StampFans

How do you actually send a letter to your StampFans subscribers? I made a 2-minute video to show you. (It's easy. Like, I don't think it could be easier 😎 )

Nice! When you create a StampFans, you set your own subscription fee (just like with any other paid newsletter platform). This is the fee your subscribers will pay each month to get mail from you. The average StampFans subscription fee is $7/month.

Announcing a StampFans competition 👇 So as of yesterday, StampFans creators can send postcards (not just letters) to their subscribers. This is ideal for artists, illustrators, and photographers. With postcards, your art doesn't have to be folded up to fit into an envelope 😍 Thing is, I need some feedback on this feature. I want to make sure everyone knows how it works and loves the postcard quality. So here's the competition: The first person to send a postcard to 50+ subscribers wins $500. No strings attached! I'll send you a $500 VISA gift card if you can get 50 StampFans subscribers and send them all a postcard. Want to enter? Here's what to do: 1. Create a StampFans 2. Set your subscription fee (at least $3/month) 3. Share it with your friends, followers & fans 4. Get 50 people to subscribe 5. Send them all a postcard, win $500! (If you already have a StampFans with 25+ subscribers, you're not eligible this time. I'll think of another competition for you guys later 😉) Remember, you keep all your commission, too (on top of this $500 bonus).50 subscribers at, say, $5/month? That's $1,200/year! What do you have to lose? #gameon

Attention #artists, #illustrators, and #photographers! We're looking for a few talented visual creators to pilot this new format. Any takers? It's paid 😉

✍ 📬 😍

Quick reminder that my little poetry project, Time Stamps, is ticking along (see what I did there?) over at StampFans. I've just uploaded this month's poem ready to go out. It's been delightful to get feedback from subscribers who like getting a) something in the post; b) that it's a poem. If you care to join them, you can via this link: https://lnkd.in/enZwwvHj

I'm fed up. I refuse to hear another "no." I've talked to ~100 talented artists and illustrators about StampFans. All of them love the concept, and most of them set up an account. But at the last minute, the changed their mind. Why? "I just don't think a tri-folded letter is the best way to share my art." And you know what? I get it. 100%. I wouldn't want my art folded up, either. So I'm going to fix this. And I'm announcing it publicly here to keep me accountable. By next Friday (one week from today), every StampFans creator will have the option to send not just letters, but 6x9in postcards to their subscribers – glossy, full-color, high-quality cardstock postcards. The back side will be blank (just address + postage), the front will be 100% up to creators. Share your illustrations, paintings, photos ... whatever. These will never be folded in transit and will be sturdy enough for subscribers to display on their desk or pin to their bulletin boards. Make sense? Call me out if this isn't done in a week 😎

Remember that pricing page I shared last week? The one I made that I thought was 💩? Well, I fixed it. My wife had an idea. The problem was that the page is called "Pricing." Because the fact is, StampFans is free. It costs nothing! We don't need a "pricing" page. So I've changed it. Instead of a paragraph explaining how subscribers – not writers – cover the cost of sending mail, I've replaced all that with a simple calculator. This way, writers can see exactly how much they, personally, can earn rather than having to read about how StampFans works. Make sense? I think this is better. What do you think? (link in comments)

"Yeah, but do people want more junk mail?" Some guy asked me this yesterday. I had just told him about StampFans. Clearly something was wrong with my pitch. But actually, I get that question a lot. And it confuses me. Who pays for a piece of writing then calls it junk mail when it arrives? 🤔 Well, the sad fact is, I do this *exact thing* with a bunch of Substacks. I pay to subscribe to a few of my favorite writers on Substack, but I often don't read their emails. I leave them "unread" and promise myself I'll get to it later. But I never do. (That makes me sound stupid, but I don't think I'm alone. Have you ever subscribed to someone's email newsletter but then never actually read what they send you?) But you know when I never do this? With something that's delivered to my home. I never just leave an Amazon box unopened on my doorstep. And I never get an actual, ink-on-paper letter from someone I know (say, a missionary I'm supporting financially) and just toss it in the trash before I even see what's inside. (With an email, you tell whether there's an attachment, and most email clients will even show you a preview. But with an envelope, you have to open it to see what's inside!) Anyways, I think this is why StampFans subscribers report almost 100% satisfaction with their subscription. Based on surveys, StampFans letters have a 99% open rate! Less than 14% of subscribers have ever unsubscribed. Getting a letter in the mail is fun! And it leaves a lasting impression – much bigger than getting yet-another-email. So the answer to that guy's question is: Yes and no. People love StampFans. They want mail from their favorite creators, and they're paying a lot of money for it! But that's because it's the opposite of "junk mail" 😎

I just sent someone $2,000 💰 (The person in this photo, riding the elephant 👇 ) This person has been writing a StampFans letter each month since last July. The letter is 2-3 pages long and takes him ~1 hour to write. She shares her thoughts on life in Thailand. She's British, but has lived in Bangkok since 2017. She charges $7/month. She has 83 subscribers. She hasn't been able to receive payouts until this week. We've saved her commissions in the meantime, and just sent her enough to pay next month's rent. No, StampFans isn't just about making money. It's about connecting on a deeper, more personal level with your fans and followers. But I have to say... Almost nothing feels better, as a founder, than seeing our writers get so much support and funding from their subscribers. It's often the case that fans and readers WANT to support their favorite creators' work. But it's not always easy to make that possible. Selling an email newsletter just isn't very ... thoughtful. But StampFans is different, and I think the world is starting to notice. There's really no better way to earn income from your writing while giving your readers something very *real* in return 💌