Hey friends!
Following up on last week’s FluentCRM deep dive (and, of course, my spirited rant about not building on rented land). I’ve got the webinar replay ready for you—but first, let’s talk about what’s coming next in the newsletter.
What’s Coming Next in the Author Automations Newsletter
Ever had someone ask, “How do you do it all?” and your only answer is a half-laugh, half-sob while clutching your coffee? Yeah, same.
I sometimes forget that not everyone knows all the things I juggle. Between Indie Author Magazine, Indie Author Training, Indie Author Tools, Direct2Readers.com, Author Nation Programming, and Storyteller Showcase—plus a whole lot of travel, family responsibilities, and personal projects—it’s a lot. (Not a flex, just facts.)
But here’s the thing: Your success isn’t about how much you do. It’s about your systems.
James Clear puts it perfectly:
"You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems."
If you’ve ever wondered how I “get it all done” without losing my mind, I’m pulling back the curtain.
Starting next week, I’m kicking off a Task Management & Automation series where I’ll break down:
✔️ Why traditional to-do lists fail—and what works better
✔️ How to build a system that fits your work style
✔️ Smart ways to automate busywork so you can focus on writing
✔️ My weekly review process to stay on track (without overwhelm)
And because I know not everyone geeks out over Notion like I do, this series will be tool-agnostic—so you can apply it whether you use Trello, ClickUp, paper planners, or a sticky-note wall of doom.
Next week, we’ll start with: "Why Your To-Do List is Failing You (And What to Do Instead)."
Until next week!
Chelle
Webinar Replay: Stop Paying the Success Tax – Why I UseFluentCRM
Quick question: How much are you paying for email marketing? If your bill goes up every time your list grows, congrats—you’re paying the Success Tax. (No, that’s not an official term, but it should be.)
Let’s talk about FluentCRM—the email automation tool that lives inside your WordPress site, meaning you own your subscriber list, not some third-party service that can lock you out on a whim. I broke it all down in my latest webinar, and good news—you can watch the replay!
Why FluentCRM Might Be Your New Best Friend
No More Success Tax – Most platforms charge you based on the number of subscribers. FluentCRM? You pay a flat yearly fee (about $100) and then just pennies per email sent.
You Own Everything – Your contacts, automations, and email history stay on your website. No risk of getting locked out of your list.
Crazy Powerful Automations – FluentCRM tracks what your readers do (like clicking an Amazon link) and lets you tag and segment them for targeted follow-ups.
Integrates With Everything – WooCommerce, Facebook Custom Audiences, Amazon SES, and even sneaky advanced tools like Uncanny Automator.
A Few Things I Demoed in the Webinar:
✔️ Setting up automated welcome sequences
✔️ Tracking reader engagement and re-engaging cold subscribers
✔️ Connecting FluentCRM to Amazon SES (where I pay about $0.18/month to send emails—yes, really)
✔️ Using Smart Links to track who clicks what (and following up with readers accordingly)
✔️ Creating a Facebook ad audience directly from your email list (no manual uploads needed!)
If you’ve ever wanted better email automation, lower costs, and full control, FluentCRM is worth a look.
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