I just launched my first of two new blogs/sites a day or two ago: http://www.Best-Christmas-Stories.com - I’m not Christian actually, and I really had no intention of making such a site, BUT…

Last week (literally) I was doing keyword research to figure out how I could get more people interested in spiritual stories over to my main website. I came to realize that if I targeted various specific religions, I would actually be able to reach, and ultimately positively affect, more and more people.

The “spiritual stories” market is small… on its own. But as a subset of a larger audience who likes spiritual stories, I have found a new approach to broaden my reach.

So yes… that site is the result of having an idea exactly 1 week ago and then putting it into action. I’m hoping it will help drive more traffic to my main site - but if not, I’m sure it will still continue to help thousands, and hopefully hundreds of thousands of people over time.

My other blog is *almost* ready and I’m REALLY excited about it… more about spiritual stories, but at a more personal level. When it’s ready, I’ll drop by and point you to it

(And yes, I write long stuff… I joked in a recent email to one of my lists that “Chris Cade” and “Quick Note” is a contradiction)

Thanks for your comment, it’s nearly as long as my post! I wish you well with your blogs, and will be sneaking over for a read in the near future
I wasn’t having a go at everyone who has a “landing page” with a sales letter and asks you to sign up to a mailing list. Mailing lists have their uses as a way of building up a relationship with your readers and potential customers. I don’t object to someone promoting their affiliate links in a newsletter, as long as there is some valuable content to go with it. At some point I may well start one of my own.
The lists I have unsubscribed to share the following features:
1) Too many - some were sending mail every day and sometimes more. I just ended up deleting them as I was overwhelmed with the sheer volume. Shame as I could have missed some real gems there!
2) Too few - less than once a week and it’s much harder to build up a relationship.
3) Too much hard sell - nothing but a sales pitch. I’d say this is ok for maybe 1 in 10 such emails, but if this is the case in every one, then readers are going to be turned off
4) Not on topic - make sure the newsletter is what your readers signed up for. If you’re going to try and sell me widgets, make them relevant widgets!

I’m sure you already know all this stuff, but I just wanted to clarify for anyone else reading this article who winced at my criticism of “sleazy sales letters”.

Blessed be,

Kate

One comment in particular caught my attention because I could resonate at a deep personal level with it:

“Let me be clear, I don’t want to get involved with those sleazy sales letters and mail lists that turn out to be a load of spam.”

I used to feel the same way. I always hated sales and anything that resembled sales. I told myself I never wanted to sell things for a living.

Now I have multiple email lists - that are made up of mostly great content, and occasional “spam” - like the affiliate links you put into this informative blog post

I also now have a “sleazy sales letter” for a couple of my websites. One of them makes big bold promises like, “Find inspiration, confidence, and joy!”

But unlike others, I actually back it with a lifetime 100% money-back guarantee… because I believe in what I offer. Also, I have true testimonials from people it’s helped… not fake testimonials where people grabbed pictures off of a stock photo website.

So why am I sharing this? Certainly not to try and justify or defend what I do to somebody who may outright abhor it.

I’m saying it because if you truly do want to live a life of abundance, and you’re now opening yourself up to monetizing your blog… then it may be helpful to open yourself up to all possibilities that could align what you love with an abundant income.

Perhaps it’s possible for you to have a product with a “sales letter” that is isn’t sleazy… even though it follows standard copywriting structure, style, language etc.

Perhaps it’s possible to offer a newsletter that offers valuable content and includes affiliate promotions. Sort of like this blog post, only in a new format.

And perhaps… it’s possible to do all of this and have it feel “right” and have people thanking you almost every day for helping them in some way or another.

I know… because I used to hate selling, and now I’m an “Internet Salesman.”

(Well, not really… I actually love what I do, provide meaningful content and impact peoples’ lives profoundly… occasionally I get paid and/or an affiliate commission for doing so, and get emails of gratitude almost daily…)

I wish you the best in your new adventure!

-Chris