---
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.

---

## Core Principle

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

---

## 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.**

---

## 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.**

---

## Phase 3: Write

### Full Template Design

```
## [Newsletter Name] — Edition Template

---

### 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."

---

### 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]

---

### SECTION 3: [Quick Win]

## Quick Win

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

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

---

### 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]

---

### SECTION 5: [CTA / Promo]

## [Soft sell headline]

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

[CTA BUTTON: "[Action text]"]

---

### 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]

---
```

### 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.:** ____________________
```

---

## 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.

---

## 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.
```

---

## 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.

---

## 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.
