Q&A Roundup: What’s one thing you’ve learned from publishing a newsletter?

Josh Spector, For The Interested:

“I've learned that a newsletter is the single best way to attract your ideal audience, build a relationship with them, identify their problems, and ultimately build enough trust with them that you can convert them into customers or lead them to take a specific action. My newsletter has become the engine of my entire business - both as a consultant and a media company.”

Alex Bauer, Branch:

“Having an authentic opinion of your own is incredibly important. People can get news and updates from anywhere, so you have to give them some added value from choosing to spend time with you.”

Dennis Shiao, Content Corner:

“We often obsess over the Subject line, trying to craft the perfect words to get our subscribers to open. We might even do A/B testing to see what works best. I learned to go the other way on this -- optimize for the From line, not the Subject line. If you build a deep and trusted relationship with subscribers, they’ll open and open no matter what the Subject line says.”

Ann Handley, Total Annarchy:

“11 things I’ve learned from publishing a newsletter

1. ‘I'll write only when I have something to say’ doesn’t work. It’ll instead just give you an excuse NOT to publish.
2. Set a schedule you can manage. Stick to it. Do not break the chain. You've got this.
3. Focus on the Letter, not the News. Your newsletter is a relationship-builder... not a distribution strategy.
4. Your From line matters more than your Subject Line.
5. Writing matters. Obsess about craft.
6. Obsess about voice. It's the one thing no one else can copy.
7. Do unscalable things. Because over time, unscalable scales.
8. Your newsletter needs an emcee. (Even you looking at me with that side-eye, Ms B2B-Solution-Brand.)
9. Your first issue will be awkward and self-conscious and not good.
10. Make up your own metrics based on your own goals. Example: I track my RR (Resubscribe Rate) and OWB (Open to Write Back rate).
11. You will get more out of your newsletter than you give: You will become a better writer, you’ll know your audience more deeply, you’ll understand the value you provide at almost a cellular level, and you will become more attractive with 8-pack abs and a tighter peach. 🍑 (That last one is aspirational maybe. But why not.)

You asked for only ONE thing I learned from publishing a newsletter. Which leads me to my final point:

12. Always deliver more value than an audience would reasonably expect.”

If you're not subscribed to the newsletters from these amazing creators, I highly suggest you check each one out and subscribe for quality inspiration. Massive thanks to everyone who took time to pass on your learnings!