TOC #228: In case you haven't heard, I'm actually famous now
(May 6, 2025) How to get more newsletter replies
I have never received more email replies in my LIFE — aka my 228 consecutive weeks of newslettering — than I did last week.
ICYMI: I wrote a very soft, very squishy, hang-on-the-fridge-worthy love letter to my boyfriend (we've been calling him Side Character) last week, and I shared it with you.
And, honestly, I didn't know how you were gonna react…
Every time I've shared a story like that with you, it's been TEA.
This wasn't tea. This was a literal diary entry.
So, because it wasn't juicy gossip, I wrote and scheduled that newsletter thinking to myself “I wonder if people will care about this like they have my other stories…”
I was pretty sure I'd get some emails back — especially from the curious eyes who saw me soft launching his leg sleeve on my Instagram story — but I assumed *other* stories from my past would still outrank him in replies.
Not even close.
As of this morning (one week later), FIFTY PEOPLE replied to tell me how much they loved my story (and loved my new man, based on what I shared about him).
The responses ranged from “omg I'm so happy for you!” to “I'm balls deep in my luteal phase crying over this” — and while I was sitting here replying to them all, I realized…
Yeah, it wasn’t the juiciest story. It wasn’t the wildest. It wasn’t the funniest.
But it was the one that made people feel closest to me.
People replied because they CARED.
Because they felt like they were sitting across from me, hearing the story in real life.
& THAT'S what made them feel called to reply: they wanted to continue the conversation that we were already having.
Whenever I teach about email marketing, the question of “how to get more replies” always comes up, and people are often expecting my answer to be focused on copywriting tips.
But in reality, it's less about copywriting strategy and more about CARING.
It’s about making people feel close enough to you to want to reply.
How To Get More Newsletter Replies
👉 Write about what your readers actually care about.
You can’t expect replies if you’re not talking about what they want from you. I recommend sending a vibe-check email asking people to select their topic preferences, or posting on socials (stories or Threads might be best!) asking what people want to learn.
Sometimes when I can't decide what to write about, I post a poll asking what people would rather read / learn about (or I'll ask one of my friends to tell me which topic they think is the most interesting, bc sometimes I'm too close to it to gauge others' interest).
👉 Make it EASYYYY to reply.
Don’t end your email with a question so big they’d have to open a Google Doc to answer it. Keep it SIMPLE.
Small, low-lift, specific questions work best. Give them a yes/no, a one-sentence answer, or an easy reaction they can send in 10 seconds.
If they have to THINK to respond, they're not responding.
👉 Know what your email’s “conversation starter” is.
Every email doesn’t need a question or a big story or tea or a revolutionary tip or topic, but every email should be a conversation that makes the reader want to talk back.
If you make them feel involved, they’ll want to join the conversation.
Bookmarked by BTL
Newsletter Storytelling Workshop
Self-Paced Email Marketing Course
How I Decide What To Write In My Weekly Newsletters
SIDE NOTE… Are you a copywriter looking for a mentor?
Enrollment for Success Story is opening next week!
ICYMI: I host a small group mentorship program for copywriters who want to reach the next chapter of their success story — whether that's learning how to book out, being worthy of higher prices, improving client experience, gaining more copywriting skills, taking their business to the next step, etc.
I develop a personalized curriculum for each group so EVERY student learns what they want + everyone gets what they need out of it!
It's a 3-month program for copywriters and I LOVE hosting it so much — it's actually a huge part of my day-to-day in business (I've been doing this for years!) that I really should talk about more lolol it feels like 1:1 mentorship with a group chat tbh
& if you're a copywriter looking for a mentor, I think you'd love it!
>> Click here to check out the details!
Love u bye!
—S
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