208: The Five Jobs Of Newsletters That Actually Get Read
Ever wonder why some newsletters get eagerly opened while others languish unopened in the inbox abyss? In this week's episode of Creators MBA, I'm pulling back the curtain on what makes the difference between newsletters people can't wait to read and those they quickly archive (or worse... unsubscribe from).
Here's the truth that transformed my own newsletter approach: your newsletter isn't about you. I know, I felt that little sting too when I first realized it! But this mindset shift is exactly what helped me create content that my readers actually look forward to receiving.
In this episode, I break down:
The five specific "jobs" that successful newsletters perform for readers
Why getting ultra-specific about your audience changes everything
A simple 15-minute exercise that will make your newsletter content creation so much easier
Real examples of how I've applied these principles to the Creators MBA newsletter
If you've been struggling with low open rates or feeling stuck on what to include in your next newsletter, this episode will give you a clear framework to create content that genuinely connects with your readers.
Mentioned in this episode:
Episode Highlights:
[00:00:54] The harsh but transformative truth: "Your newsletter is not about you"
[00:01:21] The five core jobs your newsletter can perform for readers
[00:03:51] Why specificity matters: "When you try to speak to everybody, you're going to end up connecting with no one"
[00:04:48] A 15-minute exercise to clarify your newsletter's purpose and audience
[00:05:19] How knowing these two elements makes content creation dramatically easier
The Secret to a Newsletter That People Actually Want to Read
Let's be honest—most newsletters end up unread in the digital graveyard of our inboxes. We've all been there, hovering over that "unsubscribe" button after receiving yet another self-promotional email that offers little value.
As business owners, particularly those of us selling digital products, we know a newsletter is essential for connecting with our audience. But how do we create one that people genuinely look forward to receiving?
I've spent years refining the Creators MBA newsletter, and I've discovered a fundamental truth that transformed my approach: your newsletter is not about you.
While that might sound harsh, it's actually liberating. When we shift our focus from what we want to say to what our readers need to hear, everything changes. The newsletters that thrive—the ones with impressive open rates and engagement—are those that perform a specific job for their readers.
Understanding the Job of Your Newsletter
Think of your newsletter as an employee with a specific role to fulfill. The most successful newsletters I've studied (and created) fall into one of these five categories:
Education: Does your newsletter teach something valuable? For the Creators MBA, a significant part of our job is breaking down complex digital marketing strategies into bite-sized, actionable advice that busy women entrepreneurs can implement immediately. Your readers should walk away feeling like they've learned something that makes their lives or businesses better.
Connection: Great newsletters help people feel less alone. They connect readers with ideas, opportunities, or others on similar journeys. One of my favorite pieces of feedback is when a reader tells me they forwarded an issue to their business bestie with a note saying, "See, I'm not the only one struggling with this!" That moment of connection is invaluable in our increasingly isolated digital world.
Engagement: Are you sparking conversations? Getting people to think differently about their approach? Those "reply to this email" prompts that many of us include aren't just filler—they're invitations to dialogue. When readers respond, you gain invaluable insights into their challenges, questions, and perspectives. These responses are pure gold for understanding what content will resonate in the future.
Action: A truly effective newsletter motivates readers to do something. At Creators MBA, this is a primary focus. If our readers aren't implementing the marketing tips they're learning, then what's the point? Every issue should include something worth saving, sharing, or—most importantly—implementing. Ask yourself: "What specific action do I want my reader to take after reading this?"
Entertainment: Sometimes, your newsletter's job is simply to brighten someone's day or provide a mental break from the overwhelm of everyday life. Marketing topics can be dry, which is why I occasionally throw in jokes, personal stories, or slightly snarky polls. That moment of delight creates an emotional connection that keeps readers coming back.
Know Exactly Who You're Talking To
The second game-changer for creating a must-read newsletter is getting crystal clear on your audience. This might sound like Marketing 101, but I've seen too many entrepreneurs trip up by trying to cast too wide a net.
Here's what I've learned the hard way: When you try to speak to everybody, you end up connecting with nobody.
With the Creators MBA, I know precisely who I'm writing for—business owners who have, or want to have, digital products in their business. Everything in my newsletter focuses on helping them sell, add, or scale digital products in their business portfolio. This specificity makes it infinitely easier to tailor content that resonates deeply.
Think about it: when you're writing to a specific person with specific challenges, you can address their exact pain points, speak their language, and offer solutions tailored to their situation. Your newsletter transforms from generic content into a personalized resource that feels like it was written just for them.
The 15-Minute Exercise That Will Transform Your Newsletter
If you're struggling with newsletter content or engagement, I challenge you to take 15 minutes this week to answer these two fundamental questions:
What specific job does your newsletter do for your readers? Choose one primary role from the five we discussed (education, connection, engagement, action, or entertainment).
Who exactly is your newsletter for? Get ultra-specific about who you want to reach. Create a detailed reader persona with their challenges, aspirations, and needs.
When writing your next newsletter, picture this specific person in your mind. Write as if you're emailing just them, addressing their unique situation.
Once you nail down these two elements, I promise the actual content creation process becomes dramatically easier. You'll know exactly what to include, what to cut, and how to speak to your readers in a way that resonates.
Putting It Into Practice: Real-World Examples
Let's look at how this plays out across different industries:
For a fitness coach: Instead of a general health newsletter, you might focus specifically on busy professionals over 40 who want to stay fit without spending hours at the gym. Your newsletter's job might be action—providing quick, effective workout routines they can do in 20 minutes or less. Each issue could include one workout, nutritional tip, and mindset shift specifically tailored to this audience's challenges and goals.
For a financial advisor: Rather than covering all aspects of finance, you might target young families navigating their first major financial decisions. Your newsletter's job could be education—breaking down complex financial concepts into approachable, actionable advice. Each issue might address one specific challenge this audience faces, from saving for college to buying their first home.
For a creative entrepreneur: You might focus on fellow creatives struggling with the business side of their passion. Your newsletter's job could be connection—showing them they're not alone in their struggles while providing practical solutions. Each issue might share a personal story of overcoming a business challenge, coupled with strategies they can implement.
Measuring Success: Beyond Open Rates
How do you know if your newsletter is successfully doing its job? While open rates and click-through rates provide quantitative data, don't overlook these equally important qualitative indicators:
Replies: Are people responding to your emails with thoughtful comments or questions? This engagement shows they're not just reading but actively processing your content.
Forwards: Are subscribers sharing your newsletter with friends or colleagues? This is one of the highest forms of endorsement.
Mentions: Do people reference your newsletter in conversations, social media, or their own content? This shows your ideas are making an impact.
Applied action: Are people actually implementing your advice and seeing results? This is the ultimate measure of an educational newsletter's effectiveness.
The most telling feedback I receive comes from readers who say, "It felt like you were reading my mind with this week's newsletter!" or "I implemented your tip from last week and already saw results." These responses confirm you're hitting the mark with both your audience and your newsletter's job.
Your Newsletter's Evolution
Remember that your newsletter's job and audience may evolve over time as your business grows and your readers' needs change. The key is to stay connected to those needs through consistent engagement.
I revisit my newsletter's purpose and audience definition quarterly, adjusting as needed based on reader feedback and business goals. This regular check-in ensures my content remains relevant and valuable.
Your newsletter has the potential to be so much more than another email in someone's inbox—it can be a valuable resource they eagerly anticipate. By clarifying its specific job and narrowing your focus to a well-defined audience, you'll create content that resonates deeply and builds lasting connections with your readers.
What specific job does your newsletter perform? Who is your ideal reader? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. And if you're struggling to figure this out, the Newsletter Profit Club is here to help you nail down these foundations for newsletter success.
Pin this and save for later
Transcript:
[00:00:00] Welcome to the Creators MBA podcast, your go to resource for mastering the art and science of digital product entrepreneurship. My name is Dr. Destini Copp and I help business owners generate consistent revenue from their digital product business without the need to be glued to their desks, constantly live launching.
or worrying about the social media algorithms. I hope you enjoy our episode today.
hi there, Destiny here, and today I want to talk about the secret to a newsletter that people actually want to read.
Your newsletter is not about you. I know that sounds a little bit harsh, but stay with me here. The newsletters that thrive the ones that people actually open and read [00:01:00] instead of auto archiving are the ones that solve a very specific problem for the readers. So let's talk about the job of your newsletter.
And from what I see, really successful newsletters are following into one of these categories. The first is education.
For the Creators MBA, a big part of the newsletter job is education. So breaking down those digital marketing strategies into bite size actionable advice that busy women entrepreneurs can implement right away. The other role that a newsletter can have is connection.
So does your newsletter help people feel less alone? Does it connect them with ideas, opportunities or other people on similar journeys? I love it when readers tell me that they forward an issue to one of their business best friends saying, [00:02:00] see, I'm not the only one who's struggling with this. That connection is so very, The next job that your newsletter can have is engagement.
Are you sparking conversations? Are you getting people to think differently about their approach? Those, reply to this email prompts that we all include. Are very important. That is, kicking off that conversation with your readers and that will give you some pure gold in response.
So make sure you're sparking that engagement. The other thing that a newsletter can do. That is the job of that newsletter is getting your readers to take action. Does your newsletter actually get people to do something to make a change? I would say that this one is a big focus.
for the Creators MBA newsletter. If our readers [00:03:00] aren't taking action on the marketing tips they're learning, then what's the point, right? Anything in that newsletter, I want them to, save it or take action or say, this is important. I really need to implement this.
My business. The other thing that your newsletter can do, and I actually like to do this a little bit in mine, I probably should do it a little bit more is entertaining people. Sometimes that newsletter's job is just to brighten someone's day or give them a little bit of a mental break from the overwhelm of their everyday life.
Sometimes marketing topics can be a little bit dry, so that's when I try to throw in maybe some jokes or a personal story or maybe a poll that's a little bit snarky. I like to just put that little smile on people's faces.
The other thing that you need to do is to know exactly who you're talking to. So this is a game changer too. So you [00:04:00] need to get super specific on who your newsletter is for.
But here's what I've learned. When you try to speak to everybody, you're going to end up connecting with no one. With the Creators MBA, I know exactly who I'm writing for. I am writing for people who have, or want to have, digital products in their business. Everything I do in the Creators MBA Newsletter is focused on helping them sell their digital products or adding digital products for their portfolio or scaling their digital products.
So when I get very specific like that, it's easier for me to tailor my content to help that specific reader. Here's what this means for your newsletter and my challenge to you. I'd love for you to take.
15 minutes this week and answer these two questions. What specific job does your [00:05:00] newsletter do for your readers? You can pick one of the primary jobs that we talked about here today and then think about who exactly is your newsletter for. I want you to get very specific about who you want to reach.
When you're writing your newsletter, picture that person in your mind, just like you're writing to that one person. Once you nail down these two things, I promise that the actual content creation for your newsletter will get so much easier. You will know exactly what to include, what to cut, and how to speak to your readers.
Does your newsletter have a clear job? Do you know exactly who you are writing for? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Drop me a line, respond to one of my emails and let me know. If you're struggling to figure this out, Jump into the Newsletter Profit Club.
I can promise you that we will help you nail this down. I hope you have a great rest of your day and bye for now.
[00:06:00] Thanks for listening all the way to the end. I hope you enjoyed this episode today. If you love the show, I'd appreciate a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast platform. Have a great rest of your day and bye for now.