swan-gtm Newsletter Format Designer
What This Skill Does
Walks the user through the $10,000 Newsletter Format — a proven 8-step system for building an analysis-style newsletter that positions you as the go-to expert in your niche and consistently attracts high-ticket clients.
This framework works even with:
- A small list (under 1,000 subscribers)
- No direct promotion of services
- Inconsistent publishing history
The 8 Steps:
- Choose Your Signature Asset
- Create Your Breakdown Framework
- Create Your Newsletter Value Proposition
- Name Your Newsletter
- Find Examples to Analyze
- Create Your Analysis Email Template
- Write Your Weekly Newsletter
- Build Your Content Calendar & Systems
Before Starting — Collect These Inputs
Ask the user for these 3 things upfront before running any step:
- Type of service provider — What do they do? (e.g. copywriter, designer, coach, consultant)
- Ideal client — Who do they want to attract with this newsletter?
- Main deliverables — What are the 2-4 main assets/outputs they create for clients?
Step 1: Choose Your Signature Asset (~10-15 min)
The foundation of the entire newsletter. The right asset makes content creation easy, positions them as the expert, and attracts exactly the clients they want.
Run this prompt with their inputs filled in:
Context:
I'm implementing the $10,000 Newsletter Format, which involves writing weekly newsletters that analyze examples of successful assets in my niche.
The goal is to demonstrate my expertise and attract high-ticket clients by:
- Breaking down what works and why
- Identifying potential improvements and explaining why they matter
- Showing deep understanding of my craft through detailed analysis
- Building authority without directly promoting my services
About me: I am a [TYPE OF SERVICE PROVIDER] who wants to identify the best type of asset to analyze in my newsletter. My target clients are [IDEAL CLIENT DESCRIPTION].
My service/offer: [NAME AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MAIN SERVICE]
My deliverables: Here are the main assets/deliverables I create for my clients as part of this service:
1. [DELIVERABLE 1]
2. [DELIVERABLE 2]
3. [DELIVERABLE 3]
Based on the information above, please help me identify the 5 best types of assets I could analyze in my weekly newsletter.
For each asset, please provide:
1. Potential asset you could break down
2. Rationale for writing about this type of asset
3. How easy it is to find examples (score from 1-10)
4. 2-3 specific ways to consistently find examples of this asset in the wild
After running: Ask the user which asset they want to go with before moving to Step 2.
Step 2: Create Your Breakdown Framework (~15-20 min)
A reusable checklist they'll reference every time they write a breakdown. This keeps analysis consistent and makes writing much faster.
The key: be uncomfortably specific. Have them "download" their mental models into a clear framework.
Use this template:
BREAKDOWN FRAMEWORK TEMPLATE
Asset Type: [The type of asset you'll be analyzing]
Core Purpose: [What this asset is meant to achieve]
Key Elements to Analyze:
1. [Element 1]
□ What good looks like:
□ Common pitfalls:
□ Why this matters:
2. [Element 2]
□ What good looks like:
□ Common pitfalls:
□ Why this matters:
3. [Element 3]
□ What good looks like:
□ Common pitfalls:
□ Why this matters:
Additional Considerations:
□ Industry-specific factors
□ Context-dependent variables
□ Audience-specific needs
Prompting tip: If they're stuck, have them find a real example of their chosen asset and pretend they're about to analyze it — this surfaces frameworks they've internalized but take for granted.
Ask yourself:
- What do I always look for when evaluating this asset?
- What mistakes do I see most often?
- What insider knowledge do I have that others miss?
Step 3: Create Your Newsletter Value Proposition (~15-20 min)
A clear value prop makes the newsletter a no-brainer to subscribe to and gives complete clarity on what to deliver every week.
Structure of a great newsletter value prop:
- How often you send
- What you analyze
- What readers get out of it
- Why it's valuable
Examples:
- "Every week, I spend 10-15 hours studying the funnel of a successful creator. Then, I send you an in-depth email breaking down each part of their funnel so you can (1) replicate what they're doing well & (2) avoid their mistakes (without wasting hours in research)."
- "Each email is a one-minute read breaking down a proven business tactic that, if implemented, will make you more money. Every email pays for itself."
Run this prompt (continue in the same conversation as Step 1):
Next, let's create a compelling value proposition for my newsletter.
Now that I've chosen my signature asset, I want to create a clear value proposition that:
1/ Makes it a no-brainer for my ideal clients to subscribe when they find my newsletter
2/ Makes it easy for me to write consistent, high-quality breakdowns
3/ Positions me as the go-to expert in my niche through my analysis
For context, a newsletter value proposition is the specific value I promise to deliver in each email.
Here are two great examples:
Daniel Bustamante's Funnel Breakdowns newsletter:
"Every week, I spend 10-15 hours studying the funnel of a successful creator. Then, I send you an in-depth email breaking down each part of their funnel so you can (1) replicate what they're doing well & (2) avoid their mistakes (without wasting hours in research)."
Alex Hormozi's Mozi Minute Newsletter:
"Each email is a one-minute read breaking down a proven business tactic that, if implemented, will make you more money. Every email pays for itself."
Notice how both follow this structure:
- How often they send emails
- What they analyze
- What readers get out of it
- Why it's valuable
Based on this context, please help me brainstorm 10 potential value propositions for my newsletter.
Keep in mind all the information shared so far:
- My niche/service/target reader
- The asset I'll be analyzing each week
- The elements I focus on when writing a breakdown
Important: Each value proposition should:
- Be extremely compelling for my target reader
- Have enough constraints so I can consistently deliver
- Focus on the practical value of my analysis
- Position me as an expert without being promotional
- Follow the general structure outlined above
Step 4: Name Your Newsletter (~10-15 min)
Run this prompt (continue the same conversation):
Next, now that I have a clear value proposition, let's come up with a compelling name for my newsletter.
The right name will:
1/ Make it instantly clear what my newsletter is about
2/ Help me stand out in crowded inboxes
3/ Reinforce my expert positioning
Here are two great examples:
Daniel Bustamante's "Funnel Breakdowns":
- Clear focus (funnels)
- Says exactly what you get (breakdowns)
- Easy to remember
Alex Hormozi's "Mozi Minute":
- Personal branding
- Sets clear expectation (quick reads)
- Memorable alliteration
Based on my value proposition, please help me brainstorm 10 potential names for my newsletter.
Keep in mind all the information we've discussed so far about:
- My niche and target audience
- The specific asset I'll be analyzing
- My expert positioning and value proposition
Guidelines:
• Each name should clearly communicate what readers get from my analysis
• Keep it concise — aim for 2-3 words (4-5 words max)
• Include a relevant keyword that makes it easy to understand what the newsletter is about
• Use rhetorical devices when possible (alliteration, rhyming, etc.) to make it memorable
• Ensure it aligns with my expert positioning
Bonus points if the name:
- Has an available .com domain
- Works well as a social media handle
- Is easy to say out loud
Step 5: Find Examples to Analyze (~15-20 min)
No prompt needed here — this is a research task.
Guide them to focus on finding assets from:
- People/companies they'd like to work with — gets ideal clients' attention
- Well-known players in their industry — demonstrates expertise by analyzing leaders
- Up-and-coming creators in their space — builds relationships with future clients/collaborators
Tracking system: Recommend they set up a simple spreadsheet with:
- Company/Creator name
- Asset URL
- Initial observations
- Date found
- Status (Analyzed / Pending)
Goal: Find 2-3 examples for their first few issues.
Step 6: Create Your Analysis Email Template (~25-30 min)
Provide them this fill-in-the-blank template as their starting point:
NEWSLETTER TEMPLATE
Subject Line: I analyzed [Brand/Person]'s [Asset Type]
Preview text: Here's what I learned:
---
Hey [First Name],
I just spent [X] hours analyzing [Company/Creator]'s [Asset Type], and wow — there are some fascinating insights I need to share with you.
Why I chose this example:
[2-3 sentences about what makes this particular asset interesting/worthy of analysis]
Let's dive in...
## [Element 1 Name]
### What they're doing well:
- [Observation]
- [Why it works]
- [Impact]
### Potential improvements:
- [Suggestion]
- [Why it matters]
- [Expected outcome]
## [Element 2 Name]
### What they're doing well:
- [Observation]
- [Why it works]
- [Impact]
### Potential improvements:
- [Suggestion]
- [Why it matters]
- [Expected outcome]
## [Element 3 Name]
### What they're doing well:
- [Observation]
- [Why it works]
- [Impact]
### Potential improvements:
- [Suggestion]
- [Why it matters]
- [Expected outcome]
## Key Takeaways:
- [Main insight]
- [Main insight]
- [Main insight]
Want me to break down a specific [asset type] in the next issue?
Just hit reply and let me know.
[Sign-off]
Step 7: Write Your First Newsletter (~60-90 min)
Give them this checklist for every issue they write going forward:
- Choose an example from their spreadsheet
- Analyze (15-20 min) — Use breakdown framework, take detailed notes, screenshot relevant elements
- Write (40-60 min) — Follow the template, focus on clear explanations, include specific examples
- Polish (10-15 min) — Read out loud, check for clarity, add personality
Step 8: Build Your Content Calendar & Systems (~15-20 min)
Help them set up constraints so publishing stays sustainable:
Sending frequency:
- Weekly is ideal
- Bi-weekly is okay to start
- Never go longer than 2 weeks between emails
Content calendar:
- Map out the next 4-8 breakdowns
- Mix up the types of companies/creators analyzed
- Save all needed info ahead of time (URLs, profiles, etc.)
Batching system (recommended):
- Day 1: Analyze 2-3 examples
- Day 2: Write the breakdowns
- Never try to do analysis + writing in the same sitting
Delivery Format
Walk through all 8 steps in sequence. For steps with AI prompts (1, 3, 4), output the filled-in prompt ready to copy/paste. For template steps (2, 6), output the template customized to their asset and niche. For research/system steps (5, 7, 8), give clear action items.
At the end, output a Quick Reference Card — a one-page summary of their:
- Signature asset
- Breakdown framework (key elements)
- Value proposition
- Newsletter name
- Email template subject line formula
- Publishing schedule
What good looks like
The breakdown framework is uncomfortably specific — a "download" of the user's mental models into a reusable checklist that keeps analysis consistent and makes writing faster. The value proposition follows the structure of how often you send, what you analyze, what readers get out of it, and why it's valuable — compelling for the target reader, with enough constraints to consistently deliver, positioning them as an expert without being promotional. The name is concise (2-3 words, 4-5 max), clearly communicates what readers get, and reinforces expert positioning. Publishing stays sustainable: weekly is ideal, never longer than 2 weeks between emails, and analysis and writing never happen in the same sitting.