We're back into our short and sweet email lessons for the remainder of the holidays. Today, we're talking about one of my favourite subjects. Assumptions.

I've been coaching authors and writing emails for a long, long time now. And there are a few common resistances to upping your email production. Two of the top three live in the same space.

1. When people unsubscribe, it feels personal.
2. No one is interested in me. I'm incredibly dull.

For quite a while now I've been a huge fan of the work Mel Robbins does. If you don't know who Mel is, the easiest way to find her to via her podcast, The Mel Robbins show. But a faster way to get up to speed is by reading her books, The 5 Second Rule and The Let Them Theory. Today, we're talking about The Let Them Theory in a very short and sweet way because that's what I promised you this month. And I suspect have failed miserably at. My deepest apologies. I'll make it up to you next week, promise.

When people unsubscribe, they are not emailing or calling or texting you and saying, hey, you suck at writing and are a horrible person who never should write a book. They're simply responding to your excellent marketing that is telling them that you aren't a match made in marketing heaven. You're doing EXACTLY what you're supposed to be doing. Repelling the wrong reader. Well done. Every time someone unsubscribes raise a hand in the air and congratulate yourself. If you can believe it, I do this every. Single. Time. I look like a lunatic out in public sometimes but who cares?

You know what? If someone has decided they won't like your books based on your emails, let them. It's a simple math equation. Your list decreases by one. You're so good at marketing that it will increase by one fairly soon anyway so you're even. Why even bother putting your energy into caring about something that's a job well done and guess what...that you can't control.

So on to #2. No one is interested in me. I'm incredibly dull.

Ha. In your family and friends group, is there anyone else who has written a book? Published or not, is there anyone else who has written a book? Outside of your author friends, I'd venture to guess, likely not.

So already Reader, you're incredibly amazing.

But do you know what's really happening? By telling me you won't write personal details because you assume you're boring you're making that decision for your readers and building a little protective barrier around yourself so you don't get personally attacked.

Let's face it. Writing a book and sending it out into the world is very personal. But not telling the whole world, or in this case, your list, about your book, about your brand, about what you ate for breakfast, is doing that monumental effort a huge disservice. Because we are all here to sell more books, right? No one is toiling like we are just for this to be a hobby for the rest of our lives.

Sure, some people are going to roll their eyes and unsubscribe or delete your email about what you ate for breakfast on publishing day but guess what?

Let them.

Can you control that reaction? Nope. Can you instead spend your energy responding to emails from readers who also love that for breakfast? Or thank in your head the readers who are so excited to give you money in exchange for your words?

Side note: EVERY SINGLE TIME someone buys a course or a service from me I thank them by name. And every single time someone unsubscribes I have no idea. But I certainly don't give them any energy. I give all of that to the writers who want to learn from me.

Let me ask you this. Have you ever read a book you loved so much and then did a quick Google search to find out when the next one is coming? Or more about the author? Or investigate their backlist? Or joined their newsletter? And if you joined their newsletter and they sent a welcome email with a picture of their cat did you open up your email and send them a message saying how annoying that picture was OR did you think, that cat is adorable. I love cats. I have a cat. We are now friends. (This might be me. I might have formed some unhealthy parasocial relationships with authors who will go unnamed in case they somehow stumble across this email. My latest rabbit hole obsession is for sure Demi Winters and now that Rebecca Yarros' Onyx Storm is close to launching, I may be stalking her slightly. Slightly I say.)

Here are some of the topics I've written about inside my emails to readers and clients:

• my toilet seat
• the mouse that always seems to live in my house
• my dog and cats
• my divorce
• my obsession with Taylor Swift
• pooping. (Yup!)
• my age
• my friends
• my travel
• the weather

Need I go on? Because I can. Nothing is off the table. And do you know when I sell the most books and hear the most replies? I know you know. It's when I share the most inane details because those are the things that connect me to the people on my list. Don't assume people think you're boring or bragging because you just don't know what they're thinking.

So, let them if they think that. And then laugh all the way to your KDP Royalties Statement.

People buy from people they know, like and trust and the fastest way to get to that point is to connect and the easiest way a writer connects is with their words so start using them.

And Reader, because I believe in this theory so much I'm giving away a copy of The Let Them Theory book. Just click HERE to email me your entry to win and on Sunday at 7pm I'll pick a name and because I live in Canada and there is a massive postal strike, I'll be using Amazon to send it unless I can't and then I'll figure something out. But I will ship this globally because I think it's such an important lesson for us to learn. And if you prefer to listen to it, I'll gift it that way.

BTW that HERE button is programmed to be clicked and pull up my email address and subject line so all you have to do is write me a note to say Hey!! and you're entered.

Okay, get back out there! Happy emailing,

Holly

ONE audit slot remains for February. Let me deep dive into your email system and hand you back a review of where the gaps are and where the opportunity lies! Book and pay now for this year's rates. I'm extending this offer for March bookings now too! 3 slots remain for March.

Click HERE to learn more and book your spot!