What I've Learned About Newsletters

Hi, it’s me. 🙂

Remember what I said the last time I blogged here? I was making a movie the following Tuesday.

Well, we did gather an awesome cast and crew together at the Charm City Filmmakers’ studio. Unfortunately, after a couple of scenes were shot in the intense heat that resulted from the need to turn off the A/C (in July in Maryland in an urban heat magnet) and due to whatever power causes random health-related events, we had to shut down production. I have every confidence that we can re-gather all the awesome folks involved in this effort and finish what we started. I know we can do this. At least, I can write those words without fear of being told I’m stupid or delusional. Or if I am so told, I’m free to ignore them.

That was a bit of a long intro to the topic of newsletters. Or was it? IDK. IDFK.

Here we go then. My notes on someone else’s notes, because they told me not to bother with notes, because there was a transcript. Whatever. Here we go. I’m trying to paraphrase. I’m trying. That’s what’s important.

Choosing the right newsletter

1. Why newsletters are important

They let you connect with your audience directly

They give you audience data and insights, so you can follow trends in your audience … um, okay

Feedback?

They let you provide specific content for a specific audience base, whether that’s dog owners in Buffalo or what do you when you’re not dead in Denver.

They’re the best tools for building habit and loyalty in your audiences, because they’re very regular products.

They also allow you to experiment with different tools, formats, tones, and can really inspire product thinking. (What?)

The best newsletters are independent products that come with their own audience growth and engagement strategy.

You may have heard of Ann Friedman. (I know her. Wait! Maybe I’m thinking of Jane Friedman. Everyone knows Jane Friedman, right?) She has a very successful “classified ad” in her newsletter. Axios launched their local newsletter “this past September” (this is from notes from a class I took years ago, but the advice “seems” evergreen, if such a thing still exists). The bottom line is, big platforms are starting have been and continue to invade come into the newsletter space.

This is some pretty important info, huh?

Let’s see if we should bother to care jump into this (relatively) new and exciting terrain.

First, what I tell you will be in three parts, because that’s how it was presented to me. If I could make better sense of it, if me aunt had balls she’d be me uncle I’d go ahead do that.