# Email Newsletter Template > 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. - Skill: `reaperinvest/email-newsletter-template` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add reaperinvest/email-newsletter-template` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/reaperinvest/email-newsletter-template/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Marketing & Growth - Author: reaperinvest (https://skillmd.com/u/reaperinvest) - Updated: 2026-09-22 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/reaperinvest/email-newsletter-template --- # 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.