Why I Made Major Changes to My Newsletter's Positioning

I've been in marketing for 5 years now (longer if you count my self-publishing career).

During that time, I've learned a lot. Made almost every mistake in the book. And stumbled my way into a few big wins (hundreds of thousands of books sold, tens of thousands in affiliate earnings, etc.).

If I was strapped to a rocket aimed at a field of puppies and the only way to free myself (and save the puppies) was to tell you the one marketing idea that would unlock everything else, it'd be this: pick one, incredibly tightly defined audience — ideally one you are already, naturally a part of.

The reason should be obvious: focus makes our jobs easier. It makes selling easier.

As the bible of marketing says it:

The essence of marketing is narrowing the focus. You become stronger when you reduce the scope of your operations. You can't stand for something if you chase after everything.

— Al Ries and Jack Trout from The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing

So, that is exactly what I did. But like any good story, the gold is in the specifics, so let's dive in.