Lessons from 25 years of sending newsletters

[MrD]

Ann Handley recently shared the lessons she’s learned from sending newsletters for the past 25 years.

Her insights may help you launch a successful newsletter yourself.

So let’s get to the good stuff…

– Waiting for inspiration to write does not work. Because that will turn into an excuse to not publish anything. Brainstorm content ideas and create an editorial plan. Set up a schedule you can manage, and stick to it.

– A newsletter is a relationship-building channel. Not a distribution channel.

– The one thing that nobody else can copy from you is the tone of voice of your newsletter. Develop one. And keep improving and reiterating until you don’t find one that you feel is yours.

The Crew’s tip: Create guidelines and processes to make sure you stick to your tone of voice. We are not robots afterall, and some days, we might be tempted to shift away from it.

Guidelines help you stay on track, especially when you have a team of writers.

– The “from” name is more important than the subject line. That’s because you create a relationship with your readers over time. Eventually they’ll open your email just because it’s from you.

– Your newsletter needs a “master of ceremonies,” or an MC. Well… The Crew slightly disagrees here.

There are tons of examples of successful newsletters sent by companies that don’t use an MC. The Hustle, Morning Brew, The Newsette… the list goes on. An MC might make growth easier, especially in the early days. In general, people trust other people more than brands. Buuut… it’s not essential.

So there you go: Lessons you can apply to your own newsletter. Good luck!

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