FTI #226: For love, money, or both?

Making money doesn't make you less of an artist.   In many cases, it enables you to become MORE of an artist.   Read this.   Now, on to this week's ideas...   * * *   1. How To Balance Your Creative And Personal Brands   "I want to be known for THIS thing. And once people discover THIS thing, I'll introduce them to THAT thing."   One of the most common conversations I have with creators revolves around how to figure out whether to build a creative or personal brand.   In this post, I explain why launching multiple brands is a trap and share how I approach my own personal and creative brands in order to avoid competing with myself.   Related: Your audience is your brand.   * * *   2. 10 Lessons About Growing An Audience   "Don't focus on big bold segments with hundreds of active prolific creators already fishing. Find specific audiences and move towards them."   One of the best ways to learn how to grow an audience is to learn from the experiences of others who have done so.   KP breaks down 10 tips he wishes he knew about growing an audience when he first started including to pick one social platform, blend two niches, and learn about formats and styles.   Btw, I found this link in the #Jesspicks newsletter.   Related: 100 things to publish in the next 100 days to grow your audience.   * * *   3. 11 Ways To Optimize Your Welcome Email   "Instead of saying 'Please tell a few friends if you like' in your welcome email, make it easy for your subscribers to share that they have subscribed to your newsletter by crafting pre-made snippets."   When someone subscribes to your newsletter or joins your email list, it creates a massive opportunity...that too many creators overlook.   Janel shares 11 ways to optimize your welcome email including to set expectations, showcase your best issues, and get subscribers to whitelist you.   Related: The first thing I send to people who give me their email address.   * * *   4. How To Earn Money On YouTube With Less Than 1,000 Subscribers   "Paying attention to what your audience wants is the easiest way to develop a product."   There are a lot of ways to make money on YouTube without generating millions of views.   Lauren Valdez shares how to earn money on YouTube with less than 1,000 subscribers based on her own experience and suggests you convert YouTube subscribers to email subscribers, teach people something valuable, and sell a product that's fun for you to produce.   Btw, I found this link in the Rad Reads newsletter.   Related: How to grow your YouTube channel.   * * *   5. How Substack Happened   "By serving everyone, you serve no one. Without a clear focus, efforts get muddled. Substack avoided that trap."   Substack may be a newsletter platform, but this case study isn't about newsletters - it's about what it takes to attract and nurture a community of any kind.   Bailey Richardson breaks down how Substack happened including how they identified their target audience, invested in them, and convinced them to use their product.   Btw, I found this link on Terrell Johnson's Twitter account.   Related: Five ways to identify your ideal audience.   * * *   This Is How I Decide What To Include In My Newsletter   I recently shared an in-depth breakdown of the system I use to curate content in my For The Interested newsletter including how I choose what to feature, measure success, and serve both the narrow and universal interests of my audience.   This article originally appeared in This Is How I Do It, but it's now available for purchase as a single issue.   You can get This Is How I Decide What To Include In My Newsletter here for $10.   You can also get other available single issues here including how I use Twitter, get consulting clients, and get things done each day.   * * *   Classified Ads   • "Oh. I didn't know you did that."   • Here's a way to upgrade your next Zoom meeting. No virtual background required.   • Feed your curiosity and make better sense of the world with Sentiers. An eclectic, thoughtful, and inquisitive weekly newsletter.   • Subscribe to Podcast Review, a free newsletter bringing you the week's 5 best podcast episodes every Wednesday. Enjoyed by over 4,000 subscribers.   • How is your personality style helping or hurting your career and relationships? Learn from a Certified Career Management and Enneagram Coach.   Have something you'd like to promote to FTI readers? Purchase an ad here.   * * *   My Final Words Of The Week   I'm obsessed with this deck about the fall and rise of the New York Times.   I've shared it with a bunch of people this week because it's a great example of several things:   • How a business can reinvent itself in a changing world.   • What happens when you invest in talent as opposed to tricks.   • How to tell a powerful story using simple slides with simple language.   If you have any interest in media, business, innovation, or presentations, I highly recommend you check it out.   Have a great week.   Josh   PS - If you dig this newsletter I'd love for you to share it with others who might enjoy it.   They can subscribe here.   Thanks!   Share:

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