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In 3 years, @danoshinsky grew @BuzzFeed’s subscribers from 20,000 to 2+ million, making it one of their largest traffic sources & one of the biggest newsletters ever.
Even better?
He did it again at The @NewYorker just 2 years later.
Here's how he writes a winning newsletter
Even better?
He did it again at The @NewYorker just 2 years later.
Here's how he writes a winning newsletter
First: Email Onboarding
It’s one of the most important things anyone with an email list can do.
Why?
A great welcome series:
Establishes a relationship with the reader
Guides the reader through the next steps on their journey
Here are the 6 onboarding emails to send
It’s one of the most important things anyone with an email list can do.
Why?
A great welcome series:
Establishes a relationship with the reader Guides the reader through the next steps on their journey Here are the 6 onboarding emails to send
Email #1: The Hallmark
Why the name? Because your subject line should look like something you'd see on a Hallmark card: Hello! Welcome! Thank you! etc.
This email goes out as soon as someone subscribes. Your goal is to do two things: confirm the subscription & ask a question.
Why the name? Because your subject line should look like something you'd see on a Hallmark card: Hello! Welcome! Thank you! etc.
This email goes out as soon as someone subscribes. Your goal is to do two things: confirm the subscription & ask a question.
Email #2: The Talking Head
The Talking Head is a letter to your readers that's sent 2-3 days after the Hallmark.
The goal is to make sure readers get to know you and learn why you do the work you do. You might even pair it with a call-to-action (CTA).
The Talking Head is a letter to your readers that's sent 2-3 days after the Hallmark.
The goal is to make sure readers get to know you and learn why you do the work you do. You might even pair it with a call-to-action (CTA).
Email #3-4: The Evergreen
The Evergreen email is for you to share links that your audience might want or need.
It's the time to share tips or ideas to help someone get the most out of the relationship with you. These are sent anywhere from 7-21 days into the journey.
The Evergreen email is for you to share links that your audience might want or need.
It's the time to share tips or ideas to help someone get the most out of the relationship with you. These are sent anywhere from 7-21 days into the journey.
Email #5: The Hard Sell
This is your chance to convert a reader into supporting your work through a subscription, donation, membership, or purchase.
Don’t stop at a single Hard Sell! If someone doesn’t convert, move them into a segment where they’ll get additional CTAs.
This is your chance to convert a reader into supporting your work through a subscription, donation, membership, or purchase.
Don’t stop at a single Hard Sell! If someone doesn’t convert, move them into a segment where they’ll get additional CTAs.
Email #6: The Survey
Send out a survey as part of the onboarding process.
Most surveys should be sent between 30-60 days. It’s a good way to check in with your new subscribers to make sure you’re delivering what they need.
Send out a survey as part of the onboarding process.
Most surveys should be sent between 30-60 days. It’s a good way to check in with your new subscribers to make sure you’re delivering what they need.
But even more important than knowing how to onboard is proving to your audience that you know who they are and how you can serve them. If you can't do that, you'll never grow.
Ask, "How can I make real human contact with people and be useful for them?"
Ask, "How can I make real human contact with people and be useful for them?"
The way you get your first 1,000 subscribers is by doing things that don't scale.
Find where your audience lives and serve them. Ask your friends & family to subscribe, post on Reddit, answer questions on Quora, connect on Twitter.
Early growth comes from personal outreach.
Find where your audience lives and serve them. Ask your friends & family to subscribe, post on Reddit, answer questions on Quora, connect on Twitter.
Early growth comes from personal outreach.
But once you hit 1,000 subscribers, something magical will start to happen.
As you scale, your audience will start to do a lot of the work for you. They will become your evangelists, happily sharing your newsletter gospel.
"It occurs first very slowly, then all at once."
As you scale, your audience will start to do a lot of the work for you. They will become your evangelists, happily sharing your newsletter gospel.
"It occurs first very slowly, then all at once."
Once you have a strong subscriber base, you can start experimenting with new growth tactics like referral programs or sponsorships.
Check out @MorningBrew to learn how to master the referral program. https://twitter.com/austin_rief/status/1300789375366815746
Check out @MorningBrew to learn how to master the referral program. https://twitter.com/austin_rief/status/1300789375366815746
And if you're just getting started, remember that sometimes you have to tinker with your framing until something clicks.
If you're struggling to grow, use @CaseyNewton’s strategy:
Think of a topic then add an interesting twist so that your audience will become clear to you.
If you're struggling to grow, use @CaseyNewton’s strategy:
Think of a topic then add an interesting twist so that your audience will become clear to you.
And finally, your goal with building a newsletter is not to send emails. It’s to create things people love & find value in.
Growing a newsletter will take longer than expected, but owning your audience is worth it.
It could even support you full-time: https://twitter.com/lennysan/status/1288622024328269825
Growing a newsletter will take longer than expected, but owning your audience is worth it.
It could even support you full-time: https://twitter.com/lennysan/status/1288622024328269825
If you’d like to learn more about how to write a winning newsletter, check out Dan’s free guide, Not a Newsletter: https://notanewsletter.carrd.co/
And if you’d like to learn how to become a better writer, consider becoming a @CompoundWriting member: https://www.compoundwriting.com/
And if you’d like to learn how to become a better writer, consider becoming a @CompoundWriting member: https://www.compoundwriting.com/
Shameless plug, but I also write a newsletter where I share the best books, tools for thought, and systems for improving your creative output. Check it out here:
https://mailchi.mp/560bb69e02ca/lawsonblake
https://mailchi.mp/560bb69e02ca/lawsonblake
