email-newsletter-template

name	email-newsletter-template
description	Designs reusable newsletter templates with section layouts, formatting rules, and brand guidelines. Use when creating a consistent, repeatable newsletter format you can use every edition.
allowed-tools	Read Write Glob
metadata	{"author":"matthewhitcham","version":"1.0"}

Email Newsletter Template

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Design a reusable newsletter template with consistent sections
• Create formatting rules and brand guidelines for recurring newsletters
• Build a fill-in-the-blanks framework that makes each edition faster to write
• Standardize newsletter layout across team members or editions

DO NOT use this skill for newsletter strategy (use newsletter-strategy skill) or writing a specific edition. This is for building the reusable template.

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Core Principle

A GREAT NEWSLETTER TEMPLATE MAKES WRITING EACH EDITION A 30-MINUTE FILL-IN-THE-BLANKS EXERCISE — NOT A BLANK-PAGE CREATIVE STRUGGLE.

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Phase 1: Brief

Required Inputs

Input	What to Ask	Default
Newsletter name	"What is the newsletter called?"	No default — must be provided
Cadence	"How often do you send?"	Weekly
Target reader	"Who reads this?"	Solopreneurs and business owners
Brand voice	"How should it sound?"	Direct, friendly, expert
Sections desired	"What sections do you want? Tips, links, personal note, CTA?"	Will design based on goals
Target read time	"How long should it take to read?"	3-5 minutes
Email platform	"What tool do you send from?"	Any

GATE: Confirm brief before designing the template.

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Phase 2: Outline

Template Sections (select 3-6)

**Available sections:**
1. Personal intro / editor's note (2-3 sentences)
2. Main insight / tip of the week (the core value)
3. Curated links (3-5 links with commentary)
4. Quick wins (1 actionable thing they can do today)
5. Tool / resource spotlight
6. Reader question / community highlight
7. Promotional section (product/service CTA)
8. Quote or stat of the week
9. What I'm reading / watching / listening to
10. P.S. line (second CTA or personal note)

GATE: Confirm which sections to include and their order.

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Phase 3: Write

Full Template Design

## [Newsletter Name] — Edition Template

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### SUBJECT LINE
[Formula: [Benefit or hook] + [Specific detail]]
Character limit: Under 50 characters
Examples:
- "The pricing trick that added $2K/month"
- "3 tools I can't run my business without"
- "Why I stopped [common practice]"

### PREVIEW TEXT
[40-90 characters that complement the subject line — not repeat it]
Example: "Plus 3 links you'll want to bookmark."

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### SECTION 1: [Personal Intro]

Hey [Name],

[1-2 sentences: personal observation, story hook, or what's on your mind this week. Connect it to the main topic.]

---

### SECTION 2: [Main Insight — The Core Value]

## [Section Title — the main takeaway in headline form]

[3-5 short paragraphs delivering the key insight, tip, or framework]

[Include at least one of: specific example, data point, personal experience, actionable step]

**Key takeaway:** [One bold sentence summarizing the insight]

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### SECTION 3: [Quick Win]

## Quick Win

[One thing the reader can implement in 5 minutes or less]

**Do this today:** [Specific instruction]

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### SECTION 4: [Curated Links]

## Worth Reading This Week

1. **[Title]** — [One sentence on why it's worth reading] [Link]
2. **[Title]** — [One sentence] [Link]
3. **[Title]** — [One sentence] [Link]

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### SECTION 5: [CTA / Promo]

## [Soft sell headline]

[1-2 sentences about your product/service, tied to the newsletter topic]

[CTA BUTTON: "[Action text]"]

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### SECTION 6: [Sign-Off]

That's it for this week.

[Personal sign-off line — question, encouragement, or call to reply]

— [Your name]

P.S. [Second CTA, teaser for next week, or a personal note]

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Formatting Rules

## Newsletter Formatting Standards

| Element | Rule |
|---------|------|
| **Total word count** | [300-600 words for a 3-5 min read] |
| **Paragraphs** | 1-3 sentences max |
| **Bold** | Key phrases and section headers |
| **Links** | Descriptive anchor text, max 5-7 per edition |
| **Images** | Optional — 0-1 per edition (text-focused newsletters perform well) |
| **CTA buttons** | Max 2 (one mid-email, one at the end) |
| **Emojis** | 0-2 per edition max (in section headers if used) |
| **Subject line** | Under 50 characters |
| **Preview text** | 40-90 characters, complements subject |
| **P.S. line** | Always include — second most-read element after the subject line |

Brand Voice Guide for the Newsletter

## Voice Rules

**Open with:** A personal observation, story, or hook — never "Happy Tuesday!"
**Write like:** You're emailing one smart friend, not broadcasting to a list
**Avoid:** Corporate language, excessive exclamation marks, "Dear subscriber"
**Always:** Use "you" and "I" — personal, not institutional
**End with:** A question or call to reply — newsletters should feel like conversations

Fill-in-the-Blanks Worksheet

## Edition Prep Worksheet (fill this in before writing)

**This week's main topic:** ____________________
**Subject line:** ____________________
**Preview text:** ____________________
**Personal intro hook:** ____________________
**Main insight (one sentence):** ____________________
**Quick win:** ____________________
**Curated link 1:** ____________________
**Curated link 2:** ____________________
**Curated link 3:** ____________________
**CTA:** ____________________
**P.S.:** ____________________

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Phase 4: Polish

1. Template Checklist

## Newsletter Template Checklist

- [ ] Subject line formula is defined with examples
- [ ] Preview text guidelines are included
- [ ] 3-6 sections are defined with clear purposes
- [ ] Fill-in-the-blanks worksheet is provided
- [ ] Formatting rules cover word count, paragraphs, links, and CTAs
- [ ] Brand voice guide is included
- [ ] Template can be filled in under 30 minutes per edition
- [ ] Example edition is provided using the template
- [ ] P.S. line is part of every edition
- [ ] Template works on mobile (short paragraphs, clear structure)

2. Example Edition

Write one complete sample edition using the template so the user can see the finished product.

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Example: Template for "The Friday Freelancer" Newsletter

Subject: How I raised my rate 40% (without losing a single client)
Preview: Plus a free proposal template inside.

Hey [Name],

I raised my rate for the third time this year. This time, 40% across the board. Zero pushback.

Here's the trick...

## The Rate Raise Framework
[3 short paragraphs with the tactic + a specific example]

**Key takeaway:** If you deliver consistent value, clients expect you to charge more over time.

## Quick Win
Open your client list right now. Identify the client paying the lowest rate. Send them a rate adjustment email this week.

## Worth Reading
1. **"Why Freelancers Should Raise Rates Annually"** — Solid data on rate stagnation. [Link]
2. **"The Proposal Template That Closes 60%"** — Steal this. [Link]

## Free Proposal Template
I'm sharing the exact template I use. Grab it here.
[BUTTON: "Get the Template"]

— [Name]

P.S. Next week: how I handle scope creep without awkward conversations.

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Anti-Patterns

• No consistent structure — readers subscribe for predictability. Changing the format every edition creates confusion.
• Too many sections — more than 6 sections makes the newsletter overwhelming. 3-5 is the sweet spot.
• Opening with "Happy [Day]!" — wastes the most valuable real estate. Open with a hook.
• No P.S. line — the P.S. is the second most-read part of any email. Always use it.
• All text, no formatting — bold key phrases, use headers, and break text into short paragraphs.
• Different tone every edition — the template should enforce consistent voice across all editions.

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Recovery

• Template feels too rigid: Allow 1 section to rotate based on what the writer has that week (tool spotlight, reader question, personal story).
• Takes too long to fill in: Cut to 3 sections: intro, main insight, CTA. Simpler templates get used consistently.
• Reader feedback says it's too long: Target 400 words max. Cut the weakest section.
• Multiple writers using the template: Add the voice guide and a "before you send" checklist to maintain consistency.
• Open rates are dropping: Test subject lines more aggressively. The template body matters less if nobody opens the email.