Growth In Reverse, Ep. 7: 7 Ways To Make a 'Good' Newsletter GREAT

Host: Chenell Basilio & Dylan Redekop
Date: September 17, 2025

Episode Overview

In this "newsletter roast" episode, hosts Chenell Basilio and Dylan Redekop dive deep into how to transform a good newsletter into a great one. Using a real-life example—the Hobby Card Life newsletter submitted by listener Cameron—they dissect the entire subscriber journey: from landing page, welcome email, and content, to monetization strategies and social presence. The aim is to provide actionable insights that any newsletter creator can apply immediately to boost growth, retention, and engagement.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. First Impressions: Landing Page Review

[01:41 - 03:24]

• Landing Page Copy:
  The headline “The only sports card newsletter you need” is strong, but the co-hosts agree the subheadline (“strategies, tips and news”) could be more specific and unique.

  • “Pretty much any card collecting newsletter is going to have the same tagline. Strategies, tips and news is just like, all right, but like, what's the real meat?” – Chenell [02:28]

• Value Prop Clarity:
  Both hosts stress clarifying the job to be done—what outcome or transformation does the subscriber get?

  • “Is it to help card collectors make more money with their collection or what cards they should be collecting?” – Dylan [03:06]

• Actionable Suggestions:

  • Focus on a differentiated angle that truly stands out.
  • Use phrases like “get smarter in five minutes a day” to anchor benefits and specificity.

2. Signup Process & Onboarding Flow

[03:33 - 06:31]

• Post-Signup Redirect:
  After subscribing, users are redirected to a thank-you page that promotes Cameron’s book.

  • Positives: Smart way to showcase a product, leverages social proof.
  • Potential pitfall: Distracts users from checking their inbox to confirm their subscription, especially on double opt-in.
  • “If you do have double opt in... you might want to not distract them with this. But again that's kind of, that's up to you.” – Dylan [04:20]

• Low-Ticket Product as Tripwire:

  • Book is well-reviewed and reasonably priced, which is good fodder for funding paid growth.
  • “If you want to start going down sort of paid growth, he's got this kind of on the back end that he can try to fund a bit of his paid growth with.” – Dylan [05:51]

• Best Practices:

  • Use the thank-you page to inform, not distract.
  • Consider a “false double opt-in” where confirmation is encouraged, but not strictly necessary, as a workaround.

3. Welcome Email Dissection

[06:34 - 14:43]

• Sender Info & Branding:

  • Suggests using a recognizable sender (“Cameron at HobbyCard Life”) and adding a profile photo or logo to boost trust.
  • “Nobody's gonna know what HCL is. So I would highly recommend extending that out to Cameron at HobbyCard Life.” – Dylan [07:27]

• Subject Line & Personalization:

  • Encourage using a subject line/emoji relevant to the brand for recognizability.
  • “Maybe there's like a fun color around your profile picture just to like make it stand out a little bit.” – Chenell [08:30]

• Getting Replies:

  • Both strongly recommend one key call-to-action: getting a reply to the first email (boosts deliverability & relationships).
  • “Making a sale on your book is great… but getting a reply to their first newsletter just is so strong for your... sender reputation.” – Dylan [13:09]

• Too Many CTAs:

  • The welcome email currently asks users to check out old posts, buy a book, and reply—causing potential overwhelm.
  • “There's too many call to actions in this email kind of distracting people with too many things.” – Dylan [12:03]

• Recommended Flow:

  • Email 1: Personalized welcome + single CTA (reply).
  • Email 2: Highlight best content OR introduce product.
  • Email 3: Promote the book with an incentive (“reply with receipt for a bonus”).

4. Content Review: Posts & Visuals

[15:48 - 21:59]

• Platform Consistency:

  • Recommend customizing the newsletter archive URL; avoid the generic Beehive-generated URL.
  • “It looks like a phishing website URL. That's going to make me question whether this is a legit newsletter.” – Dylan [15:48]

• Featured Images:

  • Strong critique of using generic AI or stock images over real, relevant photos (e.g., of actual sports cards).
  • “Stop using AI images when you have super compelling imagery already.” – Chenell [37:34]

• Visual Hierarchy:

  • Place key images higher in the post to break up text and improve scrollability.
  • “This is a great story but I really wish there was an image up here and then there was one. It's about a third of the way down, which is good.” – Chenell [17:01]

• Content Formatting:

  • Add numbered lists and bulleted takeaways for easier skimming.
  • Use crisp, non-blurry images for charts and dividers.

• Subject Lines:

  • Lean into intrigue and specificity (e.g., “Buy/Sell Targets – [Name]”) over bland date-based titles.

5. Website & Brand Presence Evaluation

[20:04 - 24:24]

• Main Website vs. Newsletter Archive:

  • Main site (hobbycardlife.com) is stronger but suffers from inconsistent imagery and lack of personality.
  • “The other thing you've dropped on the actual site is your name and your image. So I would 100% just put your face up here. People love... They want to see the person behind the site.” – Chenell [24:42]

• Call-To-Action Placement:

  • Move form fields and social proof for logical flow.
  • “I would put this below the form and just have like his image, his name and then like the text over here...” – Chenell [36:39]

• Image Authenticity:

  • Use actual collection photos instead of irrelevant AI art (e.g., handshake or random stock images).

6. Social & Growth Levers

[25:13 - 29:13]

• Organic Social Opportunity:

  • Instagram and potentially TikTok are natural fits for card visuals, weekly “top 5” carousels, and news bites.
  • “It'd be interesting if you could share on Instagram, you know, the top five cards selling for the most this week...” – Chenell [26:42]

• Showcase Personality:

  • Drawing inspiration from creators like Pat Flynn/Deep Pocket Monster, hosts recommend showing the human behind the newsletter.
  • “Become the Pat Flynn, Deep Pocket Monster of hobby card life.” – Dylan [25:12]

7. Paid Growth & Funnel Optimization

[30:32 - 35:12]

• Paid Leads from Meta (Facebook) Ads:

  • Achieving ~60¢/lead with about a 50% opt-in rate—solid, but questions remain about subscriber quality and engagement.
  • “Are they buying, are they opening, are they doing anything? Or are you just getting like random email addresses that aren't doing anything?” – Chenell [30:45]

• Landing Page Consistency:

  • Caution against using clunky, generic URLs for paid traffic as it can erode trust.
  • “I don't think that URL is okay, especially if you're driving paid traffic there. Change that as soon as you can...” – Dylan [34:13]

• Lead Magnet Suggestion:

  • Offer a “Top 10 cards of 2025” or similar high-value download to boost conversion rates on ads.

8. Monetization and Ultimate Goals

[29:13 - 33:54]

• Long-Term Aspirations:
  • Potential to expand into membership/paywalled content (“premium signals”), sponsorships, or even a card marketplace.
  • “What are you building up to? Like, what is your ultimate goal with the newsletter?” – Dylan [29:13]

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• On specificity in value prop:
  “What's the real meat?... Maybe you're helping people save money on trades or you're showcasing like the top picks that week or I don't know, something like juicier, if you will. That's not so bland.” — Chenell [02:28]
• On too many CTAs in welcome:
  “There's too many call to actions in this email kind of distracting people with too many things you want to.” — Dylan [12:03]
• On subjective quality with paid ads:
  “Are they buying, are they opening, are they doing anything? Or are you just getting like random email addresses that aren't doing anything?” — Chenell [30:45]
• On personal branding:
  “I would 100% just put your face up here. People love, especially with this kind of thing.” — Chenell [24:42]
• On image choice:
  “Stop using AI images when you have super compelling imagery already.” — Chenell [37:34]

Time-Stamped Highlights

| Time | Topic / Highlight | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:41 | Landing page: value prop critique | | 03:33 | Post-signup flow, welcome page, “tripwire” book | | 06:34 | Welcome email structure & sender branding | | 12:03 | Problem with too many calls-to-action | | 15:48 | Critique of Beehive-generated archive URLs | | 17:01 | Importance of visuals in content, positioning images higher | | 24:42 | Urging more visible personal branding | | 26:42 | Instagram/fantasy football style visual content as proven social strategy | | 29:13 | Discussion: Monetization goals, where is this growing? | | 30:45 | Are paid leads actually valuable? | | 34:13 | The cost of ugly/uncustomized landing pages for paid ads | | 37:34 | “Stop using AI images...” — the importance of authentic, relevant images |

Key Takeaways & Action Items

• Clarify & Differentiate: Sharpen your landing page headline and subheadline to communicate your unique angle and value proposition.
• Clean Subscriber Journey: Ensure each touchpoint—landing pages, emails, onboarding flows—are visually strong, authentic, and focused. Stick to one CTA per email, especially in critical onboarding steps.
• Humanize Your Brand: Show your face and passion for the topic in both email and website. Build trust by being visible, personal, and enthusiastic.
• Improve Visuals: Always use actual, crisp images relevant to the content. Avoid generic AI or stock visuals, especially in a hobbyist or collector niche.
• Optimize for Paid Growth: Invest in branded landing pages/URLs, experiment with lead magnets, and continuously monitor subscriber engagement to maintain high-quality leads.
• Leverage Social: Experiment with Instagram or similar visual platforms to repurpose newsletter content, drive organic traffic, and deepen your authority.
• Iterate on Every Step: Data from replies, clicks, and purchase behavior should inform future tweaks and experiments.

Final Advice from Hosts

• Focus on a simple, trust-building onboarding experience.
• Use your unique story and imagery to stand out in a crowded niche.
• Continuously strive for authenticity over automation—real images, real personality, and real value.

For more hands-on newsletter teardowns and actionable email growth strategies, subscribe to Growth In Reverse or visit growthinreverse.com/roast to submit your own newsletter for future episodes.