I insulted a subscriber with the email that I sent yesterday.

In addition to unsubscribing from my list (booooo!), Mary (name changed to protect the innocent) messaged to tell me that she was “insulted” by my email.

A quick refresher: I was comparing coaches who try to cobble together a bunch of free advice, without investing in any help, to the inventors who were trying to make crazy contraptions fly before the Wright Brothers pulled off their famous flight.

And I referenced that some of those flying inventors died (hey, it sounds harsh but it’s true!)

I’ve been known to put my foot in my mouth – ask my brother, who edits my podcast and has to edit out such occurrences. And I’ll be the first to admit it when I flub up …

But being insulted by me saying that you have to invest in your business to be successful???

Give me a break!

So I’m doubling down on my crazy contraption email from yesterday.

Sorry, but you have put some skin in the game. I’m not suggesting that you go thousands of dollars into debt, but you’ll have to invest something.

Having a bunch of free 15 or 30 minute calls with strangers, or consuming 1000 blog posts, and then trying to piece all of it together isn’t going to cut it.

I know what it’s like to build a business on a shoestring budget. When I started coaching I didn’t even have that, it was more like a “dental floss budget”.

But you know what? I bit the bullet and spent money when I had to, to get help from people who could get me further along.

And I never regretted that decision.

And it’s not just with hiring people to help me with whatever goal I have … I’m currently a member of two paid membership communities:

– One charges $7/month, which isn’t much, but I treat it differently than I would treat a free one. The person who runs that gets people calling him all sorts of names for having the nerve to actually charge for the value that he brings.

– The other one is from the same industry leader who charges $97 US/month for a hard copy newsletter that he mails me once a month (no, not electronic – actual paper.) Some would say that I’m nuts to pay about $100 for a 10 or 15 page newsletter, but you know what? I read that thing from front-to-cover the minute that it arrives … I treat it like GOLD.

I highlight it.
I jot down notes.
I immediately plan how I’ll implement what I learn, and I take action.
And I’ve made the investment in it back many times over since I started … I’ll be a subscriber for life.

Would I do the same if I wasn’t paying for it? Unlikely.

The response that my email triggered in Mary brings up another point: if you’re the type of person who gets offended by an email like yesterday’s, then please unsubscribe. There are plenty of email lists to join that will play it safe, sending boring emails that never challenge you or risk offending you.

But will those get you further along?

That’s not me – I want the people on my list to succeed, and if I offend some Mary’s along the way, then so be it.

That’s my honest opinion.