Why I'm Switching My Newsletter Provider (Again)

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about making sure my tools match my goals. That’s why I’m switching my mailing list provider.

Again.

When I first became an author, I used Mailchimp. At the time, it was the industry standard. By most accounts, it still is.

One thing you’ll learn about me is that I generally prefer to work with the oldest, most tried-and-true companies in an industry rather than chase the newest or the cheapest option.

I believe in the phrase, it takes money to make money. For a while, every time I sent a newsletter, I made money. Write an email. Hit send. Watch sales roll in.

Then... it stopped. After a few years, my newsletters weren’t making money anymore.

Now, I don’t know exactly why. Maybe deliverability changed. Maybe inbox algorithms changed. Maybe I’d trained my audience to expect freebies because I was participating in too many giveaway promotions. Maybe it was a combination of all three.

Whatever the reason, one thing had definitely changed; my list had become huge and I was paying Mailchimp every month based on that list size.

So I made the switch to Flodesk.

One of the biggest appeals was the pricing. I paid one annual fee regardless of how many subscribers I had. I started sending newsletters left and right because I wasn’t thinking about every additional subscriber increasing my monthly bill. But over time, I noticed something familiar.

Those newsletters weren’t making money with every send either.

Again, there could be a dozen reasons why. But it did make me stop and ask myself an important question.

Years ago, my goal was simple: Grow my newsletter.

Today, my goal is to grow my active customer list.

Which is why I’m moving my active subscribers to Klaviyo. Please note I said “active” subscribers. Inactive subscribers have been downloaded, archived, and will now be used as a Facebook Look-a-like audience only.

Klaviyo was built with ecommerce in mind. It’s wonderfully Big Brother-ish. It knows when subscribers visit my Shopify store. What they looked at. What they bought. How long it’s been since their last purchase. Then it sends automated email flows based on those behaviors without me having to lift a finger.

The problem is I know I’m underutilizing it.

I’m just relying on the flows like Abandon Carts or Post-Purchase Flows. But I’m trying to build the strongest relationship possible with readers who shop directly from me. So why not make the provider tied to my store my main squeeze?

Do I think everyone should switch to Klaviyo?

I think you should first ask yourself: What is your goal?

Are you trying to build a media brand?

Grow a Substack?

Sell courses?

Build an author career around Kickstarter?

Drive readers to retailers?

Grow direct sales?

Every one of those goals might lead you to a different service provider.

The best tool isn’t necessarily the one everyone else is using.

It’s the one that’s aligned with the business you’re trying to build.

Sometimes we don’t need new strategies.

We just need our systems to finally point in the same direction.

Please note this post was not sponsored by Klayvio -I wish it was. Oof that monthly fee 🤣

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And don’t forget to follow my Diversified Author Blueprint Kickstarter. I’m currently documenting my processes for selling across various platforms and strategies so that I’m not dependent on one retailer or algorithm.