Newsletters are a really useful tool in your content marketing toolbox. We’d say they are the most useful one of all. They’re the most direct, the warmest and the simplest way to build a community around what you do and to keep you front of mind, so you win more work, more easily.

If you already write a blog, do you need a newsletter too?

It’s a good question. When you think of your content as an integral part of your service - the place you answer client questions, the place you explore solutions to the challenges you love to solve, the place you spark ideas and share the love - creating a blog gives you a place to root your ideas.

However, getting people to read that content is easier said than done. You’re usually relying on online search or on people finding the links on social media, and that can be a pretty hit or miss affair.

Newsletters cut to the chase

The beauty of a newsletter is you know your words are getting straight into your audience’s inbox. (Yes, all our inboxes are stuffed to overflowing too, but we still pay attention to the emails we value. And our inboxes are not as bloated and fast flowing as Twitter!)

If you want to make it easier for people to get to know and remember you, it makes sense to have a way of communicating directly with the kind of people you want to work with.

So how do you create a newsletter that people will welcome and read?

It’s not an easy line to tread - I’m no stranger to unsubscribing when newsletters don’t do it for me. But there are some that I’m always happy to see amongst my emails. Even if I don’t always read every word, I’m glad that they’re there. And I know they’ll be worth my time, when I get a moment to dive in.

Four trustworthy newsletter styles

Thought for the day

Bernadette Jiwa writes beautifully. She shares one idea in one story, illustrated with one photo. They’re quick and uplifting, sometimes only a paragraph or two long.

She writes about trust, business, storytelling, community, lots of things I care about. She includes links to other content, and although I rarely read that too, I always welcome the quick blast of business storytelling goodness. It’s like a refreshing nutritious smoothie shot - lots of goodness packed into a tiny space.

Lessons from Bernadette Jiwa

Be focused- one story, one idea, one photo.
Be thoughtful - she draws lessons from the everyday. Wearing her thinking on her sleeve makes it feel intimate, even though she isn’t sharing anything particularly personal.
Be consistent - she has a formula that works and sticks to it

2. Just a letter

Chris Brogan’s weekly newsletter is the one that I’ve been signed up to for the longest time. Text only, no images, Chris’s letters teach you something every week. A mini lesson in something really useful, delivered without fail every Sunday morning. He shares more personal stuff too, sometimes, and always replies if you write back.

Feels a million miles away from the kind of impersonal salesy newsletters, I unsubscribe from, and also from the overly fake friendly emails I also unsubscribe from (I am not easy to please!)

Lessons from Chris Brogan

Be genuine - chatty, honest. Chris writes as though you’re there in the room with him. It’s neatly constructed so it feels off the cuff and conversational.
Be economical - images aren't essential, he just gets straight to the point. Makes it feel more like an email from a friend than a sales tool. But...
Use the PS - If he’s selling, he’ll often just slip it in here. The letters are 99% value, 1% ‘hey, you might like to sign up for this.’

3. Carefully curated

Both Bernadette and Chris go for the straight ‘letter from me to you’ approach. That’s harder to do if you’re part of a bigger team, and there are lots of yous! Newsletters which curate and showcase other people’s content are a neat way round this. It gives a team a chance to contribute, and to make something that feels generous and thoughtful.

The Clec from Cohesive does this really well with a lovely mix of stories they’ve written and stories they’ve found. You can read more about that how that’s put together here.

Lessons from the Clec

Know your audience - the eclectic mix of stories has a wide readership, but they’re chosen with the ideal client in mind - the tech founder with a big idea who wants to change the world.
Invest in design - bigger teams mean in house design capability. The Clec always looks beautiful.
Always show up - pick a time to publish and stick to it, rain or shine.

4.Community product

I love my Zelo planner, and I’m happy to receive the Three Tip Thursday newsletter. Its brief is beautifully straightforward, it just shares three productivity tips every week. Short and friendly, and it also enhances the use of the planner, burrowing it deeper into my routine.

It’s not as beautifully designed as the product, but it feels personal, and that’s good.

Lessons from Zelo

Be helpful - help people get the most out of the product they’ve bought from you
Be intentional - Zelo shares tips on productivity, wisdom & living an intentional life. What could you share?
Simple formula - sharing just three tips a week makes it straightforward to produce, and easy to consume. I know I’ll be getting a little dose of productivity wisdom, and I like that.

Characteristics of successful newsletters

These newsletters have a very different look and feel, but they’ve all got a few things in common.

Community

They all make me feel part of a community. Newsletters work best if you forget all about the idea of using them to share news, and instead think of them as a way to build a tribe. They’re a way to communicate with people who could become your future clients, referrers and friends.

Purpose

They’re all purposeful, and I share that sense of purpose. They share a view of the world/life/business/productivity that makes me think or smile or want to learn more.

Generosity

They’re all generous with their ideas. They open my eyes to things I might not see otherwise, they make me stop and think, they teach me something new.

Upfront

They’re clear and upfront when they are selling. It’s never every week, but if they’ve got something to sell that will be useful for me, I’m happy to read about it in a newsletter that I rate.

What about your newsletter?

What would your community like to hear from you? How do you want to make them feel?

We’re kicking off a new class soon to help people get started or refocused on their own newsletter. If you’re interested in joining, or if you have any questions, do let us know.

What newsletter style is right for you?