Podcast Summary

Your Daily Real Estate Podcast with Tristan Ahumada

Episode 727: The 9 Step Newsletter That Gets 70 Percent Opens
Date: November 26, 2025
Host: Tristan Ahumada

Episode Overview

In this episode, Tristan Ahumada shares his proven structure for crafting high-performing newsletters, boasting open rates as high as 70%. Drawing on his experience running multiple newsletters (including the massive Lab Coat Agents list and his local real estate list with 80,000+ subscribers), Tristan breaks down the essential steps and content sections for building a newsletter that forges deep, lasting relationships with clients and prospects. His strategies prioritize authenticity, community engagement, and making real estate content accessible and personable.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Power of Newsletters in Real Estate

• Newsletters are a powerful, often overlooked tool for building and maintaining connections with your audience.
• Tristan manages several newsletters, with subscriber counts ranging from 3,000 to 300,000. His local real estate list in Los Angeles/Ventura has 80,000+ opt-ins.
• "Newsletters are probably the secret weapon that you’ve been missing." (00:52)

2. Tristan’s ‘9-Step’ (or 8-9 Step) Newsletter Structure for 2026

Tristan provides a flexible blueprint – you don’t need to use every element in every issue, but rotating them through keeps content fresh and engaging.

[01:40] 1. Warm, Personal Opening

• Start with a genuine, personal anecdote or moment from your week.
• This approach can boost open rates to 66-70%.
• "A warm opening means, hey, I was doing this this past week... All real situations." (02:16)

[02:50] 2. Community Spotlight

• Highlight neighborhood events, local happenings, new listings, or community achievements.
• People love feeling rooted and “in the know” about their area.
• Example: Sharing details about a recent Christmas lighting event that some still missed.

[04:18] 3. Market Snapshot (Plain Language)

• Share real estate market updates, but avoid jargon. Write as if explaining to someone in sixth grade.
• Authentic, relatable market recaps see stronger responses.
• "We overcomplicate the market snapshot... I would challenge you to put [it in] natural language and also in sixth grade language." (04:38)

[05:05] 4. Short Educational Tip

• Deliver quick, useful insights—recent book recommendations, trending mortgage news, or common questions.
• Example: Breaking down what a 50-year mortgage could look like.

[05:56] 5. Current Project / Behind the Scenes

• Let subscribers see what you’re working on, both professionally and (if comfortable) personally.
• Humanizes your business and stirs curiosity.

[06:40] 6. Featured Property or Client Story

• Spotlight a property, an agent, or a client’s journey.
• Example: Jason Ferris’s ‘FresYes’ newsletter features listings that generate strong engagement.

[07:17] 7. Community Call to Action

• Invite readers to join your Facebook group, attend an event, support a local business, or contribute ideas for future newsletters.
• Keep the relationship bidirectional.
• "[Sometimes] we forget that call to actions are important." (07:24)

[07:40] 8. Sincere Closing

• Thank readers for being part of your world and tie your message back to core values like service, connection, and community.
• Make it "warm and human" rather than just businesslike.
• "There's a separation in thinking, well, I want to only be business. I want to be less human. ... People connect with you when you’re just a lot more human, sincere, authentic..." (08:10)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "People come back. You can reroute them to socials, you can engage with them deeper, because when they get emails and they choose to open them, they are actually fully engaged." – Tristan (00:36)
• "I think I’ve got eight or nine steps here for you. Building out the newsletter for 2026 for you." – Tristan (00:56)
• "If you need this, this is episode 727. Just message me on Instagram...and I'll send this over to you." – Tristan (01:24)
• "People are naturally nosy, so why don’t you give them a glimpse into your world?" – Tristan (06:05)
• "Treat me like you know me, treat me like we’re friends and then educate me at the same time." – Tristan (08:25)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00: Introduction, newsletter stats, why newsletters matter
• 01:40: Step 1 – Warm, personal opening
• 02:50: Step 2 – Community spotlight
• 04:18: Step 3 – Market snapshot in plain language
• 05:05: Step 4 – Short educational tip
• 05:56: Step 5 – Current project / behind-the-scenes
• 06:40: Step 6 – Featured property or client story
• 07:17: Step 7 – Community call to action
• 07:40: Step 8 – Sincere closing and keeping it human

Tone & Language

Tristan’s style is warm, conversational, and practical. He emphasizes authenticity (“treat me like you know me”), the importance of being both informative and personable, and the value in fostering real community ties through your newsletters.

Final Takeaway

This episode gives a clear, actionable framework for any real estate professional looking to deepen relationships, boost engagement, and stand out in their local market using newsletters. Tristan encourages listeners to rotate through the structure, keep it human, and be consistent—ensuring your newsletter becomes a “secret weapon” in your toolkit.

For the full step-by-step list and examples, Tristan invites agents to DM him with "727" on Instagram.