Newsletter Creation And Marketing

We grew an email list from 0 to 500K subscribers in just 10 months. If I were starting from scratch today, here's exactly how I'd do it again: 1) Nail the Lead Magnet: The fastest way to grow your email list is by offering something valuable in exchange for an email. Think of it like this: people won't give up their email for nothing. Create something they can't ignore: a discount, exclusive content, or a tool they can’t find elsewhere. For us, offering free travel guides was a game-changer. 2) Optimize for Opt-Ins Everywhere: Your website, blog, and even social media accounts should work like opt-in machines. For example: - Add pop-ups and fly outs on key pages. - Place CTAs above the fold. - Use scroll-triggered modals when visitors are engaged. We tested endlessly, and this attention to detail paid off big. 3) Tap Into Paid Growth Early: Ads get a bad rep, but when done right, they’re a growth accelerant. We launched targeted ads promoting our lead magnet and built a funnel that turned traffic into email signups. Paid campaigns helped us scale fast while testing which offers resonated with our audience. 4) Partner with the Right People: Collaborations can grow your list faster than any single effort. Whether it’s co-branded giveaways, email swaps, or shoutouts, find brands or creators that share your target audience. A well-executed partnership will unlock exponential growth. One really unique thing we did: We bought a bunch of viral social accounts and rebranded them for our business. This was huge in kickstarting massive and sustainable growth. And we fast-tracked the social proof we needed to build trust and scale quickly. 5) Focus on Quality, Not Just Quantity: A big list is meaningless without engagement. From Day 1, we focused on high-value emails to ensure subscribers opened, clicked, and stayed. Here’s a pro tip: Consistency wins. Sending emails weekly or bi-weekly keeps your list warm and engaged. 6) Build a Content Machine: Pair email growth with an organic content strategy that feeds your funnel. Blog posts, social media, and SEO aren’t just good for traffic—they create trust. The more valuable content you share, the more people will want to hear from you. 7) Leverage Cheap Marketing Channels in Ways Others Haven’t: This is going to ruffle some feathers but we absolutely dominated cold email for user acquisition. To the tune of 6 figure subscriber acquisition. No one was doing cold email for B2C the way we did it. This proved to be the most scalable yet cheapest acquisition channel we had. — To recap: - Offer something valuable for free to grow your list. - Use every channel—paid and organic—to drive opt-ins. - Build relationships with partners who already have your audience. The result? A system that scales. Your list is the one asset you fully own—start building it ASAP!

Unlocking Engagement: Email strategies for charities Crowded inboxes present a challenge, but they also hold untapped potential for charities to foster meaningful connections. At the launch event of the DMA (Data & Marketing Association) UK's Email Benchmarking Report 2024 we were asked... "What advice would the panel give to charities looking to retain audience engagement and encourage second actions?" In this article written exclusively for the 'Research Hub' (part of the DMA Email Council) I explore innovative approaches including: ◽ redefining supporter lifetime value ◽ leveraging behavioural data for ‘next best actions’ ◽ crafting emails that cut through the noise with some great examples from previous Awards winners Curious to know how your charity can drive deeper engagement and inspire more than just financial contributions, this article will tell you. You'll also find a link to the full benchmark report as well. I'd love to get your comments below on how you're using email to gain non donation support for your charity.

After helping 150+ founders and executives grow their personal brands, I realized getting attention is simply not enough. Hear me out: 99% of the people I reach with this post aren’t ready to buy. Some just aren’t my ICP, and that’s fine. Many could be great clients/partners - but not right now. Maybe they: • are still weighing their options • don’t trust me enough yet • aren’t even aware of their problem yet If they just keep scrolling, it’ll be up to the LinkedIn algorithm whether they ever see me again. That’s what the retention engine is for. It’s a direct distribution channel with no algorithm and no text limits. Once someone signs up, I can stay connected and continue providing value, regardless of any social media channel. It’s easy to ignore (I did for too long), but it’s essential to a content founder. And it’s not complicated to build. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 Moving your audience from a social platform like LinkedIn to your own email list is called going from a “rented” audience to an “owned” audience. It’s “owned” because I control distribution and I can engage on my terms. I’m not held hostage by someone else’s rules, algorithms, or admins. In the past, I’ve used lead magnets to grow my email list. Lead magnets are free resources that are valuable to my ICP. It should be a complete package - not an unsatisfying teaser for something bigger. Some examples: • In-depth breakdowns of successful content founder playbooks • Education email courses sharing the theory behind our service • Notion templates to solve smaller sub-problems The goal is never to promote a product. It’s to educate potential customers. Also, the lead magnet can’t suck. If it does, and my ICP feels like I’ve tricked them into giving over their email, I’ve lost them. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: 𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 From here on out, my goal is to send my audience great content that: • Interests them • Solves their problems • Entertains them • Educates them Don’t buy the hype from gurus who claim you need a complex retention engine with 1,000 moving parts. In my experience, the best way to do it is with a simple newsletter. Don’t overdo it. We started out with 1 issue/month. We now do 2. If it adds value, people won’t get annoyed no matter the frequency. This week’s topic is… Retention engines! I give an in-depth breakdown of how to set one up, take a look at the Buyer Readiness Breakdown, and even share my latest playlist for deep work on Spotify. Find it here: https://lnkd.in/e6W-Mm2K

How to build trust with your Supporters and access their Networks In the whirlwind of building a business, momentum is fueled by more than product launches or sales milestones it’s driven by people. These are the champions of your vision: early adopters, advisors, network connections, former colleagues, fellow alumni spread around the world. They’re the ones who can open doors, troubleshoot obstacles, or make a key introduction at the perfect moment, but only if they know what you’re working on. But how is this best achieved? This is a challenge we have all face but the answer is simple, write a regular, personal newsletter focused on highlighting your Progress, Challenges and those key Asks. The structure should be clear, consistent and brief. Here's what I suggest. 1. 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 This sets the tone and personalises this communication. This is no company newsletter. 2. 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐬 People want to share in your victories and feel your forward momentum. Pick the most exciting developments: 🎉 New clients or strategic partnerships 🚀 Feature launches or product improvements 📈 Growth milestones (revenue, user base, etc.) 🤝 Key hires or team expansions 3. 𝐋𝐚𝐲 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 Senior professionals and investors value transparency. Share critical metrics to give a clear picture of where you stand. Being upfront about your key numbers builds credibility and helps everyone understand your trajectory. 4. 𝐎𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 No journey is without bumps. Candidly discuss what’s stalling and how you’re tackling it. Vulnerability doesn’t undercut your strength; it invites problem-solvers to lend their expertise. 5. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐬𝐤: 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 This is where support takes shape. Remember your network wants to help. 🎯 Introductions to key decision-makers 👥 Referrals to identify new hires 📣 Invitation to feedback on product road map 6. 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 Keep your supporters aligned with your vision by sharing upcoming plans: 🛠️ Forthcoming features or releases 🌍 Scheduled events 💼 Fundraising goals or timelines 7. 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 Include links which your supporters can share - Open positions - Press mentions or customer success stories - Your pitch deck (if relevant) These make it effortless for readers to take action or share your news. Whether you’re in Scotland or anywhere across the globe, community is the engine of progress. Regular (no more than monthly) updates turn that philosophy into action: they inform, inspire, and galvanize. The key is consistency, clarity and honesty in all your communication but remember this newsletter will hopefully be shared so don't include any confidential information. Let your supporters help you build.

This cold email forgot the most important rule: Every message needs to tell a story. Here's how I'd rewrite it to captivate the reader. 1/ Open with conflict Don't start with "I love cold emails." Start with the struggle: "You've tried everything to reach new customers. Cold calls. Drip campaigns. Even carrier pigeons. (Okay, maybe not that last one.)" Now you've set the stage for your solution. 2/ Make the reader the hero Instead of bragging about your stats, focus on their problems and needs: "Imagine opening your inbox to find it flooded with responses. Not just any responses —-qualified leads, eager to talk." You've given them a glimpse of a better future. 3/ Show the path forward Replace the vague call-to-action with a clear next step: "In our 15-minute call, I'll reveal the exact strategy that's filling inboxes with qualified leads." 4/ End with possibility, not pressure Ditch the "here's my LinkedIn" or “book a consultation” close. Leave them with a vision: "Ready to turn your marketing into a page-turner? Let's write the next chapter together." A great story doesn't sell. It invites the reader to be part of something bigger. That's how I’d turn this cold email into a story, and the story into a warm conversation.

A pleasure to speak about newsletters at Journalism.co.uk's #NewsRewired yesterday alongside Henry Bird, Maire Bonheim, and Suchandrika Chakrabarti. A couple of things I said, which were hopefully useful: 1️⃣ When deciding when to send out your newsletter, the data is important, but it's also crucial to think of *where* you'd like your readers to be when they're reading it. We send our newsletter in the evenings because I can't think of anything worse than opening our newsletter that wants to get you a new job when your boss is right behind you. 2️⃣ Newsletters are inherently personal and intimate — they go directly to your inbox (albeit likely around a slew of junk). That's why we write our newsletter like we would a message to a friend — we include a letter-style message at the top and even the jobs we pick are selected by a human and written like it. This week, I commented about including a job because it had a fun chicken logo. It's about building something that fits the medium — that's why we don't automate or use AI for it. It's why we don't go big on pictures and keep it a text-led piece. It's why we ask for people to email us back, not comment. 3️⃣ We try to make it easy for people to skip what they don't want. We know we have a wide audience ranging from people trying to get their first job to people looking for a senior role — and a bunch of freelancers too. Some people love the personal introduction at the top. Others just want to get straight to the bits they can use. So the only graphics we do use are headers to allow for easy navigation. I don't need someone to read it all. I just want to make it easy for them to get to the bits they do want to read. 4️⃣ And, finally, remember your audience may well change. We started our newsletter eight years ago, focused just on entry-level staff jobs. Our audience has grown so much since then to include people looking for their second, third, or fifth job — and we have an army of freelancers. That's why we survey them every year to work out how we can serve them better and tweak what we offer. And, if you'd like 50+ journalism opportunities in your inbox for free every Tuesday, you can sign up here: https://lnkd.in/exJyfyXG #Journalism #Newsletters #DigitalJournalism

Imagine I had 0 budget and 14 days to get the first 100 subscribers for a micro-learning EdTech newsletter. This is exactly what I’d do: 1️⃣ Sneak into existing communities → Find your crowd → Drop short, high-value content in WhatsApp groups, Telegram channels, and niche Reddit threads. → Keep it helpful, not promotional. People notice value before branding. 2️⃣ Make it bite-sized → Share instantly useful lessons → Each post should solve one tiny pain point: “3-minute memory hack” or “1 formula you always forget.” → People forward content they can consume and apply in minutes. 3️⃣ Invite engagement → Mini challenges → Ask readers to reply with their results or share their own example. → Builds connection and signals that this isn’t a broadcast—it’s a community. 4️⃣ Leverage founders → Direct touchpoints → Offer a 15-minute “Ask Me Anything” session to first 20 subscribers. → Creates personal bond and early advocates who evangelize the newsletter. 5️⃣ Signal over noise → Proof of quality → Share screenshots of subscribers’ testimonials or “aha moments.” → Signals credibility and encourages fence-sitters to subscribe. Reality check: No paid ads. Just strategic micro-content, real interaction, and rapid feedback loops. First 100 subscribers become your evangelists, not just numbers. #LinkedInInsider #LinkedInNewsIndia #ContentMarketing #MarketingTips #EdTechMarketing

Plain text email is a hugely underrated revenue driver and most brands still aren’t using it to its full potential. If you acquiring a sizeable fresh cohort in November (Black Friday/Cyber Monday, perhaps?), December is the perfect time to re-engage, build trust, and drive repeat revenue with founder-led plain text content. Here are 5 proven email content frameworks that consistently perform and work especially well in a founder’s voice: Answer your most common customer or prospect questions. You’ll find gold in your Facebook ad comments, DMs, or support tickets. Go deep and give them clarity. Tackle objections head-on. Take the things that make people hesitate and flip them into strengths. Transparency builds trust. Talk about your differentiators. Frame the market as noisy, impersonal, and generic—while positioning your brand as the one that actually cares. A heartfelt founder update. Share what’s happening behind the scenes and what inspired you to start the business. (This only works 1x per quarter, so don’t overuse it.) Share a compelling stat or viral trend relevant to your product category. Something like: “This TikTok changed how I think about [problem your product solves].” Why is plain text so effective? It’s a pattern interrupt—higher CTRs More likely to land in the main inbox Encourages replies, which help with deliverability Replies = actual conversations with customers = insights Great copy feels like a direct line to the brain, no frills, just substance If you're not using plain text emails as part of your December strategy, you're leaving money (and retention) on the table. Make it founder-led. Make it real. And hit send.

I should just mark a new rule: "If launching a marketing campaign makes me hesitate, gives butterflies, etc - just send it" Sending out a "product update" email should be a pretty straight forward exercise... last week I tried something a little different. The results? 80%+ open rate 2%+ reply rate Here's the idea and where I'm doubling down. 1) it was a personal note from me I don't want product updates to be a dry, 1-way channel. I wrote it myself. I sent it from my inbox (via customer io... so it landed in promotions tab, but I'll take that over spam lol) I wanted folks to know I wanted to connect with them. Hundreds of customers, & a self serve motion, makes this less obvious. Its on me to reach out to build that relationship. 2) radical transparency You've gotta give to get. this first note was a "toe dip" What we built, what we improved, what's coming ... and what's broken (and being fixed) This made me super nervous... but no one negatively responded to this. They wanted to engage on what's next! So here's what I'm taking from that: - SEEK FEEDBACK I'm going to start calling out things I want feedback on, much more aggressively. UI / UX concerns? I'm just gonna bring them to the customer base. If they want to shape their product - they'll reply. I still need to experiment with the "cadence" I don't wanna start sending too many emails. I want to make sure I've got meaningful updates. Right now I think biweekly is right... that said... maybe it's weekly with one focused on updates and another more focused on feedback to keep the emails shorter. BTW: Here's the updates What we built (and why): - a new UI for OCD mode where users can approve email drafts in a spreadsheet style view (way faster and solved for how people are bouncing between email tasks) - ability to upload custom signals & research (HYPED on this one) - AI powered lead list enrichment - big boost to data match rates - filtering bypasses - (many users upload hyper targeted lists - we gave a toggle to bypass our campaign filters) What we improved: - small lead list handling - Issue reporting (if error - you will see path to fix) - CSV exports What's coming: - UI updates - updating the instructions field to give way more guidance so it's easier to build and try new things - New models to train Ora's understanding of your product/company Bugs: - Smartlead campaign reporting (API was down last week) - Salesforce Lead import errors (fixed now)

We had a beautiful customer newsletter... and no one cared. Up until the end of 2023, we had a highly designed version of the newsletter. It looked great, but it took a ton of time to pull together. Every send required custom images, specific copy lengths, and with no real guardrails on content, we tried to include ✨everything.✨ And it did… fine. But not fine enough to warrant the time it required and no clear strategy, so we stopped doing it. This year, I relaunched our customer newsletter — and doubled our engagement score and click-through rates. Here's the 4 steps I took to do it: 1️⃣ I redefined the purpose. The newsletter needed to be a valuable touchpoint for account managers — something that kept customers informed and encouraged them to explore more of the Lattice ecosystem through features, events, and content. Not salesy. 2️⃣ I scrapped the overly designed template and went plain-text. The emails now come directly from Account Owners (because who’s Kerry Wheeler anyways?). 3️⃣ We segmented our customers into three key groups and tailor content to each one based on what’s most relevant to them. 4️⃣ I implemented strong content guardrails. Every send now includes just two of the most relevant product updates, events, and resources — and it must be actionable today (no “coming soon” teasers). The results? Open rates held steady at ~50%, but engagement took off. Click-through rates more than doubled, and we’ve heard great feedback from both customers and AMs on how the newsletter has kept them informed and engaged.