Most people overcomplicate writing their weekly newsletter.

Especially when it comes to their business, and I get it.

WTF do you put in there that does not sound drab and bland?

Before going any further

If you would not take the time to read it, please don’t send it.

So many marketers send out stuff they know Is drab and shit.

It’s content crap, as Doug Kessler from Velocity Partners calls it.

So much company communication is stuff nobody wants to read, even if it’s their job.

It’s dry, non-committal, middle-of-the-road, saying everything and nothing simultaneously, corporate-speak copy – ‘Frankenspeak‘, as Ann Handley deliciously calls it.

(I first heard ‘Frankenspeak‘ in Ann Handley and CC Chapman’s 2011 book Content Rules!)

But it’s weird and unclear’ business speak’ – the words like ‘effective-ise’ and liberal misuse of the word ‘Proactive’ coined by Victor Frankl after he survived the Holocaust and created Logotherapy.

So, here’s how you do it.

Make the same sections in the newsletter every week

This way, you know the three to five things every week.

For us, it’s a podcast, an event, a social post, news about a community member, and a save-the-date thing.

Schedule the same time every week to write it.

So easy, I know.

But it’s not, is it?

When you block out an hour in your calendar, when you know you must write the dam thing in an hour, you will.

And because you already know what is going on, you can put it together.

It’s like making a meal quicker because you have all the ingredients and equipment in front of you.

Gather the content in your system of capture – see this post.

I know what’s going on in our London Coworking Assembly news, so I’m always looking for ways to organize it.

I save stories and events; if I have a gap, I have something else in tune with our narrative to fill it.

I can complete two weeks in one sitting when paying attention because the content is ready beforehand.

It all lands in my system of capture, which is Upbase.

Having all the ingredients ready to put into your email newsletter will save you time crafting it, and the more you do it—I strongly recommend doing it every week—the better and faster you’ll get.

Once you get there, you can then focus on:

The more you produce, the easier it is – I promise.

As counterintuitive as it sounds, publishing your newsletter, podcast, blog, or video becomes easier the more often you do it.

Constantly making muffins instead of wedding cakes means you make a lot of exceptional muffins because you have so much practice.

Don’t worry about people not reading it; if they like it, they will read it.

And you only want people who care to engage with your stuff – the internet is huge!

Try a lot of things until you find the one!

I have tried many things over the years and love doing podcasts and short, informal daily videos.

I mainly write all this stuff because I love writing and sharing what I’ve learnt works with people.

But it took me years to find my stride and flow. Part of this was relentless self-doubt, impostor syndrome, and procrastination.

The rest is tech and education.

Making a YouTube video seemed much more daunting in 2008 than in 2018!

But every author, artist, rock star, blogger, or YouTuber I’ve asked has said something like:

Just start! Post or create ten things and see how you are!

You have to have a nose for news.

So many times, I’ve tried to write newsletters and ask people for articles and contributions.

It all takes too much time.

To make your newsletter yours, take responsibility and call them and ask for a quote or a link to their blog or podcast.

Don’t be a lone ranger, but don’t believe anyone else cares about your weekly publication.

It’s better to send it every week and keep it tight and snappy than wait for a once-in-a-lifetime shot.

(If it’s THAT good, you can send a special edition.)

Spend more time on the subject line than the body; that will get people to open it!

One more thing – Josh Bernoff’s Iron Imperative

Author Josh Bernoff’s Iron Imperative states:

“Treat the reader’s time as more valuable than your own.”

He means we authors and content creators must prioritise clarity, brevity, and relevance in our writing to respect our readers’ time and attention.

The idea is to ensure that every word and action in our work serves a purpose, making the content as valuable and engaging as possible without wasting our reader’s time.

When you’re ready, here are three ways I can help you:

Book your 25-minute free-minute no-pitch call here.

Join The Next Coworking Community Builders Cohort

The Coworking Values Podcast is twice a week.