Newsletters are among the most popular ways to keep in touch with potential customers and subscribers. However, with overflowing inboxes and hundreds of senders competing for their attention, it can get pretty difficult to get chosen as one of the newsletters your recipients read. Often, recipients even open the newsletters only to bounce after reading just a few sentences. So, how do you hook them? Write a captivating introduction.
The introduction of a newsletter is one of the most important aspects of a newsletter since its quality can decide whether or not the user reads the rest of your newsletter. A well-written newsletter introduction provides context on what the reader can expect from the newsletter. It can also help you to reinforce your brand’s voice and image and connect to the audience in a compelling way.
This guide explores 13 newsletter introduction examples and the key takeaways from them that you can use to write engaging introductions for your own newsletter.
What is a newsletter introduction?
A newsletter introduction is the initial part of the newsletter that the subscriber sees when they first open the newsletter. There is no hard and fast rule to determine what exactly constitutes the newsletter introduction, as it’s quite subjective.
The newsletter introduction can consist of the newsletter banner, a heading text, an image, a GIF, etc., or a combination of any of those. These elements may serve the following key purposes:
- State the name and purpose of the newsletter
- Welcome or greet the reader
- Present an overview of the content
- Include an engaging element to capture the reader’s attention
A newsletter introduction can be for a specific issue or for all issues of a newsletter.
13 newsletter introduction examples to emulate
A great newsletter introduction is not just one with a GIF, an image, or good copywriting. Using a combination of these elements to keep the audience engaged is the key to a captivating newsletter introduction. Take a look at these great examples below.
1. Mailmodo
Mailmodo’s Idealetter is a monthly newsletter that aims to provide subscribers with creative and actionable email marketing ideas and strategies.
Why we like this: The introduction of this newsletter uses a well-known meme from The Simpsons to refer to a common problem that online businesses face, i.e., abandoned carts. The GIF instantly attracts the reader's attention and gives them the theme of the current issue in a light-hearted manner.
Key takeaway: Use appropriate humor to draw in your reader.
2. Succulent Studios
Thursdays is a weekly newsletter by Succulent Studios that introduces a new and limited stock product to its subscribers.
Why we like this: The newsletter introduction uses a combination of text and an image of the new product. The pot is introduced as “the new guy in town”, which gives a friendly tone to the introduction. The reader’s attention is instantly captured by the pot that resembles a face with two eyes, a nose, and a plant that gives it a fun hairdo. The image also has a CTA button that says, “I need more pots”. The user is unlikely to disagree with that after meeting this new guy!
Key takeaway: Get straight to the point.
3. Sub Club
Sub Club’s Where to Submit This Week gives subscribers details of literary magazines accepting submissions in the given week.
Why we like this: The newsletter introduction provides a single-line description of the contents of the newsletter (Closings, openings, contents, themes, agents, oh my!) This is a great way to create expectations in the reader about the value of the newsletter’s content, prompting them to read further. The introduction also features a cute illustration that engages the recipients further.
Key takeaway: Use creative illustrations to draw attention.
4. James Clear
3-2-1 Thursday is a concise newsletter by self-help author James Clear that provides ideas, quotes, and a question that readers can reflect upon.
Why we like this: The name of the newsletter, 3-2-1 Thursday, is interesting because it evokes a countdown that announces every issue. The newsletter is introduced with a banner that promises its subscribers “the most wisdom per word of any newsletter on the web.” This bold claim assures readers that their time will be well spent reading this newsletter. Further, the heading gives a concise summary of the topics covered in the current issue.
Key takeaway: Make a claim and stick to it.
5. The Marginalian
The Marginalian’s midweek newsletters provide readers with an interesting article from their blog archives.
Why we like this: While a general rule of thumb is to keep your newsletter introduction as concise as possible, The Marginalian promotes the joys of slow reading and is aimed at readers who want to spend time reading about literature, philosophy, and art. Each issue opens with a catchy banner with contrasting colors. The email has a beautifully written introduction to the newsletter and the previous issue in case the reader missed it. The personalized note in the introduction is clear and upfront and it also provides the user the option to donate to the blog.
Key takeaway: Know your target audience
6. Movement by David
Movement by David is a fitness newsletter that shares tips and insights on flexibility and mobility in one’s daily life.
Why we like this: The newsletter uses the format of a casual personalized letter with a simple logo and the name of the newsletter in the header. The first sentence in bold format acts as the introduction and concisely describes a common problem (office job, school desk, long drive, longer flight or couch potato moment). The description is made up of relatable experiences but is vague enough to prompt the reader to continue reading.
Key takeaway: Address a pain point.
7. Emarketer
Emarketer Daily is a newsletter for marketers that provides insights on the latest marketing trends.
Why we like this: The newsletter uses a clear banner with contrasting colors and a to-the-point description of the newsletter (Charts. News. Analysis.). This is followed by a quiz question that serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it provides an update by discussing and linking an article to a recent issue, i.e., the Microsoft outage. Secondly, it engages with the audience by asking them a question. Finally, the user is given a CTA to know the answer and check out the brand’s website in the process.
Key takeaway: Make your newsletter engaging.
8. Lucrative
Mindie Kniss’ newsletter, Lucrative, is a marketing newsletter for training programs and courses for authors.
Why we like this: The newsletter uses a simple introduction featuring the logo, the name of the newsletter and the heading of the current feature. The provocative heading "Your success is not guaranteed" surprises the readers and hooks them in. It is an unusual and bold statement that is very different from what most motivational content creators say.
Key takeaway: Use a catchy and controversial statement to your advantage.
9. Brightlocal
Brightlocal’s newsletter provides a weekly roundup of news about various CEOs to provide business insights to its subscribers.
Why we like this: Brightlocal Digest's newsletter introduction features a short description of the newsletter's purpose and spotlights the issue's feature. In this example, the brand's new video is introduced with an infographic featuring the interviewee's photo along with the program's name and host. The photo gives the newsletter more trustworthiness and builds a connection with the audience. The featured quote from the interview, "Don't start with an insult!" is also catchy and makes the user want to read more.
Key takeaway: Spotlight the feature of the issue.
10. Better Homes & Gardens
Better Homes & Garden’s weekly update features tips and advice on interior design, home organization, and gardening.
Why we like this: The introduction in this example features a newspaper-like banner that announces the newsletter's name and highlights that it is a weekly update. The brand is about helping people live decluttered lives, and the newsletter's introduction reflects this sentiment as it is minimalist, balanced, and clean. The simple banner also shows how the rest of the newsletter is neatly organized using bullet points and clear layouts.
Key takeaway: Use a decluttered layout.
11. Moda Operandi
Moda Operandi is an online luxury fashion retailer. Their newsletter features the latest news on fashion along with product recommendations.
Why we like this: The newsletter has a large and aesthetic banner that describes the purpose of the newsletter. The text and a simple door-like design are overlaid on a GIF that displays various eye-catching fashion pieces. The banner reflects the elegant and classy brand image of Moda Operandi due to the use of appropriate fonts and design elements. The length of the banner also adds to the brand's voice and grand image.
Key takeaway: Use eye-catching images to display your products
12. Ryan Lee
Ryan Lee is an entrepreneur who uses his newsletter to share his business insights with subscribers. The newsletter consists of an introduction in the form of a brief letter from Lee, followed by the highlighted article of the issue.
Why we like this: The newsletter features a simple banner with just the author's name. This reflects the personal nature of the newsletter. The introduction begins with the author asking his readers if he can tell them a secret. This draws the reader into the author's confidence and helps establish a personal connection. The author directly addresses the reader and uses his own experience to introduce the topic of the newsletter issue to make them curious and interested in its content.
Key takeaway: Add a personal touch to your newsletter.
13. Subbly
Subbly is a subscription management software for brands. Its newsletter, Subblyverse, provides weekly updates relating to its product.
Why we like this: The newsletter introduction consists of a banner and a short editorial note. The banner gives a single-line summary of the issue- “the Subsummit countdown begins, new features and more!”. The editorial note greets the reader and gives them a four-point bulleted list of the newsletter’s contents that they can quickly scan through. This allows the reader to know what exactly to expect from the reader and even skip to the section that they find the most relevant.
Key takeaway: Provide a scannable summary of the contents.
Conclusion
In an age of short attention spans, the first impression that your newsletters make is crucial to ensure higher engagement with your content. Whether you are a newbie or a pro, the examples above can help you create creative and compelling newsletter introductions that make your subscribers wait for the next issue.
Ready to put your inspiration into action? You can create and start sending your own stunning newsletters in no time. Use Mailmodo’s intuitive template builder and a library of 450+ ready-to-use customizable templates to start your first newsletter now.
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