Jen A. Miller, a successful freelance writer, shares her journey of turning her newsletter, "Notes from a Hired Pen," into a lucrative source of income through the creation and sale of ebooks. She highlights how even a relatively small audience can be monetized effectively, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, strategic marketing, and adaptability in the world of newsletter monetization.

Turning Experience into Profit: The Journey of "Notes from a Hired Pen"

Starting with What You Know

Jen A. Miller embarked on her journey to monetize her expertise as a freelance writer by launching her newsletter, "Notes from a Hired Pen." This decision allowed her to share her valuable knowledge with a broader audience, leveraging her years of experience.

  • Accessible Platform: Jen chose TinyLetter for her newsletter, a user-friendly platform that suited her non-tech background. Its cost-effectiveness was ideal for a newsletter initially intended to be free.
  • Keeping the newsletter free took off the pressure and let her publish on her schedule.
  • Efficient Knowledge Sharing: Facing a barrage of unpaid requests for advice, Jen used her newsletter archives as a resource, providing valuable insights efficiently.

Deciding to Monetize

In 2019, Jen recognized an opportunity to monetize her newsletter after a successful year as a freelancer. She decided to create an ebook titled "Notes From a Hired Pen: How I Made $135,000 in One Year of Freelancing," priced at $10.

  • She teased the book in her newsletter, generating excitement before it launched.
  • Strategic Marketing: Jen strategically marketed her ebook to her newsletter subscribers, emphasizing its potential benefits, and financial return.
  • Providing Proof: The ebook aimed to prove that freelancing could be a sustainable career, countering common misconceptions.
  • Creating Passive Income
    • Books were cheaper to produce as she created a template.
    • In total, the three books have brought in nearly $13,000 in passive income.
    • The first ebook's success led Miller to write two more books in the series.

Leveraging a brand to create passive income

The success of her first ebook led Jen to publish two more ebooks, creating a brand around "Notes from a Hired Pen." While these subsequent ebooks targeted a narrower audience, they contributed to her passive income stream.

  • Lower Production Costs: Subsequent ebooks were quicker and cheaper to produce due to reused templates, reducing expenses.
  • Sustainable Income: The combined revenue from all three ebooks continues to provide a reliable source of passive income.

Building a brand and leaving the door open for expansion

Having built a strong brand through her newsletter and ebooks, Jen has numerous options for future expansion. She can consider transitioning to a paid newsletter or exploring additional avenues.

  • Platform Flexibility: Jen's choice of ConvertKit offers scalability beyond TinyLetter's 5,000-subscriber cap, allowing her room for growth.
  • Traditional Publishing: While she hasn't ruled out traditional publishing, her ebook success has surpassed her traditionally published book's advance.
  • Continuous Growth: Jen continues to gain new subscribers, ensuring a steady influx of potential customers for her ebooks.

Mental Model

  1. The Newsletter: Jen transitioned her blog into a newsletter, choosing TinyLetter for its simplicity and affordability (free for up to 5,000 subscribers). Her newsletter acted as a platform to share her experiences and insights.Example: Jen's newsletter took the form of regular updates, often an hour in writing, covering various freelancing topics.
  2. Building an Audience: Jen had a growing audience interested in her freelancing advice. Her subscribers found value in her content, especially those who couldn't schedule individual consultations. Example: Jen's newsletter subscribers grew to 813, thanks to word-of-mouth and social media sharing.
  3. Monetization Strategy: In late 2019, Jen decided to monetize her newsletter by creating an eBook that detailed her successful freelancing journey. She priced it at $10 and used her newsletter to market it. Example: Her eBook "Notes From a Hired Pen: How I Made $135,000 in One Year of Freelancing" showcased her earnings and strategies.
  4. Marketing and Promotion: Jen effectively promoted her eBook within her newsletter, highlighting the value it could bring to her subscribers. She emphasized its affordability and potential tax benefits. Example: Jen's pitch encouraged readers to consider the eBook as an investment in their freelancing careers.
  5. Earning and Scaling: The eBook sales took off quickly, covering the costs of editing and design. Jen continued to write and publish eBooks under her "Notes from a Hired Pen" brand, which expanded her passive income.Example: The success of the first eBook led to two follow-ups, further enhancing her income.
  6. Building a Brand: Jen's newsletter and eBooks created a strong brand, allowing her to explore various future directions, such as seminars or coaching. Example: Her "Notes from a Hired Pen" brand became recognizable within the freelancing community.
  7. Expanding Possibilities: With a growing subscriber base and established brand, Jen has the flexibility to explore new avenues for her newsletter and brand. Example: She mentioned the possibility of traditional publishing or further marketing her eBooks.

Three takeaways for anyone trying to sell ebooks via your newsletter

Leverage a niche audience

Jen emphasizes the importance of a targeted audience over sheer numbers. A niche audience interested in your content can drive remarkable results.

Your marketing pitch doesn't need to be super polished

Authenticity in marketing can be just as effective, if not more so, than polished sales tactics. Speak in your voice and stay consistent with your newsletter's style.

Take a look at a few different platforms for selling your ebook

Exploring different platforms for selling your ebook, such as AWeber, ConvertKit, Gumroad, or Podia, allows you to find what works best for your newsletter and audience.

My thoughts? Going Small Can Pay Off Big Time

Jen's story shows that you don't need a massive audience or expensive setup to find success. With the abundance of free and low-cost tools today, anyone can start small niche projects.

For example, if you have multiple interests, you could create small, targeted blogs around each one. Platforms like Ghost provide an easy way to quickly launch blogs. Pair this with an email service like Mailgun to easily send newsletters to engaged subscribers.

The key is consistently providing value to your niche. This keeps readers engaged and sets you up as an authority. While starting big and public tends to get more initial attention, slow and steady audience building through consistent, quality content can become quite lucrative over time.

So don't be afraid to start small in 2023. Identify an underserved niche you're passionate about, set up a blog and newsletter, and deliver value consistently. With this approach, over time you may just find the audiences and income your passion deserves.

Read the full article here

How I Sold $12,500 in eBooks From My Newsletter | Inbox Collective
You don’t need to have a huge newsletter audience to successfully monetize. Here’s how Notes from a Hired Pen leveraged a small newsletter list into big sales.
Inbox Collective