Hi Reader!
I'm sharing some news that you, my business-savvy photographer, will want to know.
Flodesk is ending its unlimited plan.
Nothing good can stay, right? Ponyboy's wise words are certainly true of Flodesk's unlimited plan, which they announced this morning they're sunsetting.
(Why the change? Most tech startups start out losing money, and change pricing later. The unlimited plan likely wasn't profitable, and had to go.)
BUT HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS: You can still sign up for the Unlimited plan for a little bit longer.
Anyone who becomes a paid Flodesk member by November 28 can still get unlimited emails and subscribers. After that, the new pricing kicks in and you'll pay according to the number of subscribers in your list.
Full disclosure: I left Flodesk in April
After three years with Flodesk, my open rates tanked, from 70% to 40% over the course of a year.
Why? Because my emails stopped landing in the Updates tab in Gmail.
They were going to Promotions (aka 'where emails go to die').
I dug into the data and discovered that Flodesk's pretty layouts—the reason I started using Flodesk in the first place—were the culprit.
Flodesk's pretty layouts convert to images when you click SEND. That matters because Gmail measures the number of images and the quantity of text in every email.
Lots of images, little text = sales email, and Gmail puts in right into PROMOTIONS.
More text than images = probably not a sales email → UPDATES.
And in the UPDATES tab, emails get opened.
There's more to dislike about Flodesk layouts.
Layouts create major issues on mobile devices. Email text can become unreadable.
Take a look at this screenshot.
This Flodesk email I got over the weekend probably looked fine on desktop, but on my phone, the layout shrank the text to Smurf size.
More than half of us read email on our phone. And many Flodesk layouts don't play nice with mobile.
Rest easy: you don't have to switch if you're already on Flodesk.
Just use fewer (or no) layouts when you build your emails.
I switched to Kit, a cheaper alternative, since I didn't need Flodesk's pretty bells and whistles.
Gee thanks, Lydia, but I don't even have an email list, so why should I care?
If you're not emailing yet, you're missing out on the EASIEST way to get bookings.
Your average Instagram image post gets seen by FOUR PERCENT of your followers. Reels top out around 30%.
And that's among people who already follow you. 😲
Let's be honest: reels are a pain in the ass. Do you have unlimited time to edit reels? Me neither.
Emails get opened more. Like, lots more.
About 36% of the time, on average.
That's across ALL businesses, from the guy who sells fox pee to that overzealous educator who emails you 2x a day.
That means your emails will be seen by MORE recipients than your best Instagram reel.
I'll prove it to you: let's peek behind the curtain at MY numbers.
My last four Flodesk emails were opened by 48% of recipients. And that's the CRAPPY open rate I got in Flodesk before switching.
In Kit, my emails get opened 69% of the time. 😜
Need a hand to get started?
Snag a 90-minute mentoring call with me for $250.
You'll come away knowing how to start your list, which email platform to use, and what the heck to say.
Talk soon,
Lydia
P.S.—I've got ONE more mentoring call up for grabs in the month of September. Grab it here.
*This email contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
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I promise to only email you good stuff, but if we're no longer a fit, that's alright. You can take yourself off the list here or update your profile. You should know I'll still love you though.
Lydia Fine · Apollo & Ivy Photography · 1519 Red Oak Drive, North Liberty, IA 52317 · 319-435-8281
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