What I learnt at a newsletter conference
Some takeaways from The Newsletter Conference, 2 May, NYC.
I flew from London to New York for a one day conference all about newsletters.
This came as a surprise to many who felt this was a long way for me to travel for something so… niche. Except, the more I reflected, the less niche and more, well, mainstream it feels.
Whilst I started my newsletter on a whim (which I shared in this 0-1000 subscribers post), this very same whim has kind of changed my life. Thanks largely to my newsletter, I have not only survived entrepreneurship for five years, but made a pretty good go of it. I’ve coached hundreds of clients and reached thousands online. Today, I run two different newsletters across four platforms (don’t ask) and consult and advise clients on their own newsletter strategies.
If you zoom out, newsletters aren’t really ‘niche’ for anyone.
We all use email. We all consume the news. We all follow our favourite creators/educators/anchors online, and we’re all being marketed to every minute of the day.
Newsletters have become a mainstream vehicle for all of these things.
For this post, I’ve focused on you, dear reader, who is most likely interested in newsletters for the reasons that I am: to reach your community and clients independent of the algorithms, to grow your authority status, and ultimately to grow your impact and income.
I’ve shared my main takeaways with you in mind, below.
And, if you care about this topic, you’ll want to know that Authority Club is still open for enrolment. If you’re an independent consultant or coach craving support from a business coach and peer group designed to grow your reach and income in the year ahead, apply by Sunday for early bird pricing 👇
Takeaways from The Newsletter Conference.
1/ Inbox competition is only increasing
As more creators start newsletters, standing out (and staying visible) gets harder. That makes brand, clarity, and strategy even more important than ever.
2/ Don’t rely solely on your newsletter to reach your audience
A.I. will soon be summarising and filtering inbox content. Soon not every subscriber will see your post, even if they love you. So consider how your newsletter fits into your wider visibility strategy.
Source: Dan Oshinsky
3/ Your sign-up page and thank-you sequence are a goldmine
That moment when someone signs up is your best chance to show them what you're about. And if you get it right, create ROI from first clicks.
Source: Louis from Sparkloop.
4/ There are more ways to monetise than you think
Paid subscriptions. Sponsorships. Selling services or products. Events. The key is specificity and alignment between your audience and your offer. See below.
5/ Content-market fit matters more than content quality
It’s not just about writing well but about giving your audience something they want. Something they’ll keep opening because they can’t find it anywhere else. The most successful newsletters know exactly who they’re for and what they’re about.
6/ Newsletters aren’t just marketing
They can be your product in and of itself. They can drive revenue from clicks themselves. A community. Figure out what role your newsletter plays (or could play) in your business, and build accordingly.
7/ Subscriber numbers are vanity metrics… loyalty is what counts
An unsubscribe right after sign-up is no big deal. But retention is the real signal. Who sticks around? Who engages over time? Track accordingly.
Source: Jacob Donnelly
8/ Data data everywhere, not a drop to drink.
You cannot get enough data on your audience. Most of this won’t come with your platform automatically, you have to actively ask for it, otherwise, you’ll struggle to monetise your list effectively.
Source: Dwayne Lafleur & Sean Griffey
9/ We still want community
If your readers share something in common, help them connect. Facilitating community drives loyalty and income. It’s 2025 and we still can’t have too many Slack/Circle groups full of likeminded peers with shared goals.
10/ Substack ≠ all newsletters
Sorry, Substack. While it’s a very powerful ecosystem, it wasn’t discussed much at the conference. It’s a unique subsection of the newsletter world. In fact, it’s closer to social media in how it operates and doesn’t quite fit into the broader newsletter ecosystem due to its closed API and specific goals.
My biggest takeaway?
There’s a reason I love newsletters so much. There’s still so much innovation to come. For me, newsletters sit in a beautiful intersection of brand, a conversation, art, and technology. They are a scalable asset that builds your authority and body of work, among people who choose to hear from you.
Well worth the trip, and procure what is now my new favourite hat.
Grow your newsletter. Grow your legacy.
If growing a newsletter and a body of work online is a current priority for you and you’re a coach/consultant, know that it’s just one of the things we focus on inside Authority Club, all year round.
This isn’t about cranking out content for the sake of it to ‘keep up.
Authority Club combines strategy, accountability, community and momentum that will support you in building authority, shaping ideas that last, and designing a business from high-ticket services. One that supports your growth, goals and your energy.
We focus on long-term visibility, smarter client acquisition, and reputation-building strategies that align with your actual goals.
Enrolment is open now… early bird pricing ends Sunday.
Thanks for reading as alway, and until next time!
Ellen Donnelly, Founder & Chief Coach, The Ask.
