5 things to write to your newsletter list
Possibly the number one thing I hear from people about newsletter lists is ‘What do I even write about?’
When I first started I didn’t know either, but over the years I’ve honed my writing, what I share, and how I mix sales emails with personal slow living, crafting, creativity and business-based writing.
I want you to know that it’s not necessarily easy to get to this point. Especially if you’re not a natural writer.
Learning to write an email that sounds personal, natural, real and yet also talks about your business takes time - an also some mistakes.
The first thing I tell people, when I’m coaching about writing newsletters or communicating with their audience, is to be REAL.
What I mean by this is not some trendy #BeAuthentic thing, but to actually write in your own words, your own story, experiences and knowledge.
The best emails that I write, and the ones I like reading most, are written as if to one person.
When you sit down to write think about that one person who is reading your words. Not the 100s of subscribers, but simply the one friend who loves what you do, and enjoys hearing about it.
I find this to be easier to write, to not overthink the words, and that it really does make it nicer to read. I get a LOT of responses from my Creative Slow Living emails; many people saying they felt like I was reading their mind and writing exactly how they felt.
We’re all living this human experience. As an artist, you’ve stepped into a space where you’re listening to your inner self, you’re facing some of the fears and challenges of being a full rounded human in this often sad, harsh world.
Some people don’t have the opportunity to do this in their daily lives. When you can share your experiences, it gives them an insight into things that they desperately want to know about, to bring into their lives.
Think of it as guiding them along the way.
Here’s a few ideas of things you can write about in your creative business newsletters to encourage engagement, interaction and connection with your audience.
1 An insight into your current work and the emotions it might be bringing up for you.
I know that you’re doing the work, picking up your fabric, paintbrush, block of clay and facing the challenges that doing the work can bring to us.
You can write about how your current body of work is reminding you of a childhood experience. And how this is showing up in the finished pieces - a way to integrate a story as well as allowing them to partake of that journey by bringing a piece of your work into their home.
2 Pictures and behind the scenes words.
Share your art journal, the sketches of what you’re making, the inspiration of where those shapes, colours, patterns are coming from.
Showing your audience how to inspiration from outside their homes and daily lives encourages them to look beyond, to notice, to slow down and appreciate. And gives them space to want that for themselves. A cup with a bird from your garden held each day in their hands for a morning moment. A placemat for their meal. A candle to bring intention into their evening ritual.
3 Process or story
How do you make your pieces. Where do you gather your natural dye plants? Do you grow them, or go on little walks each morning. Or pull over on the side of the road to fill your car with golden rod flowers for workshop the next day. Hop into the car, with your family, to discover green and white spiders everywhere.
Very specific?! 9 years later I am still warned about any plant material that I want to bring into the car. But a fun story to share.
4 Something that worked well somewhere else.
Have you shared a post or reel on Instagram that worked really well? Got great engagement or lots of interesting questions? Use that as the start for a newsletter. Answer questions, share the behind the scenes of making the reel, or the how-to of what was in the story.
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel for every single piece of content that you share.
5 Share a free mini how-to.
Do you write recipes (perhaps on a paid newsletter site), or sell craft or art courses? Share something for free. A little tutorial that gives an introduction into your paid offerings. How to make arrange a bunch of flowers. A seasonal recipe. I suggest making these as close as you can (or feel comfortable with) to your paid offerings.
This shows your people what they’d get when they buy your course, upgrade their subscriber plan, or join your membership.
It brings them into your world, let’s them get to know you a little more, to enjoy you showing up in your inbox. Remember - the know, like and trust thing you’ve probably heard quite a few times. It’s very true with newsletters and inboxes.
