If you’re a regular reader of my newsletter I need your opinion please.
Read this short piece, then take a moment to share your thoughts.
I’m conducting an experiment with my newsletter this week.
And that’s keeping this issue short. A number of readers have complained that in these days of email overload my newsletter is often far too long, so they put it aside until later but hardly ever get back to it.
My answer is that’s because I’ve got a lot to say, but publish infrequently so I’ve got to cram it in 
So what do you think? Would you prefer shorter, but frequent newsletters – inevitably meaning that some of them would just be product promos to pay the time and costs involved with writing and publishing it?
Or perhaps you like the long, and infrequent ones, that just spring into your mailbox at odd intervals?
Can you let me know here, by posting a comment.
And / Or it’d be great if you could take 2 minutes to tick your answers to my 4 questions in a short survey I’ve loaded on Survey Monkey
{ 1 trackback }
{ 50 comments }
Hi Phil,
I believe I’ve been on your list for about 4 years or so now and like the current status quo.
I like the fact that you haven”t bombarded my inbox over the last several years with countless offers and I find your reviews to be more genuine when provided.
Receiving less frequent emails from you has the opposite effect on me where I typically read your emails immediately.
In this case, Absence does make the heart grow fonder…
Thanks Sunshine Girl
Over 75% of people answering the survey said pretty much the same thing. Keep it like it is…but many of them want an increase in frequency too.
So more of the same old thing, but more often
phil
Phil,
I’ve made over $120,000 as a result of reading your newsletter! I bought a product that I had ignored UNTIL I read your newsletter, and had it not been for your honest review I would never had made that money.
Needless to say, that was a life changing sum of money, and I owe you a few pints mate!
(I would’ve loved to come and meet you at the London Lunch this week, but the timing wasn’t that great for me)
Anyway, my point with all this is that I love to read your qualified and experienced opinions on the products and services you review in your newsletter, and I find them extremely valuable. As long as you stick to giving your *personal* reviews and opinions, then I really don’t care how often you send out your newsletter, or how long it is… I will ALWAYS read it!
And what product was that Chris – you’d better tell me so I can promote it again
Pity you didn’t get to the London Lunch. It was good fun, as always. And plenty of interesting people were there. I think I stayed about 8 hours, so calling it lunch is a bit of a stretch.
phil
It was actually Traffic Equilizer, back in the very early days before it was used, abused and copied by thousands of other people! As you know, it’s very much dead now, but surprisingly sites created with other similar tools – such as “Niche Portal Builder” and even a few TE sites still make money to this very day! I wouldn’t go promoting them again though! Haha!
Hopefully next time you’re at London Luch, or any other UK event, I’ll be able to make it and buy you a few drinks!
Hope you’re enjoying your time in the Lakes… I spent a week at Keswick last November and it was absolutley gorgeous!
Chris
I should have guess it was a site builder TE or Niche Portal Builder or Cloaking Master:) I had friends who quit their jobs because of the money they were making with software like that, and now they’re all (unhappily) back in jobs.
During dinner with Armand Morin in London last year he told me that a lot of his old sites (built with his own software which I’ve now forgotten the name of, but it made similar to TE) are now making money again, sometimes more than they ever did.
So perhaps I made a mistake by not renewing many of my old domains and dumping the sites.
Our theory was that they’ve aged, and been in the search indexes for so long that they’re now seen as legit sites.
phil
Phil,
Earlier this week I unsubscribed to probably 15 different newsletters (not all of them were internet marketing-related but most were). I did not unsubscribe to your newsletter because it is informative, entertaining and honest. I like it the way it is. Believe it or not I am actually glad to see yours in my inbox. I can’t say that about most of the email I get.
So my vote is to stay on track. Don’t mess with the fundamentals.
Alan
So did you unsub to most of the other IM ones because all you got were sales pitches from them? Promo’s for the latest guru pimped product?
phil
Phil,
Yes, pretty much. It seemed like most of them just pimped the latest launch and threw in some lame. generic PLR bonuses. What a waste of time. Even if the product was great how could I really know? They have no credibility when they market in that fashion.
It makes me wonder how I ever got on their lists in the first place. They probably made some extravagant claim and I took the bait.
I may not buy much anymore but at least I know that if you recommend something I can be pretty sure it was at least worth looking into.
Here’s a marketing maxim for obtaining customers that I all too often forget but never should: “How you got ‘em is how you keep ‘em.” As in your case it sounds like you got most of your subscribers because of who you are (I don’t mean that you’re a guru, I mean that you are personal and write about interesting life experiences), how you write and what you write about. If you start messin’ with that formula the inverse of the marketing maxim will come true.
The long infrequent ones are the best. A little more ramble, a little more personal…
Not sure what I can do to make it more personal unless I start telling you what I had for breakfast
Today I had museli, followed by a coffee. Then walked down a long hill into Bowness, from where I’m staying in Windermere in the UK Lake District
http://www.visitcumbria.com/amb/windermere.htm
http://www.visitcumbria.com/amb/bowness.htm
http://www.golakes.co.uk/img/headers/placestosee/scenic-highlights.jpg
and had two more coffees while I sat and read the Saturday newspapers in a cafe
phil
Phil, I’ve been reading your newsletter since somewhere around 2000, and it honestly is one of the few that I’ll just stop and read when it comes in.
Personally, I like the newsletter longer (see -size does matter) because there’s always a good mix of information and product ads. I can read the things that catch my eye and skip over the few that don’t apply.
Now, if you were to cut the length in half or less, there’s a good chance I’d find issues where the skips outnumbered the reads, and you’d be conditioning me to not read some of your issues. That seems counterproductive somehow.
Still, I’ll probably find some good stuff in most everything you mail out anyway, cause that’s how you write.
Cheers from warm and smiling Thailand,
Charles Burke
Your opinion is always valued Charles. I’ve always read your stuff too
I was in Bangkok in April for a few days, but didn’t contact you because it was sort of last minute and I didn’t know how long I was going to stay. In the end I only managed 2 nights before flying on to England.
phil
Phil, I find it hard to believe that anyone would actually take the time to complain about the length of your occasional emails! Are you for real about this? I unsubscribe from newsletters the moment I feel that sales pitches outweigh the informative benefits, or if people just bombard me with too many emails (which would mostly be to promote new fad launches etc.). Never because they take two whole minutes to read – instead of a minute and a half!
Your infrequent emails don’t fall into either of the above categories. Don’t change a thing! Plus I like hearing about your mountain in the middle of the wop-wops in Queensland somewhere, with you bravely hanging onto some tree to send the last email before the storm smashes your solitary phone-line!
Keep it up and don’t listen to nonsnse.
Cheers, Paul
Yep, it’s for real Paul. I get occasional emails of complaint.
But also when people unsub they’re given the option of saying why. I don’t get many unsubs but several people recently have said something along the liens of “too long, too much to read.”
The other thing though is that one of the main reasons I write the newsletter is to make money from it (naturally) and the longer it is the less affiliate sales it brings in. This is probably because I give readers too many choices, too many outbound links.
For me it’s often a fine line to tread between keeping it interesting and keeping it profitable. I ‘know’ it would make more money if it were shorter. But I also know I’d spoil it and lose readers if I did more promotions in it.
Perhaps an alternative would be to reintroduce some advertising into it, like it was in the early years.
phil
hi Phil,
just continue the way things are please. Great info and always as it is and genuine,
cheers, Paul
Thanks for taking a moment to reply Paul.
I’m always genuine, in the sense of saying what I really think, what’s on my mind, just let my real thoughts pour out. Some people would called that Autism
phil
Phil,
I’m not too concerned about the length, but I sure would like to see the frequency of newsletters raised a little. Your emails are among the few I make a point of reading, but sometimes I have wondered whether there was ever going to be another one.
With your broad and deep experience I suspect that you will always have something valuable to share, even if it mightn’t appear all that wonderful to yourself. Even rants and random thoughts would be acceptable.
So I guess that means that shorter and more frequent is my vote.
Thank you
>So I guess that means that shorter and more frequent is my vote.
Well that’s how I’d like to make them Graham, shorter and more frequent.
But shorter would inevitably mean some of them would just be reviews/promos with little personal rambling in them. And I’m concerned about losing readers if I do that.
>but sometimes I have wondered whether there was ever going to be another one.
I know what you mean
Sometimes life just gets in the way of them.
phil
It’s never too long because it’s full of interesting content. You can’t please all of the people all of the time.
>You can’t please all of the people all of the time.
well you seem to manage it Pearson
I’ve rarely met people as interesting as you to talk to. And your son sounds like he’s just as interesting a person. I’ve just been reading about his time in the hostel in Byron Bay, which is a lovely place with great beaches and perfect rolling waves. I’ve been there quite a few times.
phil
Phil’s newsletter is the only IM related newsleeter I remain subscribed to. For me the length is fine as it is at the moment, and all his newsletters are informative. I like the fact that we get honest info and not hyped up “sells”.
Keep it as it is, infrequent, but packed with quality info.
Regards
Well I’ll try and keep it similar Michael, but right now I feel like increasing the frequency. Just hope I can come up with enough interesting stuff to fill it.
phil
G,Day Phil, from WA.
I love your news letters just as they are, I like the fact you let us know about what’s
going on in your neck of the woods, as well as telling us honestly about IM stuff.
Please keep e-mailing the long version,
Thank you,
Maybe you just like it because I’m a fellow Aussie, Sandra?
(Instead of one of those, all the same as each other, American marketers
)
I’ve never really been to WA though. Years ago, when I was Chief Photographer on Trucking Life magazine I drove across the Nullabor (a desert between east and west Australia for you non Australians) to take photos but after 3 days got fed up and turned around before reaching Perth.
phil
Hi Phil,
I agree with Sunshine. I’ve been reading your newsletter for years and it’s one of the few I almost always read. Probably one of the reasons for that besides the valuable content is that you don’t send them too often.
However, if they were shorter and more frequent I would most likely still read them, but I don’t think they would have the same impact, to be honest with you. And I don’t mind recommendations either if you have evaluated them.
Warmest regards,
Ellery
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Ellery.
Like I’ve said though I’m going to increase the frequency, though knowing me I might get fed up of doing that after a while
>And I don’t mind recommendations either if you have evaluated them.
I always do. It would be very easy to pimp a new product release every day but personally I could never bring myself to do that. Plus I always make sure I use the software I talk about, or watch at least random grabs from dvd’s I get sent, and read the ebooks I write about. So there wouldn’t be time to promote new products every day I guess
phil
Just fine the way it is, but it should all be control;led by your schedule and state of mind. I read always, and usually first.
Phil,
Your newsletter is one of the first that I ever subscribed to years ago, and it’s the only one I still subscribe to. I look forward to seeing “Letter from Phil” in my inbox and usually read it immediately.
Why? Because of your openness and honesty. I know that you aren’t sending me some boilerplate email promoting the latest “make a million overnight” guru scheme. That I will find some personal insight that lets me know I’m dealing with a real live human being just like me, and will probably find a recommendation (or sometimes even a negative recommendation) for a product that you have actually tried and reviewed.
It has been your newsletter that has, more than once, kept me from throwing in the towel when things weren’t working out too well.
I find your newsletter refreshing in today’s world. Keep ‘em coming – longer, shorter, doesn’t make much difference to me. But please, no more waiting months for the next one.
Thanks for everything,
Gene
Thanks for your kind words Gene.
It’s reading things like this that have kept me writing it all these years.
>no more waiting months for the next one.
I’ll try
phil
Phil,
Just keep writing. I read whatever you send. Just don’t change the quality.
I won’t deliberately change the quality, but I admit that I’m often tempted to hype things up to cash in on big product launches. Nearly always though (always?) I manage to resist the temptation and only write when I’ve got something useful or interesting to say.
phil
Phil,
It’s an absolute pleasure to read all these comments. The reader loyalty they indicate is really broadly based. Clearly folks like being treated with honesty and integrity.
I can understand your feelings that sending shorter mails containing fewer recommendations makes you more money. I recall reading some time back that giving more choices in an email reduces response, so it’s more effective to give one desired option for the reader. It seems your experience confirms that advice.
I cannot fault you for wanting to boost the profitability of your newsletter, and I’m confident that no matter which direction you choose to take, you’ll find a way to keep it personable and interesting.
So go ahead and try some new directions if it seems logical. I reckon you’ll still have a lot of readers staying with you.
And those who complain – well, they were not a good fit anyway.
I think we all wish you good luck with it.
Cheers from warm and smiling Thailand,
Charles
Hi Phil,
Like many of your other readers I have subscribed for years. You have the knack of combining informative witty and selling prose all at the same time and I always open and read the newsletters, and sometimes go back and re-read them. On my current PC you have sent me a GRAND TOTAL of 62 e-mails in 4 years and 5 months. Some of the gurus would send me that quantity in 2 months! (If I hadn’t already hit the unsub link.) Like one or two of the others I’ve wondered if some catastrophe has overtaken you with the long pauses, and I do recall a previous e-mail saying you were going to up the frequency. Perhaps you need to pick Martin’s brains at the next London lunch? He manages it twice a week a week. (The newsletter that is.)
Regards
Tony
Thanks for the nice words Tony.
Yep, 62 emails in that time is pretty poor isn’t it?
Several reasons for that.
1. I only write when I have something to say. As you know many of the emails/ezines you get from other people are just promo’s. Often 6 or 7 from the same person over a week or two because it’s big product launch. Naturally they do this because of the big affiliate commissions it makes them – and I know this approach does work because I get all the emails myself and then later look at the top 10 or 20 affiliates for that product launch and look back through their emails to see how they did it. Invariably they use the canned emails given to them by the product owner, but sometimes add a personal paragraph or two at the beginning of the email.
Recently I was talking to one well known person who takes this approach, and he says his list is churn and burn. He often loses hundreds of subscribers when he sends out these product launch emails, but he doesn’t care because he’s got a team of people forever getting him more new subscribers than he loses. And he makes a very good income from working this way.
I just couldn’t do this.I guess I’m a bit old fashioned and appreciate every person who takes the time to read my ramblings, so I refuse to take that hard-sell approach.
2. Rather than earning all my income telling people how to make money, I do things in other markets – building affiliate sites in medical niches, etc. Maintaining these, and developing new ones, takes up a lot of my time.
3. I like to travel at lot
phil
I have always looked forward to your newsletters because I know the information you provide is honest and does not have the ‘hype’ that is usually coming to my inbox. Plus I like the fact that you give us good information that I can use and not just information about the latest, greatest thing that will make us rich overnight (right!)
I, too, have dumped many of the so called gurus, because they are not newsletters, just one pitch after another.
Keep doing what you are doing, Phil.
Thanks!
Richard Mathiason
Richard
I hope (well plan) to keep doing them the same but a bit shorter and more frequently. Maybe just a few times a year one will just be a promo, to make some money from it, even though I know it will lose a bunch of subscribers. But overall I intend keeping the quality up.
phil
Hi Phil
The only reason I opened and read this one is because it cam esoon after your “usual” one so I assumed it must have been shorter – so opened and read it.
So yes, usually way too long.
waay too long usually
phil
Hi Phil. I would prefer you do what you have been doing with your newsletter. Always enjoy it.
it’s great to get responses like yours, because sometimes I feel I’m writing it for nothing
thanks Eddie.
phil
I’ve been following you since maybe 1997 and always will. But life it too busy these days and I am shocked with a lot of the comments here. Am I the only busy person?
I prefer shorter emails…and I’m sure your personality would still shine through in them. Even if you go with all the people commenting that they want long emails…could you try to cut them down a little bit at least?
Shawn
I agree with you
My thoughts are that I’d like to shorten them and increase the frequency, but I don’t want to annoy people by shortening them so much that a number of them are just promo’s, so I’ve got to get the balance right.
phil
The benefit of your information is that it is tested and ideas to support a program are given.
I personally have no time to try everything, so I would like to have someone who I can trust give me their honest opinion..so if it takes four pages, I am happy and I’ll read all of it…if it’s shorter, then I know you don’t have much to say and have said it.
It can’t get any better than that!
Karin.
I’ve enjoyed your newsletter for many years and will read it no matter if it’s long, short, frequent/infrequent, because I feel I’m getting honest opinions.
I’ve un-subbed from many ezines that just promote one product after another – how could they describe every new product as THE one that will change everything?!!
Maybe your newsletter is so enjoyable for the very reason that you don’t put yourself on a time line. As a result, when you do communicate, the content is well thought out useful information. Plus, very entertaining. Wish I had your skill.
Gosh, Phil, I just had a novel thought.
Those of us who’ve been telling you we like what you’re doing just the way you’ve been doing it, and please don’t change – well, maybe we’re not really reacting to length of emails nor to their frequency, but rather to the sincerity, the simplicity and the lack of manipulation they consistenly bring us.
If that’s the case, then you’ll probably continue to do okay by us no matter what you decide to send. So I’m changing my vote.
Do whatever keeps your fires alight, and your enthusiasm soaring. I figure most of us’ll hang right in there iwth you. I’m looking forward to seeing what your next experiment may look like.
Cheers from warm and smiling Thailand,
Charles
I’m finding all these lovely comments very touching and heartwarming.
It’s a bit like being in a crowded room and people coming over and giving me a hug or something
Really nice, but slightly embarrassing.
Thank you all for taking the time to post your thoughts. It’s very much appreciated. You’ll all be pleased to know that I’ve got no plans to make any major changes or stop writing it, it’s all really been about trying to find more about what you want to read about.
With that in mind I’ve just put up another short survey (just 2 questions) that simply asks your online skill level, and the topics you’d like covering in the ezine. Just a simple check the boxes survey. Be great if you could spend a minute doing it.
http://philwiley.com/recommends/survey2/
thanks
Phil
.
Hello Phil,
Don’t change a thing. Like everyone else. your newsletter is one of the few that I value and will read from beginning to end. I’ve been with you since before your “minisite” ebook, so if I didn’t like your newsletter method I’m sure I would have unsubscrbed by now. If its not broke don’t fix it.
Hi Phil
A bit late in the day, but for what it’s worth, I would like to hear from you more often, even if it means that perhaps your ezine is curtailed in length, however if the majority opinion is that things remain as the status quo, then that’s fine also. I continue to live in hope that reading your’s along with a select few others, will result in all this IM mularky producing an income for me!
Regards
Hi Phil
It has to creep in real quite to get past me and as I’ve said to you before, I rarely if ever fail to read it’s entire content.
Comments on this entry are closed.