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I’ve published Butler for 18 years. When was the last time I asked you for help? Never. Now I’m asking. Just this once.

Published: Jan 13, 2023
Category: Weekend

Friends –

In a media environment that cherishes massive success, Head Butler is a minnow. After decades of writing for big prestige magazines and then producing features for the reigning god of the Internet, I have taken great pleasure — for 18 years now — editing a cultural concierge that publishes under the radar for friends and friends of friends.

And now, in an increasingly vulgar media environment, I’ve decided Head Butler needs to step out… to be more visible… to grow…

There’s a traditional way to acquire readers: hire a marketing expert. A clever ad campaign lures visitors. How many become more than one-time drop-ins? Few. How many become newsletter subscribers? A lot fewer. Which makes the cost of acquiring each regular reader astronomical.

A smarter way: ask longtime readers and newsletter subscribers to reach out to friends and loved ones. Not because that’s free and I’m cheap, but because the people you’ll contact are smarties like you — they have “more taste than time.”

Here’s my ask: cut-and-paste the pitch below and email it to a few people who just might enjoy Butler recommendations and reviews.

WHAT YOU MUST NOT DO: FORWARD THIS MAIL. Why not? Because of a flaw in my elite mail service, if the recipient deletes the mail, it’s entirely possible he/she/they terminate your subscription. And then, weeks later, you notice you’re not getting Butler and you write to me, and I tell you to resubscribe, and… see? It’s a waste of time and energy. So I repeat: do NOT forward this mail!!!!

Instead, CUT AND PASTE the email just below and send it to a few (or more than a few) friends, with a personalized greeting so it doesn’t, God forbid, look like Spam. Feel free to improve it. You might, in the Subject line, indicate that you’re sending something of possible value.

Whether you do this or not, thanks for reading Butler… and reading this.

THE EMAIL I PROPOSE YOU SEND

Everyone gets too much mail, much of it unwanted. One of the biggest time sucks in that daily deluge? Deleting it… which takes an average of 3.2 seconds per mail. Most of us spend more than 3 minutes a day deleting mail — time stolen from our lives.

So why I am adding to your inbox?

Because I think you might enjoy the recommendations and reviews on HeadButler.com. It’s published four times a week “for people with more taste than time.” The editor is Jesse Kornbluth. If his name is familiar, it’s because you’ve read his pieces in The New York Times Magazine, New York, and Vanity Fair. Or you saw his novels — his short novels, because he knows everyone’s time is tight — praised by the Times.

Butler is a 600-700 word surprise, published Monday to Thursday. It’s a cheat sheet that delivers information and crisp opinion. Like these:

The fastest-selling book on the planet: Prince Harry, Spare.

Jesse’s favorite novel, The Queen’s Gambit.

Legendary music from a music legend, John Prine.

Jesse’s favorite memoir (and excellent, overlooked movie): The Tender Bar.

A one-of-a-kind Holiday Gift Guide.

An occasional short story, like the update of “The Gift of the Magi,” the classic O.Henry story, The Gift of Gifts.

For the weekend, suggestions for books, movies, and music, plus videos and tidbits of interest, in the Weekend Butler.

If you like what you see on Butler, you’re invited to sign up for the free newsletter. Just pop your email address into the box in the upper right of the main screen. You’ll get an email (possibly in Spam) that you must acknowledge in order to activate your subscription. I like to think you’ll be thanking me… and maybe sharing Head Butler.

Thanks.