A Newsletter Readers Trust

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LISTENING: "when I'm sitting in the sun, I think about the rain"
FEELING: grateful for the start of spring
SEEING: my colorful calendar reminding me of the many birthdays coming up

I wanted to start with a special thank you — to all of you who make this newsletter worthwhile and especially to the 48 people who responded to my reader survey.

I attended the Society of Environmental Journalists conference last week. Over the course of three days, several people approached me to express their appreciation for receiving the newsletter in their inbox every Thursday.

I write Possibilities for myself, of course, as a therapeutic release of all the emotion built up inside. However, I mostly write this for y'all: as a compass of sorts to remind you where to look when you want to return home and where to focus your energy when the news becomes overwhelming.

The reader survey underscored just how much Possibilities means to everyone. Let's not forget: This newsletter is about the possibilities that lie where the climate crisis meets community. We right here — we're a community. You all are my community. And I'm sending y'all so much love.

So let's get into that survey, yeah? This is my first transparency report. It's for potential advertisers because appreciation and love alone can't sustain this newsletter, unfortunately. I need more revenue to continue publishing this. The survey results are also for me — to help me understand who's reading this every week and how I can give the people what they want!

Here are some fast facts on the newsletter:

• It currently reaches 513 people a week. That number is steadily rising.
• Of those, 94 are paid subscribers. The rest are free.
• The open rate is currently about 67 percent. For context, the industry average for indie writers like me is about 42 percent.
• My click-through rate (CTR) averages nearly 5 percent. The industry average is only about 1 percent.

Now, for some fast facts on all of you, my devoted readers, per the 48 survey responses I received. My favorites are bolded.:

• When asked, "How likely are you to recommend Possibilities" on a scale of 1 to 5, nearly 3/4 of respondents said 5. About 92 percent answered 4 or 5.
• Approximately 94 percent of respondents rated their level of trust in me as 4 or 5 on a scale of 1 to 5.
• About 95 percent responded with a rating of 4 to 5 when asked about their satisfaction with the newsletter.
• The majority (47 percent) are ages 25 to 34. The next largest group (21 percent) is 35 to 44.
• Cisgender women make up the vast majority of my readers (72 percent). Cis men make up 15 percent with non-binary and gender non-conforming folks making up 6 percent.
• Most readers (60 percent) are white. Some 17 percent are Latine, and 15 percent are multiracial.
• Nearly 28 percent of y'all identify as 2SLGBTQ+. About 10 percent are immigrants.
• Nearly 30 percent of my readers are in New York. The second-largest population is in California: 19 percent.
• My audience is also global: Some folks are based in London, Greece, and Czechia.
• Nearly half of readers fall into two income brackets: $50K-$70K and $70K-$90K a year.
• A striking majority of folks (over 80 percent) identify as activists.
• Nearly 28 percent work in media.
• About 70 percent work on climate issues.
• Most (nearly 26 percent) are in communications. Some 17 percent are in academia/education. Nearly 15 percent work on advocacy.
• A good 23 percent responded that I encouraged them to spend time on the dance floor. I am honored that you all are sustaining joy and movement! Dancing is one of my favorite things to do, so that made me smile.

(This can all be found on my website here.)

I also asked readers if they'd be willing to pay more for the newsletter. Nearly half said "maybe." Nearly 32 percent said "yes." I'm considering increasing the subscription by a few dollars in June, our second anniversary. Here's what I'm thinking:

READER ON A BUDGET: $3 >> $5 a month
DEDICATED READER: $5 >> $10 a month
SUPER FAN: $10 >> $15 a month

Annual subscriptions are always discounted. I'd love to hear feedback. I don't want this to scare folks away! So add a comment or respond with an email. Your opinion matters.

That's all for today. This analysis took me a lot more time than I expected, but it's important. I'll also feature anonymous testimonials readers shared at the end of every newsletter until I run out. Much love, gang! 🌀

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