…HHm, so as an entrepreneur you need a website, a blog, a Facebook page, an Instagram account AND a NEWSLETTER …and and and…I know, i keep bitching about it…

So this NEWSLETTER thing.. I have like 3 million newsletters in my inbox, half of which never get read – because, like, there are 3 million of them, right? And then there’s the other thing – getting spammed with SH*T everyday with all sorts of sales pitches from cosmetics, to courses, to health products or supplements, or whatever.

Before we begin, what does Wikipedia say about newsletters? Basically a newsletter is like a modern magazine containing, among other things, news and activities of a business that is sent out regularly to all its clients, members, or people who are interested in the latest ongoings.. .

Ok, what’s the point of my newsletter anyway and why would anybody else want to sign up for mine?

WELL, as newsletters can be informative, fun, inspiring, motivating, teaching and much much more and maybe not everyone has as many as I do, maybe they’re interested in what I have to say, and I might even have some profound information tips or tricks to share.

Getting back to the point of the 3 million newsletters and why I still subscribe to them – I don’t know about you, but ever so often there are some really interesting offers or articles, and often just getting a reminder that something is about to expire or disappear might just arouse my interest. And in reality, I do read a lot of them – because I love to stay informed.

As it happens, (NOTHING is coincidence, by the way) I have a friend and text coach who’s doing a free online course as part of the Somba Summer School. Some call her the newsletter midwife, …. but she goes by the name Judith “Sympatexter” Peters.

We’re already into week 4 of the course, and I’m still plodding along trying to catch up BUT, I do have an excuse. I was also facilitating my own online course in the Somba Summer School: Heartful Healing – Connect Artfully – A journey through the 5 chinese elements using art as a medium to express emotions and discover a healthy outlet for your feelings

Let’s get back to “Newsbetter” – which is what the course is all about with Judith.

“NewsBetter” was for both participants who already had a newsletter and those who wanted to start with it.

Let’s start at the very beginning.

During WEEK 1 we learned to research other newsletters – and come up with answers to the following questions:

What do I think makes up a good newsletter – and what doesn’t?
Which newsletters do I like to read and why?
Which newsletter do I not like at all? What makes me unsubscribe from a list?

It’s such a personal thing, but I love topics all around health, wellness and wellbeing – a little geeky. As I mentioned, I do read many of them and do have my favourites. I really try to only subscribe to those that interest me, but as it is in life, we sometimes go overboard with the “liking”.. This was a great moment for me to reflect on what I really read, need and want to keep being informed about. So, the clean up began. I now only have 2 million HAHA

What is the goal of my newsletter? Who do I want to inform/inspire, and how often?

The plan is:
Informative, personal, entertaining, enlightening and maybe educating
Short and sweet and sexy (maybe juicy is more appropriate)
GOOD QUESTION… Monthly…

WEEK 2 was the whole setup
Here we covered GDPR, finding a good provider, learning to setup forms and lists, attaching it to the website as well the content and design.

WEEK 3 covered content

Then there’s another issue – what do you call your newsletter? What title do you create that catches and makes it readworthy?
And then, what do you write about that captivates the reader? Interesting, informative, fun and …

So now the tech stuff was covered, where to start?
What is better suited for a blog article, and what in a newsletter?
Single newsletter or automated series?
What content do I already have that can be “re-purposed” from Facebook posts or Instagram articles?
Are there presently any hot topics on the press?i
What can I write about that doesn’t take me a year to get done, or feel like it’s a huge burden to get done?

Week 4 – THE NEWSLETTER
Thank goodness week 4 isn’t over yet, because, well, you guessed it – I didn’t get finished. Well, it is now, because it only took me like – however long – to get this written, edited and whatever…

If you want to read more on how this whole thing ended – well then, sign up here…

And you may have noticed… I like putting triple dots like next to each thing that I find 1. either important 2. worthy of mentioning 3. just because that’s me…