The 10-Minute Newsletter Setup That Actually Works
The one automation that matters.
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I found this format really engaging. What do you think about it?
"Set up complex funnels!"
"Write 12 welcome emails!"
"Segment by purchase intent!"
Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit… all bullshit.
I built a newsletter that converts subscribers into customers with a setup that took 10 minutes. No sequences. No automation madness. Just one simple system that actually works.
Newsletter sequences are dead weight.
Here's what they don’t tell you: Most people unsubscribe during your "welcome sequence." You're so busy nurturing them through 7 automated emails that you forget to be interesting.
I learned this when my fancy 7-email sequence had a 40% completion rate on it’s best day. People signed up, got bored by email 3, and ghosted.
The alternative? One welcome email and straight to your regular content. That's it.
The 10-Minute Setup
Step 1: Pick Substack, Kit, or BeehiIv (2 minutes) Both cover all the basics you need. Don't overthink it.
Step 2: Write one welcome email (5 minutes) "Thanks for signing up. I send [frequency] emails about [specific thing]. Here's what I'm working on this week: [current project/insight]."
Step 3: Create your signup page (3 minutes) One line: "Get strategies I'm actually using to [solve specific problem] sent [frequency]." I use Carrd for this, as you can see here.
That's it. No sequences. No nurture campaigns. No complicated funnels.
The best converting newsletters share what the creator is actually doing right now. Not theoretical advice. Not repurposed content. Current experiments, real struggles, specific results.
My newsletter converts 8% of subscribers into customers. The secret? Every email includes one thing I'm testing, building, or learning about my business.
People don't subscribe for more content. They subscribe for better context about what works.
Set up this trigger: When someone buys any product, tag them as "customer" and send them this email:
"What questions do you have about [product topic]? Reply to this email. I read everything."
That's your only automation. Everything else is manual, personal, real.
Stop building elaborate systems. Start sharing what you're actually working on. Your next email should include one specific thing you learned this week about your business.
The people who care about your real process will become your best customers.
Subscribe to my newsletter to see exactly how I do this every week.
I deeply appreciate this authentic approach.