When I was getting started with Inbox Collective, I made a conscious decision: I wanted to help as many people as I could, which meant I needed to share a lot.
Not a Newsletter remained free — even as others built large, paying-subscriber-only lists — because I knew that keeping it free and open would allow me to help newsrooms, non-profits, and individuals who couldn’t afford to pay.
I launched new resources for readers to download and use, like my list of growth ideas, because I knew it would help them take the next steps with their newsletters.
I gave away time every month for 1-on-1 calls, so I could dig in with my readers and really help them figure out specific challenges.
And I’ll admit: I was worried at times about this! Was I giving away too much? Would people think, “Well, I guess he’s shared everything he knows! No need to listen to this guy anymore!”
But the results are clear: By giving away a lot, it’s brought even more people into the Not a Newsletter audience: New readers, and, yes, many new clients. By sharing tools, resources, and strategies, it’s attracted a larger audience for me to help — whether they’re working with Inbox Collective or not. (And many clients tell me: We’ve learned so much from you already, so we’re excited to hire you and learn even more!)
The ultimate metric of success, for me, isn’t revenue — it’s impact. So I’ll keep sharing, as often as I can, as much as I can. I know there’s more I can do to help.