How to Stay Consistent With Subscriber Communication at Scale
As a content creator, it's expected that you receive multiple types of communication from fans following on social media, from paid subscribers, and companies getting in touch via email for potential collaborations.
And once this picks up pace, or your channels start gaining traction and popularity, it can be tricky to ensure you're staying on top of replying to subscribers. And when communication breaks down, you can expect this to impact your income and engagement, as those paying for this type of service won't be willing to put up with ad hoc replies or long wait times between communications efforts.
So how can you combat this as a content creator to ensure you're not letting things slip and you're giving your subscribers exactly what they need and expect of you?
Set Clear Response Windows
It might feel like a good idea to reply when you have time, but when you're busy with a million and one other things, when do you find time? If you're not prioritizing replies, they simply become background noise.
Subscribers notice this shift, and they'll notice it fast and will react rapidly with their dedication to you and ongoing subscriptions.
You need to set clear and defend response windows. You need to set the time you're available to reply to messages to avoid it taking over your life or to stop messages from going unanswered. This means that even if you don't respond immediately, subscribers know when to expect you to check your DMs or comment sections for a reply from you.
Filter and Prioritise High Value Conversion first
As a content creator, this could be messages that indicate they are ready to increase subscriptions, pay for additional services, or it could be brand collaborations.
These should be treated as a priority, especially if this is your main source of income. The last thing you should be doing is leaving potential buyers waiting excessively. And the truth is, not all messages you receive will be worthy of your time and attention, nor will they need a quick reply.
So find those that will be worth your while, prioritizing and treating them as urgent, then work your way through the rest.
Use Specialist Support
Once you reach a certain level of success, when your inbox is regularly overflowing, it's time to consider getting help for your replies.
When you add replies to your current workload, be it content creation, editing, filming, promotion, etc., it can be one task too many.
This is where help in replying is valuable. You can bring in people to work with you to train and help you manage your inbox, or you can outsource to specialist companies that work with different types of replies.
For example, VAs can help you manage your Patreon inbox for paying subscribers there, while OnlyFans chatters can remove pressure from replying to fans who subscribe to your content on that platform.
The right level of support for your brand will depend on how you make your money, what you do, and the volume of subscribers you have. This will determine how best to approach the situation, so you're making a good investment, and you’re giving all of your subscribers the level of contact and engagement they want and expect to get for their subscription.
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