Don’t Build Your Writing Business on Someone Else’s Land

Now, more than ever, is the time to own your customer traffic

I don’t know anyone who would pitch a tent atop a moving train. While not only would it be loud, filthy, and bumpy, you’d have no stable ground beneath you.

But writers and creators do this all the time.

When you build your business on someone else’s land (aka social media platforms), you’ve pitched a tent atop a moving train.

What’s the alternative?

A tribe you control — with a direct way to reach every person you serve best, without having to pay to reach them. On social you’ve got to pay. Sure, there are viral posts and such, but those require more luck and hope, than skill.

Everyone wants a viral post.

Instead of waiting, wishing, and hoping, there’s something better. You can build your writing business steadily and surely. While you won’t get rich overnight (heck, you may not make a dime), you will grow a tribe of the people you serve.

When you have a tribe you own the land under your writing business.

Where to build instead…

You need social media. Most of your readers are on social media. You’d be naive to think that social shouldn’t be a big part of your marketing plan.

…but social isn’t the place to raise your tent.

When you build on social, your traffic is owned by social. You become an employee of the social media site, earning money for them, while you spend thousands of hours working for free.

It’s time you made social work for you.

Everything you create on social should help readers join your tribe. Instead of trying to create content for the sake of growing a social following, create content with the intent of growing your tribe.

We all know how links work.

Give a ton of value on social. At the bottom (or top) of every piece of content, say “if you want more about this, tap here.” …or something like that. Encourage your followers off the moving train and onto the land you own.

Use social to grow your list.

Your list does all the selling. Automatically. This frees you to have more time to do your best work and grow your tribe. Instead of sending one-off emails in random times, your automated sequence never forgets.

Your tribe = your land

When you own your email list, you own the land under your writing business. There’s no landlord to pay rent (as with social media traffic). You don’t have to jump through hoops and hope for a viral hit.

When you own your email list, sales come in a steady stream. No, it’s not a get-rich-quick thing. Email is a a livelihood tool — a direct line to your customers.

…and I’ve got just the thing for you.

I built a free email masterclass for you. I hand-crafted the whole thing. It took me a couple months. I call the masterclass the Tribe 1K.

I’ll show you how to get your first 1,000 (or your next 1,000) readers without spending a hot nickel on ads. Past students include New York Times bestselling authors. Yep, the ones you see in the bookstore.

Your email list will help you build a legacy writing business.

If you want to grow your writing business you need email before you lose that valuable reader. Start your list before you need one. Once you need one it’s almost too late.

Tap the link.

Guarantee your seat before I start charging an enrollment fee.

We’re waiting for you.

Enroll in my Email Masterclass. Get Your First 1,000 Subscribers

August Birch (AKA the Book Mechanic) is both a fiction and non-fiction author from Michigan, USA. As a self-appointed guardian of writers and creators, August teaches folks who want to make work that sells and sell work they make. When he’s not writing or thinking about writing, August carries a pocket knife and shaves his head with a safety razor.