspire and inform me, and where you can sign up for them, but want to also encourage you to think about the journey I’ve taken to arrive here with Marketing Hyperdrive. I settled on a weekly frequency and a format that affords me the opportunity to write, as well as share an assortment of resources and opportunities. And, like a clever padawan, I’ve mixed in some personal branding as well.

Are you or have you sent a regular newsletter? Or has it been a struggle for you to find the time? Imagine if you were to lovingly paint in vibrant colors what your ideal newsletter would look like on canvas, might that inspire you to build a studio where you could create that? Feel free to hit reply with your thoughts. I’d love to know.

Meanwhile, consider this and future email newsletters from me to be my love letters to you, the ones I should have been writing more often than I would have.

You were always on my mind.

YODA’S TEMPLE

Opportunities to learn and train

Learn How To Use Your DSLR As A Webcam

If you’ve got a Mac and a Canon DSLR, you have the potential for studio-quality live video. Maybe it’ll just be to impress your co-workers on Monday’s Zoom, or maybe it’ll give you the confidence you need to go live more often. Read More

Make Instagram A Little Easier To Manage

I don’t think I’m alone in saying that maintaining an active social media presence exclusively from a mobile device is challenging. I like using my laptop and large monitor. If you felt that, check out the latest from Jenn Herman for Social Media Examiner. Read More

The L.A.U.N.C.H. Framework

Whether you have a new blog, want a new blog, or perhaps have had a blog for a while but haven’t gotten the traction and audience you deserve, this framework for taking your blog from zero to hero will help. Read More

Learn How To Use A Social Media Planner

One of the aspects of a successful social media strategy is to have a plan. Personally, I like having that plan written down in a document or spreadsheet so that I can see it all laid out, add to it and revise it as needed, and then execute. This article will help you do that for your social channels. Read More

Learn How To Leverage YouTube

Could YouTube be amazing for your business, but you haven’t been able to figure it out? Know you need to diversify? Let 12 of the top marketing pros show you how to increase your reach, create fantastic engagement, and sell more with YouTube—the largest video platform. This online training event is brought to you by our friends at Social Media Examiner. Read More (cool blue affiliate link)

Learn How To Leverage LinkedIn

LinkedIn is really taking off and if you haven’t taken the time to optimize your profile and figured out a strategy for leveraging that network, you’ve got one more chance to check out some of the amazing training sessions that were part of Social Pulse Summit: LinkedIn Edition. Honestly, I was supposed to close registration tonight but just for you I will leave it open until the 30th so you can log in and learn what you need. Read More (cool blue free link)

15 Marketing Newsletters You Need In Your Life…

Well… 14. You’re already subscribed to this one, right? But if you want to see what I’m reading every day, the newsletters that inform and inspire me, check this out. Read More

HAN & CHEWIE’S SHIP

Fun collaboration and partnerships

• Shout out to Rob Balasabas and friends at Tube Buddy for sending an awesome mug & t-shirt that I won’t wear but my daughter enjoys, after his great appearance on our Lunch & Learn series within Social Pulse Community.
• Many thanks to Heidi Cohen for talking about our book in a recent newsletter!
• Shout out to Bryan Kramer for interviewing Stephanie, Amanda Robinson and myself on his fantastic podcast to talk about our book, our mastermind group, and more.
• Huge thanks to Goldie Chan for including my thoughts in an article for Forbes that led to more folks learning about Agorapulse. Yay! ?

PALPATINE’S ROTUNDA

Interesting events and meetings

Upcoming Events & Speaking Engagements

• On Monday, I have the distinct pleasure to be speaking with students at the University of Wisconsin who are in Don Stanley’s marketing class. We’ll be talking about social media and content marketing.
• On Tuesday, in the free Social Pulse Community group on Facebook, I’m producing an interview with Danny Monzon.
• On Wednesday, I will be doing a private training for the Social Media Manager School’s group on how to run virtual events, particularly with respect to leveraging Facebook Groups to build community and engagement.
• And in case you missed it, I had the unparalleled joy last month of facilitating two live keynote addresses into the Social Pulse Community from Alan Gannett and Stephanie Liu, which you can catch for free here.
• Social Pulse Summit: Twitter Edition, Nov. 18 – SAVE THE DATE!

Big News Not To Be Missed

• The new layout for LinkedIn just rolled out! Get the skinny on what’s happening from Jenn Herman.

JABBA’S BARGE

Laughs and other galactic entertainment

Learn how to make a Moscow Mule

This is one of those fun recipes that you can break out for friends and doesn’t require you have a bunch of perishable ingredients already on hand.

You’ll need 6 oz. of Ginger Beer – and that’s beer not ale. Ginger Beer is a carbonated adult beverage that not only brings more alcohol to the party, it also has a much stronger, raw ginger taste that will impact the flavor of your drink. A six-pack of Ginger Beer should be kept in your pantry for just such occasions. To that you’ll add 2 oz. of Vodka (Smirnoff is the O.G. Moscow Mule but you can go with your own preference here) and 1/4 oz. lime juice. Pour the beer, vodka and lime juice over ice, stir gently, and garnish with a lime wedge.

Copper Mugs are technically optional, but worth the investment, I think. The copper helps keep the beverage cool as well as makes it chilly when your lips touch the metal mug, so it’s part of the experience.

WATTO’S JUNK

Trinkets and spare parts that might be just what you needed

What happens if you invest 97 quid into a blogging course?

Let me tell you what’s not going to happen when you buy my 10-video blogging bootcamp…

1. Your blog posts aren’t going to write themselves.
2. You aren’t going to suddenly get rich and retire to Maui.

What you will do is learn how to do homework? I know, I know… like we want to hear more about homework in this renaissance, but hear me on this. The #1 reason anyone stops doing a thing that they know should bring them success is when it doesn’t. (Go back and read that one more time.) When it comes to writing blog posts or content for your business, it’s easy to fail when you haven’t done the necessary research and planning to set yourself up for success.

That’s it. That’s the difference that will make the difference, as Stephanie is always telling me. Take the course. Do your homework. And then watch as the time you invest in creating blog content pays dividends.

See you next week!

Mike

P.S. Are you a Digital or Social Media Agency looking for leads or someone looking for an Agency? Check out Agorapulse’s directory of Agencies providing social media services. It is 100% free for an Agency to create a listing and it only takes 2 minutes. Why don’t you create an account and start generating more leads today – Register on Social Agency Scout