Starting a Newsletter as a Coach: Key Tools You Need

There are so many tools out there now that largely do the same thing, and if you’re just starting out, it can be overwhelming trying to choose the one for you.

That’s why I thought I would set the blueprint out for you. In this blog I’m going to walk you through the all of the tools you need to launch your first coaching newsletter, without having to explore each and every tool out there.

Start With Why

(Stealing this one from Simon Sinek) As you’re starting a newsletter, get clear on your WHY. This will drive all of your other decisions, and help you get crystal clear on your newsletter’s purpose.

• Who are you writing for?
• What’s the goal? (Build trust? Sell offers? Stay in touch with past clients?)
• How often will you send it? (Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly?)

Get clear on these questions and the tech you choose along with the content you create will be easy to figure out.

Essential Tools

Don’t think you need all of the best tech, or the most premium subscription to get started, because you don’t! Start simple, and build up as you need to.

1. Email Marketing Platform

You’ll need an email marketing platform, to store your subscriber information, schedule your emails and manage your list. There are many out there such as:

• ConvertKit: Built for creators.
• MailerLite: Affordable, simple, and lots of features.
• Mailchimp: Popular, though a bit hard to learn for beginners.

I’ve explored all of these for you and personally, my favourite is MailerLite. It does what it says on the tin and it walks you through the set up step by step, so if this is brand new for you then there’s no getting lost. Plus, it’s free!

2. Landing Page or Signup Form

You need a place for people to join your list which could be:

• A form embedded on your website
• A standalone landing page

If you already have a website, the easiest way is to set up a form there and integrate this with your email marketing platform.

If you don’t have a site, you could use Carrd (which is super simple).

(Shameless plug incoming) If this already is starting to sound overwhelming and a lot to learn, you could benefit from having a strategic, technical partner to support you setting up your systems, if so… give me a call!

3. Lead Magnet Delivery System

A lead magnet is just something that appeals to your ideal client, so much so they are willing to fill out a short form with their name and email, and that’s it! You have a lead, and can now deliver them with the value-packed freebie.

The typical workflow goes:

1. User signs up through a form on your website.

2. They get an automated welcome email.

3. Your freebie is linked for them to access/download.

4. Content Planning Tool

Planning is my bread and butter and I will always recommend creating a plan before executing. It removes all of the decision-making and confusion later, when you need to be focused on executing.

You can use whatever suits you best but I like:

• Notion: Great for organising ideas, drafts, and tracking sends
• Google Sheets / Microsoft Word: Old school, still effective

Make sure your content ideas cover a range of categories like:

• Tips & education
• Personal stories
• Client wins
• Offers/promos

This will keep your subscribers engaged and offer a variety of content for them to enjoy.

5. Email Scheduling & Automation

Automating as much of the repetitive admin as you can will make so much difference to the day to day of your business. Although you might think sending that email that take you 10 minutes each week isn’t too bad, imagine if you didn’t even have to think about for a month? That’s what happens when you batch your content, and automate the delivery.

Key activities to automate:

• A welcome sequence (2–3 emails welcoming and introducing your business)
• Lead magnet delivery
• Regular newsletters scheduled in advance

Mistakes To Avoid

• Waiting until everything’s perfect: Too many times people get hung up on small details, but the important thing is to just get started. Your future clients want to hear from you!
• Sending without a goal or structure: Remember to start with why, understand your purpose and check in on a regular basis.
• Skipping the welcome email: Acknowledging that they have took the time to sign up to your newsletter is an important step, and it leaves your client feeling welcomed and included, eager to hear more.

With just a couple of free or low-cost tools it is so simple to launch your newsletter that nurtures your audience and supports your coaching business.

The best part is that you will forever own your email list, unlike social media, no algorithm can take it away.

Skip the Headache of Setting Up…

If you'd like help setting up your first newsletter system, from lead magnet to automations, I can help.

👉 Book a free 30-minute call here