Yes, start one, as long as there’s a compelling reason to read it. A newsletter that only advertises your business doesn’t give anybody a reason to sign up. Decide what the newsletter stands for, then go out and earn every subscriber. You do that by asking people in person and by using your social media to drive the email list.
What if I don’t have any clients to put on a list yet?
A photographer called in to the show with this exact problem. He told me, “I want to build up a following and an email list and I don’t know how to do that either without having clients.”
He doesn’t have any money to advertise, and the referrals weren’t showing up. Before we could talk about the list, we had to talk about what he does for people.
Why do I have to pick a lane before I start a newsletter?
When we can say “I do this thing for these people in this way,” everything gets easier. That covers getting referrals, building an email list, and finding clients who want to pass you along to other people.
If the answer is “I take pictures,” it’s a really difficult lift for people to know what they’re buying from you. A newsletter has the same problem when it’s about everything.
So we narrowed his business down to one idea, which we called storytelling sessions. He’d shoot an artistic portrait for the wall and, because he’s also an audio engineer, record the person telling their life story.
That lane can change until you find product market fit. But we need to start with picking a lane.
What should I put in the newsletter?
Once he had a lane, the newsletter got easy to picture. I told him, “If you’re out there telling people stories, you’re going to have an electric newsletter.”
He could send stories from the people he photographs, inspirational quotes, biographies he recommends, and links to documentaries. You get to pick what goes in, but it all has a theme, something like living your life so you tell a great story.
Just like the business, there has to be a compelling reason to read it. If the promise is “lead a better life and I’ll give you the examples of how to do it,” that’s a pretty compelling idea.
We’re making the newsletter stand for more than advertising the business.
How do I get my first subscribers?
You’ve got to go out and earn that. When you’re out networking, ask every single person, “Hey, do you have a card? Cool. Can I add you to our email list?”
Ask people. Don’t ever just put them on there, because that’s a really bad idea.
You start running for office with that.
How do I use social media to grow the list?
You’re using your social media to drive the email list. Put up a post on whatever platforms you’re supporting that teases what’s in the email.
For the photographer, that post could say, “Today I tell the story of 82-year-old Sally and how this amazing thing happened. And if you want to see what it is, click here to join the email list.”
You go promote the stuff you’re doing in the email on all of your other platforms. All roads lead to becoming a subscriber to your email list.
How do I keep people opening it?
Earlier in the same show I was talking about gamifying customer loyalty, and a weekly newsletter is a good place to try it. Put a button inside your newsletter, and when somebody clicks it four times in a row, they have a four open streak.
Then you list all of the streakers inside your newsletter, and they get a plug for their business. Maybe you send them a t-shirt or a hoodie for being such loyal customers. You’re gamifying the relationship a little bit.
What should I do this week?
Here’s the homework. Write one sentence that says what your newsletter stands for beyond advertising the business, so there’s a compelling reason to read it.
Then ask the next person you meet while networking, “Can I add you to my email list?”
Finally, put up one social post that teases a story from your next email and tells people to click to join the list.
This came from Businessing with Pat Miller. Watch the full June 10, 2026 episode.
More on this topic: Getting clients answers from the Small Business Owners Community