Everyone’s creating newsletters, so how do you stand out? Here’s what I’ve learned after a year of writing a newsletter:
Embrace Two Essentials
- Consistent, High-Quality Content: Write regularly (weekly, daily, etc.) with content that educates or entertains.
- Hustle: Actively promote your newsletter. People won’t find it magically. Reach out and spread the word.
Find Your Niche
Focus on a specific topic to reduce competition. For example, a newsletter about Lego sets & their history will have less competition than one on general creative writing. Think about where you can provide unique value.
Growth Strategies
- Ask Friends: Start by getting your friends to subscribe.
- LinkedIn Outreach: DM your contacts to gain subscribers.
- Create Shareable Content: Provide valuable, bite-sized information or deep dives.
- Lead Magnets: Offer free resources relevant to your audience to attract subscribers.
- Join Communities: Learn from others in newsletter groups on platforms like Facebook and Indie Hackers.
- Twitter Engagement: Tweet daily, engage with influencers, and provide valuable content to grow your following.
- Stay Motivated: Growing a newsletter is tough. Don’t get discouraged and keep pushing forward.
- Cross-Promote: Partner with other newsletter writers to trade shoutouts and gain traction.
Answer These 9 Questions to 9x Your Newsletter
- Know Your Audience: Understand their needs, interests, and pain points.
- Who are you writing this for?
- Value First: Provide actionable insights, tips, and strategies.
- What does someone actually gain from reading this?
- Be Concise: Keep your content short and to the point.
- Am I wasting their time?
- Engaging Headlines: Use compelling and clear headlines to grab attention.
- Would you click on this email?
- Storytelling: Share success stories and case studies.
- Is this story engaging? Do I feel an emotional connection to the subject?
- Clear Call-to-Action: Guide your readers on what to do next.
- Is it clear to my readers what their next step should be? (Buy something, visit my site, read more posts)
- Visuals: Use images, charts, and infographics to break up text.
- Does the post look approachable? Is it just a block of text?
- Edit Ruthlessly: Remove fluff, check for grammar, and ensure clarity.
- Does my post look professional? Are there any grammar or spelling mistakes?
- Engage: Ask questions and encourage feedback from your readers.
- Am I letting people know they can respond to this email, or reach out on social media?
Which of these is easier to read?
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