Positioning your newsletters: Five Successful Newsletter Examples

What does your newsletter truly stand for? In a saturated digital landscape, an email that simply delivers information is easily forgotten. A newsletter that becomes a go-to resource, a cherished source of insight, is one that champions a specific cause. This "cause" isn't always a charity, it's a commitment to a core value—be it professional empowerment, sustainable living, or creative inspiration. Defining this purpose gives your newsletter its soul, turning it from a broadcast into a mission.

Here are five dynamic strategies to position your newsletter right, to make it an indispensable go-to-resource for subscribers.

1. Commit to a Unique Perspective

Your voice is your greatest asset. Don't just report the news; interpret it through your unique lens. An excellent example is The Skimm Newsletter, which skillfully analyzes daily news from the perspective of working women, with a sharp, digestible, and conversational voice that empowers its busy female audience.

This focused approach makes the newsletter relatable and a must-read for its audience. By adopting a unique perspective, you not only share information but also create emotional engagement, allowing readers to connect on a deeper level.

The Skimm Newsletter grew from a simple side project in 2012 to over 1.5 million subscribers by 2015 and over 7 million subscribers by 2018. This rapid growth was largely fueled by its distinct perspective from the viewpoint of its target demographic of young professional women.

2. Curate with a Purpose

Each piece of content in your newsletter should deliver core message and position - that aligns with a purpose. Carefully curated content that stands for a purpose, adds value and builds trust with your subscribers.

Take Farnam Street's "Brain Food" newsletter, which encourages intellectual curiosity. Shane Parrish meticulously selects high-quality articles and insights, turning the newsletter into a trusted guide for thoughtful decision-making. By curating content with intention, you establish a reputation for delivering relevant information that reflects your mission. This curation-with-purpose has built a devoted following of 900,000 professionals who trust the source implicitly of Farnam Street, and the subscriber base grows 35% year on year.

3. Educate and Empower Your Subscribers

An effective newsletter does more than inform; it equips. Provide actionable knowledge to help subscribers to actively participate in the mission.

For example, Morning Brew redefined traditional business and tech news. They made complex topics accessible and engaging for a younger audience, making them feel smart and empowered. This tangible value fueled massive subscriber growth, and their success proves that a free newsletter with a high-affinity audience can be a massive business, leading to an acquisition by Insider Inc. that valued the company at an estimated $75 million.

By focusing on education and empowerment, you foster a loyal audience that feels deeply connected to your content.

4. Build a Community around Your Newsletter

Transform your newsletter from a one-way communication tool into a platform that fosters community among subscribers. Create opportunities for them to connect and share experiences.

Look at The Hustle Newsletter, A Community Built on Shared Identity, of young entrepreneurs, side hustlers, and ambitious professionals. When your audience feels they are part of a larger movement, sharing the same values and goals, your newsletter becomes the central hub for that community, making its value far greater than the sum of its content. The newsletter becomes a collective experience rather than just a solitary read.

The Hustle community is about feeling like you were part of a growing tribe, that is exploding at a rate of 30,000 new subscribers every month, with a base of around 1.5million – and reached a $20Mn in revenues. This sense of community promotes loyalty and enhances how subscribers engage with both your content and each other.

5. Champion Subscriber's Showcase

One of the most effective ways to reinforce your mission is by celebrating your subscribers' success stories. Celebrating their achievements nurtures a sense of belonging and encourages engagement.

Consider GTM Dialogues, which features top 1% Go-To-Market leaders in monthly showcases. By celebrating these successes in their newsletter, they not only acknowledge their champion's hard work but also motivate others to excel. Recognizing subscriber achievements strengthens connections and reinforces the value of your newsletter in supporting their journeys.

GTM dialogue focuses quality over quantity, and their newsletter focused on go-to-market problems, excels here. Its subscribers, who are over 1000+ B2B Founders and the top 1% GTM leaders, perceive it as a vital resource because it speaks directly to their daily challenges. It allows their subscribers to share their views in the meetups organized, and capture the discussions and user success through the newsletters.

Let your Newsletter Take it's Rightful Position in Subscriber's Minds

To transform your newsletter into an essential resource, you must clearly define its role in your readers' lives. By committing to a unique perspective, curating intentionally, educating and empowering your audience, fostering community, and celebrating subscriber success, you can develop a newsletter that goes beyond mere information-sharing.

With a focused mission driving your content, you will cultivate a dedicated subscriber base that eagerly anticipates your insights. They will come to see your newsletter as a valuable resource and engage with you passionately. Remember, defining your newsletter’s purpose is more than just a strategy—it’s the heartbeat of your publication. Start shaping your essential resource today!