Writing A Newsletter 101: Content Ideas, Timelines, & More
Get a load of this: Businesses who use email marketing (aka sending newsletters) make 400% more money than those that don’t. 400% you guys! That’s crazy! What else in your life has that kind of impact?
Alas, many first-time business owners might view writing newsletters as intimidating, annoying, or stressful. Womp womp. But I want you to trust me on this one:
Newsletters aren’t a necessary evil — they’re a wonderful asset! — and can be totally easy to write.
As a new biz owner, you might be intimidated to write one out of the fear of looking silly, coming across as “spam,” or simply because you’re suffering grade A writer’s block a la that Grapes of Wrath book report in 7th grade.
I want to make this a smoother, less time-consuming and sigh-inducing process for you, and I promise it will be worth it in the long run.
Newsletters are actually awesome because they are an ideal way to reach a high number of potential clients and highlight the important/new/exciting info about your business. They draw attention to the exact things you want your clients’ eyes on and are a non-invasive way of spreading the word. (i.e. You don’t need phone numbers. You don’t need mailing addresses. You don’t need your clients to answer 3 security questions and submit their birthday, zodiac sign, blood type, or mother’s maiden name in a form. You just need their email.)
Here’s the most important part to remember about your newsletter: anyone who signed up for your list wants to be there.
They’re asking for the goods! For the love of Lizzo, give them what they want! Folks who signed up for your newsletter are also strategically choosing to bypass the totally arbitrary social media algorithms that may or may not deliver them your info and taking the step to ensure any news you have goes straight to their precious inbox. That’s incredible! Don’t leave them hanging.
Below you’ll find a few newsletter 101 tips and tricks plus some easy-to-follow guidelines on when to write them and what to write in them.
I hope you go wild.
How often do you need to send a newsletter? Great question. A weekly newsletter is ideal. This keeps you in front of your clients without bombarding them with emails and diluting your message. However, if once a week just ain’t happening right now, commit to every other week or at least once a month, at the minimum! If you reach out any less than that, you risk people forgetting they signed up for your newsletters and marking you as spam when you do come around. (That is the opposite of what we want, obvs.) Additionally, you want to keep yourself at the forefront of your prospective client’s consciousness, so when they’re ready to buy whatever deliciousness you’re selling, you’ll be the first biz that pops into their mind (or their inbox)!
Bonus tip: Look for organic patterns in your work calendar and try to send your newsletters around that schedule. For example: If you always drop a new offer or deal at the beginning of the month, make sure your newsletter goes out then, too, and includes those details!
How many people do you need on your list to start sending newsletters? Just one. For real. If there is one person out there that said, “Hey, I like what you’re doing here and I want to know more,” give that person more! If your list includes just your mom, best friend, and business coach (ahem), use them as practice to figure out what kind of newsletter formatting works best for you and get into a writing and scheduling flow.
What should you write about? Glad you asked, and ohhh baby, there’s so much you can do. Crafting a newsletter does not have to come from organic, brilliant inspiration (though, kudos to you if you find that happening)!
It can be as simple as announcing a new event or copy and pasting your most recent blog post verbatim. Here is a quick rundown of content ideas:
When you launch a new offer
When that offer is about to close
Repurposing existing blog posts
Sharing upcoming events and promos
An analysis or reflection on past events, yours and/or your clients and customers
Answers to your biggest FAQs
A list of some of your favorite resources — books you’re reading, podcasts you’re loving, shows your binging etc. You can do this monthly even!
A general monthly or weekly update on where you’ve been/what you’ve been up to
Client case studies or testimonials
What else do you need to include? Never forget a call to action (aka CTA)- ya know, the thing you want your reader to *do*: click over to your offerings, book a consult, hit reply with their big takeaway, join your private Facebook group, etc. If you’re not sure, you can’t go wrong by sending them to your Work With Me or Shop page!
Don’t I need one of those opt-in thingees? Yeah, for sure – for a number of reasons. So many, actually, that I’ve already made it its own post! I’ve got you covered there, too.
The big takeaway here is: don’t freak out. This will be easy.
Never forget – your business is solving a problem for your clients. Get out there and go help them by making yourself visible and available! Here’s your reminder that you know your business better than anyone, which makes you the perfect person to spread the good word in the most authentic and real way possible. (Hey, for the chance to make 400% more money? You can so do this.)