3 ways to write email newsletters for solopreneurs

Content-driven newsletters are all the rage these days.

+ The Saturday Solopreneur (Justin Welsh)
+ The Curiosity Chronicle (Sahil Bloom)
+ Growth in Reverse (Chenell Basilio)
+ System Sunday (Ben Meer)

Heck, even I write one! 😂

And at scale, these can make for great businesses.

But they’re NOT the only way to write email newsletters if you’re a solopreneur.

In fact, for many people, they’re actually the WORST option.

So today, I’m revealing 3 ways to write email newsletters for solopreneurs…

And how to pick the right one for you.

Let’s dive in.

Read time: 3 minutes and 57 seconds

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3 Ways to Write Email Newsletters For Solopreneurs

The 3 main ways to write emails for solopreneurs are:

1) Content-driven
2) Personality-driven
3) Sales-driven

Before we dive into the pros and cons of each one…

I want to introduce you to a concept I call the Email Monetization Continuum.

The Email Monetization Continuum

There’s a constant tug of war in business between nurturing leads and selling to them.

But you need both to thrive.

Especially if you’re not starting with a big audience.

This diagram illustrates where each email type falls on that spectrum:

On the left-hand side of the spectrum, you have content-driven emails.

These focus almost exclusively on nurture.

Sales-driven emails are at the other end, and focus almost exclusively on revenue.

Meanwhile, personality-driven emails fall somewhere in the middle.

Now let’s dig into the specifics of each…

So you can figure out which one(s) are right for you.

1) Content-driven

Quick breakdown:

• Based on actionable “how-to” content

• Rarely tie-in to a direct pitch for a product service

• Monetize via ads (also known as sponsorships)

This is the same business model big media companies like CNN, NBC, and Fox News have used for years and generate hundreds of millions of dollars with.

First, you create content that attracts a valuable audience.

Then other brands will pay you to advertise inside that content so they can reach your audience.

Pros of content-driven emails:

• Great for relationship-building

• Performs very well on social media

• Don’t have to sell directly to your audience

Cons of content driven emails:

• Content can be dry and boring

• Take a lot of time and effort to write

• Require a big audience (50-100k+) to earn an income from sponsorships

Examples:

• Justin Welsh

• Sahil Bloom

• Ben Meer

2) Personality-driven

Quick breakdown:

• Share the “what” but not the “how”

• Focus mainly on personal stories & observations

• Use storytelling to reveal lessons that make people buy

These types of emails are sometimes described as “infotainment.”

Because the goal is to mix entertainment and education.

Pros of personality-driven emails:

• Fun and easy to write

• Showcase your personality (duh)

• Better for selling your own offers vs content-driven

Cons of personality-driven emails:

• Difficult to monetize with ads

• Work best when mailed more often

• Not as shareable as content-driven emails

Examples:

• Ben Settle

• Justin Goff

• Daniel Throssell

3) Sales-driven

Quick breakdown:

• Straightforward sales pitch

• Typically follow a “direct offer” or “handraiser” format

Most of the examples below aren’t actually solopreneurs…

Because those who take a 100% sales-driven approach to their email list are typically big direct response companies.

You can’t really call them “newsletters” either.

However, solopreneurs can and should use sales-driven emails, albeit more sparingly.

Especially if you have an immediate need to get leads or clients.

Pros of sales-driven emails

• Great at harvesting pent-up demand into $$$

• Ensures people know you have something to sell

Cons of sales-driven emails:

• Zero nurturing

• Can burn out your list if overused

• Requires more direct response copywriting skill

Examples:

• Agora

• Danette May

• The Motley Fool

Putting It All Together

3 ways to write email newsletters for solopreneurs:

1) Content-driven
2) Personality-driven
3) Sales-driven

Many solopreneurs I see are blindly following the content-driven playbook without realizing what the pros and cons are.

Every strategy can work…

But it’s crucial to identify which is best for you.

I want sponsorships to grow into a meaningful revenue channel for my business down the road.

That’s why I write a content-driven newsletter.

With that said, when it comes time for me to promote my own offers…

I’ll be using personality and sales-driven emails to do it.

Not content.

If you’re a solopreneur with a small audience looking to sell more of your own products and services…

Personality-driven emails (with the occasional sales-driven email sprinkled in) is the way to go.

That’s it.

Thanks for reading!

See you next week.

Jim Hamilton

P.S:

This is a sneak peek from a live workshop I’ll be doing in a couple weeks.

It’s on how to write personality-driven emails that sell using something I call the S.L.P.C Method…

Without “brainstorming” for hours or staring at a blank page.

I’ll also be talking more about how to integrate all 3 types of emails into a holistic strategy.

If you’re a copywriter, ghostwriter, or solopreneur who wants to become a badass at selling with email…

Whether it’s for yourself, for clients, or both…

Then I think you’re gonna love this workshop.

It’s based on my 7 years of experience generating millions of dollars in sales for clients with simple emails.

I’ll be talking a lot more about it and how to get access over the next few weeks…

But if you want to raise your hand now…

Click this link to be added to the interest segment