Write emails they can't wait to open

9 questions to find your content sweet spot.

Welcome to The Content Brief 💼, your roadmap to creating a newsletter you love *without* the overwhelm—delivered in brief, straight to your inbox. 

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⏪ Last time, I shared the state of the creator economy and more in the May REPORT. That's here.

⏩ Today, the secret to engaging newsletters and questions to prompt your thinking.

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🎧 Prefer to listen? Just hit play above.

It’s the year of our Lord 2024 and we STILL need this reminder:

We don’t open emails to hear more about you or what you’re selling. 

We open emails (or buy an offer) to solve a problem we think we have.

Here’s my treatise on why it’s what you do with your story that matters:

Your story really isn't that interesting

I don’t always get to go into detail on the “how” …

… but when I DO get that chance to nerd out on the topic …

… I take it. Don’t threaten me with a good time. 💃

So ta-da:

Today, we’re talking about how you get people to open and read your email newsletter—even look for it in their inbox. 

It’s one of those mistakes we all make—writing about ourselves and our interests. 🫣

It’s understandable—you have a business, you want to sell your products and services, so you start telling people about them, and about you and why they should buy from you… 

The problem is that’s not interesting to read. You’re simply not going to be excited to routinely open an email with nothing but ads. Exhibit A:

A better way?

Instead of thinking of yourself as a business or a creator sending an email newsletter, think of yourself as the editor and publisher of your own magazine. 

Especially here on Substack with the tools available to us.

Write in the sweet spot between what you care about AND what your ideal reader cares about, and think of it as an ongoing journey of exploring the topic together.

So, let’s say you’re a dog walker. Instead of “Buy My Dog Walking” newsletter, you get: 🐶 Paws & Play: Your Guide to Happy Tails—a newsletter emphasizing the joy and companionship of owning a dog (someone needs to use this title, please). 

Like a magazine, your newsletter might include sections and series like: 

1. Featured Breed Profile: Spotlighting a different dog breed and its history, characteristics and care requirements.

2. Training Tips and Tricks: Offering practical advice and step-by-step guides for training dogs, from basic commands to more advanced behaviors.

3. Health and Wellness Corner: Sharing insights on keeping dogs healthy and happy, including nutrition, exercise, grooming and preventative care.

4. Canine Adventures: Highlighting outdoor activities and adventures dogs and their owners can enjoy together, from hiking trails to dog-friendly beaches and camping spots.

5. Expert Q&As: Interviewing veterinarians, trainers, behaviorists and other experts in the field of canine care to answer common questions and address relevant topics.

6. Meet the Community: Showcasing stories and photos submitted by readers about their beloved canine companions—and especially introducing the fantastic dogs you walk.

Or, if you’re a florist, instead of a “Buy My Flowers” newsletter, you could write: 🌸Blossom & Gather: The Art of Hosting with Flair—a newsletter highlighting the joy of gathering and hosting events with style and floral flair. 

You might feature: 

1. Tablescaping Inspiration: Offering creative ideas and tips for designing beautiful table settings using floral arrangements, centerpieces, candles and tableware to elevate a dinner party.

2. Seasonal Entertaining Guides: Providing seasonal menus, cocktail recipes and entertaining tips tailored to different occasions, from holiday dinners to summer BBQs and intimate gatherings.

3. Floral DIY Projects: Sharing step-by-step tutorials for creating stunning floral arrangements, wreaths and bouquets that can be used as decorations or thoughtful gifts for guests.

4. Floral Trends and Color Palettes: Highlighting current floral trends, color schemes and design styles for hosting stylish and on-trend gatherings at home.

5. Community Spotlight: Showcasing local artisans, designers and makers whose products complement your floral arrangements and add a unique touch to home entertaining, plus the real-life dinner parties of your readers. 

I am not a dog walker or florist, but you get the idea! 

How to find your unique sweet spot 

Right about now, common content advice would say to create a list of what you value and what your audience values and find the overlap… 

Identify your core values and passions!

Be authentic! 

But umm, how? Give me the to-do list, please. ⚡️

Let’s start with you. What do you value is SUCH a big question. Instead, let's create a robust list of everything that makes you you—what you do, what you enjoy talking about, what actually shows up in your real life.

The themes you identify and the golden threads you pull on to get to your content sweet spot should be conversations you want to lead—something that’s exciting for you to share and relevant to your people. 

Here’s a starter-list of questions to work through—and be honest about what’s true to you now (not what you’re hoping to be true one day):

• What is your daily routine? Write down everything you do in a typical day by the hour. 

• What does your life feel like? What’s your vibe? 

• What is your personality? Write a sentence about yourself as if you were a third-party descibing you to someone new.

• What does the world ask of you? What are your roles? And what story do they tell about you? 

• What are your habits? Not what’s on your calendar, but what are the little ways you do things during your day? The quirks that make you you. 

• If your life was a movie set, what’s in it? What are you surrounded by?

• What is your personal style? Recognizable accessories? 

• What are your convictions about your niche? What’s your unique point of view? Something you care about? Something you feel angry about? 

• What are five other things about you that you haven’t noted yet? Have you seen every episode of Saved by the Bell? Love to go thrifting? 

Now, take that full list of the little things that uniquely represent you and your life and highlight the ones you’d be excited to share.

Then come to The Content Spark Summit for more on finding your content sweet spot and hear from 14 expert Substack leaders. ⚡️

Want to know more?

I’ll be a featured speaker at The Content Spark Summit and YOU are invited! 🎉🎉🎉 

This FREE full-day virtual event on Substack June 27 will help you spark meaningful connection with your content. Rise above the noise to create something the right people will care about.

Register for a free ticket and save your spot now!

Save your spot for the summit here.

Here’s to giving your email newsletter big editorial energy. ⚡️

Thanks for reading! I’d love to hear if this sparked anything for you. Drop a comment or hit reply. (Hearing from you is almost as good as getting a freshly sharpened pencil bouquet sent to my door.) 🫶 

For more: 

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📩 Forward this to a creative friend and do your good deed for the day.