I started writing this morning about Hobson’s Pledge, examining the claims they and their supporters make, basically ripping into them. But I kept getting notifications coming through, and not good ones.
Each time I looked up, there was another un-subscription message, and I felt a bit sicker at the thought of how hard it is to get paying subscribers and how they can disappear suddenly. To be honest, it put me off what I was writing about. It was impossible to ignore and far too distracting to continue, so I decided to stop.
This will be my last free newsletter for a while. Paying subscribers, I want you to know that I will continue to write, although it might be slightly less frequent over Christmas and New Year. I’m looking forward to tackling a few meatier things without the day-to-day distraction of dire news from our government. Hopefully, they won’t cause too much additional damage over their long holiday break.
Writing is not a chore to me, but selling is, and I’m starting to think I’m not very good at it. These have been a hard few months. Every day, quite a few paying subscribers are unsubscribing, and it feels like this thing I’ve worked really hard to build is ebbing away before my eyes, and I don’t know how to stop it.
So, for my sanity, here is one last appeal to those who are not currently paying subscribers. I want to make it as affordable as possible, so I’m offering the largest discount I can - 40% off for the first year to anyone who would like to subscribe today. That makes it $60 for a full year, for which you will receive upwards of 300 newsletters, around twenty cents each, or $6 per month.
Thank you so much to those who subscribe or are already paying subscribers; I greatly appreciate it. To the others, I wish you and your whanau a safe and enjoyable Christmas and New Year, and I’ll see you sometime next year. 🙂
A great song today, the only Christmas song in my view that is the equal of Tim Minchin’s White Wine in the Sun - Paul Kelly’s How to Make Gravy.
Those of you who read Bernard Hickey might get the reference to Gravy in this appeal.
Meri Kirihimete, all you lovely people,
Nick.
I am probably wrong, but I think the shrinking subscriber base says more about the dire financial state more and more NZers find themselves in due to the actions of this coalition government. A bit like how people feel when they get made redundant to increase the dividend to shareholders. You start to question yourself - what did I do wrong, what should I be doing differently. When it is really all about the money and nothing about you and how well/hard you work. I enjoy reading your work and if I can find the time listen to some of the accompanying music clips. For me, I would like to see some of your content include some more investigative reporting of facts that pushback on the misinformation, 1/2 truths and outright lies this government spews out relentlessly. I cannot afford to transition to retirement, so continue to work full-time which allows me to be a paid up subscriber, and find some thoughtful, honest information, interpersed with some humour and blasphemy. I do hope you can continue in 2025 and beyond.
Hey Nick. Just want to tell you that I look forward and appreciate your newsletters every day. Of course you have to live. More and more, I rely on Indy news and comment, as those of us who care enough are all having to with the shake up of the news media and corporate overkill going on. I subscribe to the small number of blogs as I can afford and rely on. Yours is one so thank you for your work. Take a break from the free stuff, give yourself some time with your marvellous whanau over Xmas, but please keep in touch!