200+ newsletter editions produced (tools & steps we use)

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The official fall season begins in about nine days (September 22nd). That means the holidays aren’t far behind. So, you may be squeezed for time over the next few months, which is why I’m sharing my process for sending this newsletter three times a week currently, and for over two years and 200+ editions.

Then I’ve got the weekly Wrap-Up full of marketing news, insights, and tips for you to check out.

How This Newsletter Gets Produced

The main tools I use:

• Clipboard History Pro

• Google Docs

• Beehiiv

• Canva Pro

• Ideogram 

• Feedly

• Pocket

• WSJ saved articles feature

I may replace Pocket with GetRecall.ai for “read later stuff” and summaries, but I’m gonna test it for 30 days first.

Newsletter Production Part 1

Starts with duplicating the last Google Doc for that day’s newsletter (i.e., Monday of last week becomes this Monday’s template).

I either delete text in each section of the document or highlight in orange to let me know it’s old news. The highlighting helps me not re-link a story in the News section from the past week. 

Then I write the entire newsletter in the Google Doc. Next, I “make it better.” I suggest writing fast, and editing s-l-o-w. 

Then I run the text through Grammarly. Last step on the Doc is manually proofreading. 

Newsletter Production Part 2

Copy and paste what’s in the Doc into Beehiiv. Luckily, this works great with Beehiiv. Other platforms? Results vary!

Now, depending on the day of the send, I may have to paste section by section, but it’s pretty efficient. 

After all the text looks right in Beehiiv, I’ll insert photos and other visuals.

I look at a preview and then do a test send so I can verify the email looks right in my inbox too. 

You’ll catch more mistakes in the actual test email vs the preview inside any ESP.

Before I schedule the send, I run through my checklist:

• Sponsor disclaimer

• Unsubscribe link in footer

• Show on web

• Segments

• UTMs inserted on ads

• Test email to team

• Preview looks good

• Inbox subject line & preview text 

• Email content looks good in inbox

• Test links in inbox

• Beehiiv ad shows properly

• Finally, schedule the send

BTW, I hate checklists. But it’s easy to screw up a newsletter otherwise!

4 Things I’ve Caught Using a Newsletter Checklist

1. Beehiiv Ad was going to wrong link (glitch)

2. Footer showed in preview but not in inbox test send (glitch)

3. Forgot to enter preview text (I was the glitch)

4. Email clipped

I’ve not had Beehiiv clip an email yet. Active Campaign did it sometimes on “non-heavy sends.” Mighta been operator error but seemed to have no rhyme or reason.

Newsletter Production Step 0

I skipped the most crucial part of producing a consistent newsletter.

Knowing things, researching, and keeping up with new developments on your newsletter’s topic.

There’s no step-by-step, cookie-cutter process for this. Well, there is… but your newsletter will be identical to all the others in your niche. 

I try to cover marketing from as many angles as I can. I put the most informative websites into our Feedly, obviously, but I also jot down ideas, memories, and stuff I notice when I shop online and off. 

I use Trello, sticky notes, a voice recorder, and index cards for that. 

Even when I’m not “on the clock,” I listen to business podcasts and watch marketing topics on YouTube. Yeah, I have a life. Somewhere 😎.

The most unique research I do is reading physical books. 

It’s easy to read 50 blogs and rehash what bigger brands or big-brained gurus say. But to invest a week or two reading a lengthy book will set you apart from other newsletter writers.

I can get as much out of a non-marketing book as one focused on marketing. An example? This book about a Comanche Chief named Quanah.

Give that one a read. Maybe you’ll get the same notion I got about using AI as a tool the way the Comanche learned to use horses like no other people. Their tool expertise took them from the bottom of the food chain to the top.

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Inbox Hacking is read by smart marketers like You and those at Procter & Gamble. Please forward our newsletter to a friend. 

Shane McLendon, Copy Kingpin 

P.S. No bad day to send a pitch or marketing email: 23% surge in weekend web traffic from CEOs, CFOs, CIOS, CMOs, and VPs of sales (Email Insider).