… got a call from an old client.

Five years ago, I did a small writing project for him.

He has since sold the business, is starting a new one, and needs some help.

During this time, I’ve done nothing to stay in touch with him other than sending my twice-monthly newsletter. 

He hasn’t either: Never emailed, never commented on my web site, zero contact.

But here he is, five years later, coming back.

Total incremental cost to me in terms of time, money and effort in landing a new project: Zero. All I did was answer the phone.

Half the benefit of a newsletter is that you show up, over and over again, in the in-boxes of your subscribers. Whether you interact with them or not, they see you.

Which means that if you’re measuring the value of your newsletter on clicks and opens alone, you may be missing the bigger picture.

P.S. And if you don’t even have a newsletter, you’re breaking my heart.