👓 Focus on Value First

If all you do is sell in your newsletter, people will leave.

When growing your newsletter, you must focus on value first. There is no point in selling with every newsletter your readers will leave in the hundreds. Why would anyone buy off you if you didn't give them value first?

The best way is to use a combination approach to weave in products naturally. With this newsletter, I will make a few pence off the books I review through affiliated marketing. It helps support the newsletter, but these are books that I have genuinely read and would recommend.

I am not an expert in this because I am terrible at selling everything; I undersell because it does not make me feel comfortable. The kids would like me to be better at it so they could have more sweets.

Having said all this, I have changed things a little with this newsletter, so I would like to tell you about it. There is no selling, though. Some of you may not know that I am a teacher and have been for twenty-five years, which means I have some experience to helping others.

For paid subscribers, I am offering the opportunity to help you in your writing. It can be through emails, reading your work or general advice. So, if you are a paid subscriber, first, thank you, and second, please get in touch if you need any advice.

That is it: the sales pitch is done. Now, enjoy the articles; I had a bit of a killer writing week this week.

If you enjoy this email, please share it so more readers can find it.

Until next week stay safe

Sam 😊

Weekly Three

Newspaper Blackout, Austin Kleon - Take a newspaper cut out certain words and make a poem, it is that simple. The book is compulsive reading and you can whistle through the poems. There is something for everyone in this book.

Substack Notes - If you are not using notes to attract readers to your newsletter then you should be as it has helped me meet new people. Think the same as X but with people you actually want to talk to.

Odysseas YouTube - This channel is all about reading and how to read better. This guy has a voice you could listen to for hours. I have been addicted to his channel all week.

Quote of the week

Art is about 'not-knowing' It's when you're bored and frustrated and just looking to have some fun that the good ideas come. - Donald Barthelme

Short-Story of the week

The Banquet of Hell

Articles this week

Was Bruce Ismay The Coward of the Titanic, Or Was He a Hero

The Woman Dressed as a Vampire, Hunting Ghosts Who Was Found Drained of Blood in an Abandoned Church