1 00:00:05,519 --> 00:00:09,799 Speaker 1: Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the New Corner Office, 2 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:13,200 Speaker 1: the podcast where we share strategies for thriving in the 3 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:16,920 Speaker 1: new world of work or location and hours are more 4 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:21,000 Speaker 1: flexible than in the past. Today's tip is to start 5 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:24,800 Speaker 1: an email newsletter. This is one of the easiest ways 6 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: to remind people on your terms that you exist. A 7 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:32,199 Speaker 1: newsletter can help establish your expertise on a topic and 8 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:34,200 Speaker 1: give you a way to reach people with your news 9 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:38,199 Speaker 1: or ways you can help or your needs. When I 10 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 1: first began writing books many years ago, I had the 11 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 1: usual naive author thoughts. If I wrote the book, I 12 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 1: imagined an interested audience would magically appear. I later learned 13 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 1: that being a thought leader is not just about great thoughts. 14 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: You need a way to directly reach your audience, and 15 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: so in late summer twenty ten, I began an email 16 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:02,279 Speaker 1: newsletter that I called a minute. Every month, since then, 17 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 1: I've sent subscribers an essay on a productivity topic. I've 18 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 1: also sent book reviews, links and so forth. People opt 19 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 1: in and having this collection of email addresses means that 20 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 1: every time I have a new project, like a new podcast, 21 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:19,399 Speaker 1: it becomes easier to share it with a bigger group 22 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:23,319 Speaker 1: of people. I work for myself, so I'm naturally in 23 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 1: the business of trying to market my work, even if 24 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: I didn't know that at the beginning. But the more 25 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:31,760 Speaker 1: I study modern careers, the more convinced I am that 26 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 1: just about everyone needs a way to reach people who 27 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:37,959 Speaker 1: are interested in you and your ideas. Let's say you're 28 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 1: in the finance industry. You start a newsletter devoted to 29 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 1: reviewing books about economics or tangentially related ones on leadership, 30 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 1: and curating links to the best financial journalism out there. 31 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 1: People will slowly come to you over time, and you 32 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 1: will become known for your expertise. People will start reaching 33 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 1: out to you about jobs and projects because they know 34 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 1: you are an expert. This is infinitely more efficient than 35 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: you having to reach out to them. It's also an 36 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 1: excellent form of career capital. If you are ever in 37 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: the position of needing to find something, you can let 38 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:14,840 Speaker 1: a lot of people know about what you have to offer. 39 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 1: Starting a newsletter is smart for many people, but I 40 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:20,919 Speaker 1: think it's especially smart for those of us who work 41 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 1: from home. Working from home means that on the margin, 42 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:27,800 Speaker 1: you may be seeing fewer people in person. A newsletter 43 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 1: is a great way to remind people that you exist 44 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:34,640 Speaker 1: on your own terms. You are reaching out, presenting yourself 45 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 1: in the light in which you'd like to be seen. 46 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: People will no doubt draw conclusions about you from a 47 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 1: variety of sources, but at least you can present one 48 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: of them. The mechanics. A number of companies can help 49 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 1: you with this. Mail Chimp, Constant Contact. Everything needs to 50 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 1: be opt in. Make sure you ask and if you 51 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: have a website with a sign up form where people 52 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: are downloading something like a white paper or in my case, 53 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 1: a time makeover guide and giving you their address, this 54 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 1: needs to be properly checked. Consistency also matters. It's nice 55 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:09,560 Speaker 1: to have people starting to look for your newsletter. That's 56 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:12,639 Speaker 1: why I started with monthly. I thought it would be sustainable. 57 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 1: Eventually I realized it could make weekly work too. Make 58 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:19,080 Speaker 1: sure that you choose a frequency at which you can 59 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:22,239 Speaker 1: put out actually useful content. That's the best way to 60 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: draw people in and keep them opening. Be sure to 61 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: highlight other people's work too. Showing the best of what's 62 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: out there and sharing it with others is a great 63 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 1: way to network. Just forward your email to the people 64 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 1: you mention. Almost everyone will be happy for the attention. 65 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 1: As your newsletter grows, you can interview people to create content. 66 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 1: This is a great excuse to reach out to people 67 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 1: and can build your community. These things take time to 68 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: grow growth compounds. I probably should have studied a newsletter 69 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 1: twenty years ago, but ten years ago is better than never. 70 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 1: I not start now, You'll be on your way to 71 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 1: establishing yourself as an expert in whatever you choose. In 72 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 1: the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's 73 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:18,600 Speaker 1: to succeeding in the New Corner Office. The New Corner 74 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 1: Office is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts, visit 75 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your 76 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 1: favorite shows.