What should a realtor or small business put in a newsletter so people actually read it?

Nobody has good newsletters. Nobody. Even the big companies, they suck.

Most business newsletters are a sales pitch or a link telling you to go somewhere else. Real estate is terrible at this, but so is everyone else.

"It's all about me, me, me. What if you just give them what they want? They want to know what events are happening. They like to laugh. Give it to them."

What's the model?

The old local newspaper. It had ads in it, lots of them, and people still read it happily for 20 years. The pitch was in there, but there was enough value that it was worth it.

Your newsletter works the same way. If they read it, they see your houses for sale, your call to action, whatever you want them to see. That's the gold.

What sections should a realtor newsletter have?

1. Local events, curated.
2. A featured home with a GIF.
3. A restaurant or one local news story.
4. Memes at the end.
5. A short personal editorial from you, with photos.
6. Calls to action near the top, in the middle and at the end.
7. A real signature with your photo at the bottom.

Value comes first. Promotion rides along. For the real estate piece specifically, see the real estate section.

How often should it go out?

Weekly. Less than weekly isn't common enough. More than weekly is possible if you have enough value.

Should I promise "no ads"?

No. Most people don't care if there are ads or not. And for an owner-led brand, selling ads is a side product. The goal is more insurance clients, roofing clients or home sales. Anybody with a high-ticket local business should be doing this: insurance agent, roofer, HVAC, financial planner.

What mistakes make a welcome email feel spammy?

I audited a real estate creator's welcome email and found three:

• An em dash in every line. Anyone savvy sees that and is already annoyed.
• Begging to be moved out of the Promotions tab. Nobody's going to do it. You waste space and sound like a robot.
• No call to action, and no follow-up. I got excited, signed up, then heard nothing for six or seven days.

Push people to the newsletter first, everywhere. You own the list.

What should a sample issue show a prospect?

When I sell done-for-you newsletters, the sample issue shows off what's possible: custom info in the editorial, a team photo, a call to action in the middle, an email signature at the bottom. I label it clearly as a sample with placeholder images.