4 Tips For Creating Compelling Newsletters

How much wisdom can a small flightless bird can spew in an hour? You’d be surprised.

My newsletter guru is a Blue Penguin named Michael Katz. For five years he edited my monthly newsletter on investing. (If you want to read my stories about hand to hand combat with Mr. Market, there’s a link below.)

I attended his recent newsletter webinar in search of inspiration. It was so good, it would be cruel not to share. You’re welcome.

Here are 4 tips to make your newsletters sing:

Detail: “Have you provided enough detail so I can place myself there?” asks master storyteller Andy Goodman. Given identical information, the newsletter with more and specific detail wins.

Lie: The only thing Michael lies about in his newsletter is time frame. Recency promotes intimacy. The better we know each other, the more likely we are to have seen each other recently. This is why comedians say “a funny thing happened tonight on my way to the club.”

Get personal:  No stock photos. Include yourself in pictures as well as stories. Trust is built when people feel like they know you. It doesn’t take much -- you don’t need to spill your guts. If prospects know and trust you, they won’t need to be sold.

Start like a James Bond movie, in the middle of the action. Your opening must grab attention. Michael spends more time on the opening sentence than all the others combined.

And there you have it. A bird’s eye view of compelling newsletters.