We’d been at the beach for less than 2 days and already I’d sat under 2 of THEM.

It was quite comfy under the giant shadows my neighbor / friends had offered to share.

Each seemed excessively proud to own the latest in ridiculously-easy-to-assemble-beach-shade technology: the Shibumi Shade.

“My friend told me about it. She said they’re everywhere on Ponte Vedra beach. The Shiiiiii-buuuuuu-miiii.”

“I’ll have you know we had ours before they really caught on and it became a thing. We were the first in the neighborhood.”

It’s a smartly designed wind-powered apparatus that breaks down small (think, tent pole technology). You just assemble the pole, slide the kite-like fabric over it, arch it, then anchor it by filling the carry bag with sand.

One person can mount this thing without breaking a sweat, or their back.

Shibumi!

...

A day or so later my husband was at the local dive shop with the girls and he noticed they were selling them.

$250.

He passed.

But what was funny is that the sales lady talked to him about it for a bit and she was very, “I just don’t get what all the fuss is for.”

Well, you try mounting an umbrella by yourself a few times. Or a popup tent. And you’ll get why the very act of watching someone pop this thing up and dismantle it in a few quick minutes could sell you on the dream. To some people, that’s certainly worth $250. If I still lived at the beach I’d pay for it, but we’re only visiting. And I already have friends with Shibumis.

...

But you know I’m not trying to sell you on the concept of Shibumis.

I’m here to talk about newslettering and what we can learn from the Shibumi craze:

1. People with Shibumis feel like they know a secret other’s don’t (that you don’t need to waste excessive energy hauling something awkward and heavy to the beach and assembling it).
2. They want to brag about having figured this out way before you.
3. They think it’s worth paying $250 to use this secret knowledge to improve their beach experience.
4. All it takes is someone watching them build or dismantle the thing for a nearby beachgoer to ask, “What’s that and where can I get one?” The word of mouth is contagious.
5. They like saying “Shibumi.”

What’s your newsletter equivalent to the list above?

Do your subscribers feel as though your newsletter delivers a secret that improves some aspect of their life or work?

Does it take something challenging and make it incredibly easy?

Do your readers feel lucky they discovered you before their peers and brag about it?

Do they think it’s worth the time/money/attention they invest?

Do they tell others about it proudly?

Go forth and throw some (good) shade with that newsletter of yours.

Give them something to love telling people about.

“I read xyz newsletter. Have you heard about it? It’s all the rage in xyz industry.”

Shibumi!

It really is fun to say, right? I’ve said it in my head so many times while writing this that it now sounds like a word for when you’ve just done something wonderful and inspiring.

Ashley Guttuso