How to Start an Email Newsletter for Your Business

A newsletter is just an email you send to your list on a regular basis. That's it... and honestly, there are NO rules.

If you've been putting off starting one because it feels like a BIG commitment, this post will make it smaller. We'll cover what an email newsletter is, why it's worth sending even when you're not selling anything, what to put in it (with examples), and how to write one without overthinking it (because I REALLY do mean don't overthink it).

What is an email newsletter?

An email newsletter is the regular email you send to the people on your list. The list is the people, and the newsletter is what you send them (I send a weekly one myself).

It's different from a launch sequence, which is a short run of emails with one job - selling something. Mine spans 4 to 5 days. A newsletter keeps going all year round, whether you've got ANYTHING to sell or not.

Do you need an email newsletter?

Some of your MOST important emails will be sent when you're not selling anything at all. That's the job of a newsletter. When you're not selling, you're building trust, familiarity, connection and authority, because that's what people are actually buying when you do sell.

When you only email around a launch, people don't feel warmed up. They feel surprised... "oh my goodness, she's selling something again." Inconsistency quietly weakens trust over time, and trust is SO much work to build up that it's a shame to let it fade.

If you're brand new to all of this and need the basics first (a platform, a freebie, your first welcome email), start with my beginner's guide to email marketing for small business and come back here.

What to put in your email newsletter

The question I hear all the time is "what do I send?" I covered it in full in what to send your email list and the best practices to follow, but here are the types of newsletter content that engage a list when they're done well:

• Welcome emails: the first email after someone subscribes, with a personal introduction, what to expect and a link back to the freebie they signed up for.
• Educational emails: tips, tutorials, guides or lessons learnt that your ideal client wants to learn. They position you as the expert and build trust.
• Behind-the-scenes emails: I LOVE these. We're all curious about what's really happening behind the scenes, not the highlight reel, so share your operations, your team or how something gets made.
• Personal stories and testimonials: success stories, customer testimonials and case studies help people feel inspired and relate to others on the same journey.
• Roundup emails: a curated collection of podcasts, products, tools or articles. If you use affiliate links, please disclose them.
• Market research and surveys: ask your list for feedback on an idea before you fully flesh it out, so they feel heard and you get useful insights.

If you'd like something simpler, rotate through four types: connection, teaching, invitation and spotlight. I break those down in the only 4 emails you need to stay consistent with your email marketing.

My one rule is that EVERY email adds value or gives a point of connection in some way. Everything else is ENTIRELY up to you. Feel like teaching something? Do it. Feel like selling? Go for it. Feel like sharing a personal story? You know I love those.

Email newsletter examples: two of mine

You can mix the types above in one email, as long as the purpose is clear. Here are two real ones from my own list, one weekly and one monthly, so you can see how different a newsletter can look.

A weekly email: one episode, one idea

This one went out in early November and shared Episode 274, on what to check when your email list isn't making money. Here's how it was built:

• A quick bit of life up top: by the time anyone read it I was at a business conference, and for once everything was scheduled.
• One bold line saying who the episode is for: "if you've got an email list, even a small one, and it isn't making any money".
• The episode title as a link, then a short numbered list of the four things I'd check before getting more subscribers.
• One line of my take: fixing ONE or two of them could make a much bigger difference than creating another freebie.
• A button to listen, a sign-off, and a P.S. pointing to The Money-Making Email System.

I also snuck in a second link, a first peek at my new website. In a weekly newsletter it's fine to include more than one call to action. I do that too (I like options). For a launch email I'd keep to one message, because extra images and calls to action can dilute it.

A monthly email: the recap

Once a month I send a longer one. It's called the monthly recap, it opens with "Welcome to the October recap" and a line about business, life and juggling both, and then it runs through short sections with bold headings:

• A launch, with how it really went
• Collaborations and sponsored emails, with the real open and click rates
• Money and life, including the dips
• Behind the scenes (October's was my AI head office)
• What's next, which is where the offer goes
• Things you might have missed, with a few recent podcast episodes

It finishes with "Ok my loves, that's a wrap for October", a sign-off, and a P.S. inviting people to reply with one thing that went well. My weekly emails are the short kind and the recap is the long one, so you don't have to write anything this big to get started.

How to write a newsletter without overthinking it

Here's what I'd keep in mind every time you sit down to write:

• Skip the corporate vibes and speak from the heart. Tell stories. Share something useful.
• If you use a template, rewrite it so it still sounds like you. Here's how to use email templates without sounding like a robot.
• Write a subject line that sparks curiosity, and make sure the email delivers on the promise. Here are 5 tips for writing winning email subject lines.
• Track your open rates, click rates, conversion rates and replies. Be the scientist of your business.

How often should you send your email newsletter?

I'd start with weekly. Commit to ONE consistent email a week, on whichever day suits you, whatever else is going on in your life. Fortnightly works too as long as you stick to it. Daily only makes sense if you love writing daily emails (and your audience loves getting them), otherwise it's a one-way ticket to burnout.

Email newsletter questions

What's the difference between a newsletter and an email list?

Your email list is the people who've signed up. Your newsletter is the regular email you send them.

Do I need a newsletter if I'm not selling anything yet?

Yes, that's EXACTLY when it matters. You can share what you're learning, document your journey and start conversations. An invitation like "reply and tell me where you're at" counts, and it all builds connection.

Can I put more than one link in my newsletter?

In a weekly newsletter, yes, I do it too. For a launch email, keep it to one message.

How do I get people onto my newsletter without social media?

I grew mine from zero to 7,000+ subscribers in 18 months without it. My full guide covers how: how to grow your email list without Instagram or paid ads.