Fresh Newsletter Insights From Dan Oshinsky
Dan Oshinky released his November (not issue?) of Not a Newsletter, and, as usual, it delivers. Here’s a sampling of the content:
Set aside some time to dive into this Google Doc.
Dan Oshinsky On Launching Small Then Going Big
Sometimes what you should be doing takes a while to become obvious.
That’s ok. In fact, it’s better.
You are the collective sum of your experiences.
If you are public about what you are learning and test how people respond when you offer helpful tips, you might find that there's an audience hungry for much more than just free advice.
That’s what happened to email newsletter consultant Dan Oshinsky of Inbox Collective.
The former Director of Newsletters at The New Yorker launched a free Google Doc with newsletter resources and advice, expecting maybe 10 people to be interested, but instead 400 people quickly subscribed for updates.
It’s smart to put out an MVP of your ideas.
To see if the fish are biting.
To let an audience’s response help you shape things and tell you what they need.
Become that resource.
In this short video clip (it’s 2 minutes) Dan explains how he discovered he could provide a solution to an audience’s problems.
Dan will be presenting at Newsletter Fest.
His session is about 4 different newsletter models.
“Whether you’re a writer, a reporter, or an expert on a particular topic, there are strategies worth implementing that will allow you to get the most out of your newsletter. Let’s explore four types of newsletters and identify monetization opportunities that work for each.”
It’s going to be a good one, y’all.
Register here.
Dan Oshinsky Looks Back (And Forward)
If you missed Dan Oshinsky’s December edition of Not a Newsletter, here’s your sign to go back and catch up. He includes:
Learn Advanced Welcome Email Strategy from Dan Oshinsky
How do you welcome new subscribers to your newsletter?
Dan Oshinsky, who runs Inbox Collective, a consultancy that helps news organizations, non-profits, and brands get the most out of email, says a well-strategized welcome sequence can lay the groundwork for better relationships with your subscribers.
And he should know. He previously worked as the Director of Newsletters at both The New Yorker and BuzzFeed. He’s also the creator of Not a Newsletter, a monthly briefing with news, tips, and ideas about how to send better email. I link to his resources frequently in this newsletter.
In this video, he walks us through building out a successful welcome series, plus answers questions about his childhood ambitions to send millions of emails in his lifetime.
Note: I haven’t created an entire series of welcome emails yet for Opt In Weekly, but I am going to heed his advice now that we’re 12 issues in and update my welcome email to link to content new subscribers will find helpful.
Related: Newspaper people, check out this interview with Dan from The Fix about how email can become a newsroom’s biggest revenue driver.
Speaking of Dan Oshinsky, Let’s Review August’s “Not a Newsletter” Highlights
Dan Oshinky’s August edition of “Not a Newsletter” (aka the Google Doc he shares full of helpful information) highlights everything from privacy updates to monetization. My favorites include:
Dan Oshinsky is a never ending source of amazing newsletter advice. In this article, he walks us through two Google Analytics dashboards we can use to track newsletter success.
Your Opt In Challenge this week is to set up Google Analytics for your newsletter.
What Type Of Newsletter Business Model Do You Need?
After talking with teams at hundreds of indie newsletters, Dan Oshinsky determined there are 5 categories, each needing a different business plan.
Figure out what’s best for you.
Dan Oshinsky says yes, but they have really high expectations, so don’t send them junk.
In this super short clip from the Q&A part of his Newsletter Fest 2021 session 4 Newsletter Business Models, Dan discusses the under-30/Gen Z approach to email content.
Should You Go Straight To A Paid Subscription Newsletter?
In this short clip, Dan Oshinsky, former newsletter editor at BuzzFeed and The New Yorker, explains why most newsletter creators cannot go straight to charging for their newsletters.
Want more? This is an excerpt from his Newsletter Fest 2021 session 4 Newsletter Business Models.
What Marketers Can Learn From Media Newsletters
MarketerHire’s Mae Rice asked Dan Oshinsky how marketers could improve their email newsletters and he provided some great tips. Two we can all take note of are to be way less promotional and much more personal in our content.
If you missed Dan’s advice for welcome emails or want to revisit it, you can find that here.
