9 Things Beginners Should Ignore When Starting a Newsletter
Newsletter & Email Growth: Growth In Reverse
Why beginners overcomplicate starting a newsletter
Chenell explains how over-research and best-practice myths derail new creators and waste time.
The Growth Vault is LIVE: Chenell's brand-new offer for newsletter creators is here—filled with newsletter templates, growth strategies, and real examples you can implement at your own pace.
--------------------------------------
“Stop wasting time picking the ‘perfect’ newsletter tool. Just start publishing. You can always switch later." — Dylan
We're breaking down the most common mistakes newsletter creators make in the early days — from obsessing over tools and automations to focusing on viral growth too soon.
We are challenging the conventional “how to start a newsletter” checklists floating around online (and even ChatGPT’s advice), showing how little you actually need to start. And why over-planning, over-designing, and over-automating are the real growth killers.
If you’ve been “getting ready” to launch for months, this episode will hopefully convince you to just start.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Why most creators waste weeks setting up automations they don’t even need
- Why you don't need a welcome sequence at first
- How Chenell recommends for getting your first 10 subscribers without a landing page
- The one tool mistake that can cost you hundreds of dollars—and zero new readers
- Whether or not you should invest in paid ads for early growth
- Why planning your “perfect” newsletter launch might actually be procrastination in disguise
- Why tracking analytics in the beginning doesn't matter (and what to track instead)
- Why chasing virality before you’re ready can backfire hard
- How to use early replies and feedback to shape your newsletter direction
- The mindset shift that separates stuck creators from those who actually hit send
LINKS MENTIONED
- Tom Alder's GIR Deep Dive
- The Obvious Choice by Jonathan Goodman
- Dylan's 'Resend To Unopens' Experiment & Article
- Get Chenell's brand-new offering for newsletter creators: The Growth Vault — newsletter templates, growth strategies, and real examples you can implement at your own pace.
- Want your newsletter roasted? Submit it here.
- Ask us a question or submit a podcast topic idea: growthinreverse.com/questions
- Check out past Growth In Reverse Deep Dives: https://growthinreverse.com/archive/
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
OUR NEWSLETTERS
Subscribe & Leave a Review:
If you found this episode valuable, take a second to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! It helps more newsletter creators find the show. Plus, if you submit a review, you’ll get priority for your own newsletter roast!
The AI-powered Podcast Player
