Getting Subscribers
The heart of Slowpost is building a list of people who want to hear from you once a year. Unlike social media where you're fighting for attention, your subscribers have actively chosen to receive your annual letter. Here's how to grow your subscriber list.
Share Your Profile Link
Your Slowpost profile has a unique URL that you can share anywhere:
slowpost.org/yourname
You can find your profile URL by visiting your profile page.
When people visit your profile, they can click "Subscribe to Annual Post" to be added to your list. You'll get notified when someone subscribes.
Where to share your link:
- Email signature: Add it to your personal or work email signature
- Social media bios: Put it in your Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn bio
- Personal website: Link to it from your blog or portfolio
- Holiday cards: Include it in your annual holiday card or newsletter
- Direct messages: Send it to friends and family you'd like to stay in touch with
Create or Join Groups
One of the best ways to reconnect with people you know is to create or join groups like your college class, former workplace, or neighborhood. When you're part of a group, other members who remember you can find your profile and subscribe to stay in touch.
Add Subscribers Manually
You can also add people to your subscriber list directly by their email address. This is useful for friends and family who might not be on Slowpost yet.
- Go to your Subscribers page
- Click "Add Subscriber by Email"
- Enter their email address and optionally their name
- They'll be added to your list and can confirm later if they want
When you add someone manually, they'll receive an email letting them know you've added them. They can confirm their subscription or opt out if they prefer.
Quality Over Quantity
Remember: Slowpost isn't about maximizing followers. It's about staying connected with people who genuinely care about hearing from you once a year.
You're doing it right if:
- Your subscribers are people you actually know—friends, family, former colleagues, old classmates
- You're excited to write to them once a year
- They've actively chosen to subscribe (not just been auto-added)
- You can imagine them reading and enjoying your annual letter
Think of it like a holiday card list, but better—because everyone on it has specifically asked to hear from you. Slowpost is about maintaining those loose ties with people you know but don't talk to regularly.
Marking Close Friends
On your subscribers page, you can mark certain subscribers as "Close Friends." This helps you organize your list and potentially send different versions of your annual letter to different groups (a feature we're considering for the future).
Next Steps
Once you have a few subscribers, you're all set! The main thing now is to write your annual letter when the time comes. Remember, you only need to write once a year—there's no pressure to post regularly or stay active.
In the meantime, make sure your profile is complete and consider creating or joining groups for communities you belong to.