The Death of Traditional Email Marketing: A Case Study
The Death of Traditional Email Marketing: A Case Study
TL:DR
TL:DR
I stumbled upon an interesting newsletter from Justin Welsh's "The Saturday Solopreneur" where he argues that typical newsletter growth tactics are dead. Instead of generic PDF lead magnets, he suggests focusing on content hubs, using data points to understand subscribers better, adding real value (not just screaming "subscribe!"), and leveraging AI to improve email content.
I stumbled upon an interesting newsletter from Justin Welsh's "The Saturday Solopreneur" where he argues that typical newsletter growth tactics are dead. Instead of generic PDF lead magnets, he suggests focusing on content hubs, using data points to understand subscribers better, adding real value (not just screaming "subscribe!"), and leveraging AI to improve email content.
Contents
Contents
The Problem
The Problem
Remember when you could slap up a PDF lead magnet and watch the subscribers roll in? Those days are gone. Here's why:
People are drowning in newsletters
Everyone and their dog is fighting for inbox space
Generic PDFs don't cut it anymore
Subscribers have gotten picky (and rightfully so)
Remember when you could slap up a PDF lead magnet and watch the subscribers roll in? Those days are gone. Here's why:
People are drowning in newsletters
Everyone and their dog is fighting for inbox space
Generic PDFs don't cut it anymore
Subscribers have gotten picky (and rightfully so)
The Solution: 4 Strategies That Actually Work
The Solution: 4 Strategies That Actually Work
1. Content Hubs > Random Posts
Old way: "Here's a quick post about ab exercises!"
New way: "Here's an entire ab program with videos, meal plans, and progress tracking"
Real talk: The goal is to build massive value libraries, not one-off posts.
2. Getting Personal (Like, Really Personal)
Old way: "Hey [First Name]!"
New way: Using 192,500+ data points to truly understand subscribers
Pro tip: Let subscribers answer 3-4 survey questions & get to know their preferences. That way you can segment subscribers and provide relevant value. That's gold for personalization.
3. The Multi-Channel Symphony
Instead of screaming "SUBSCRIBE!" everywhere:
Create platform-specific resources
Link content across channels
Make subscribing feel natural
Add value at every touchpoint
Example: A podcaster creates episode-specific resources that subscribers can access via email. Smooth, right?
4. AI as Your Secret Weapon
AI isn't just for chatbots anymore. Use it to:
Analyze thousands of subscriber data points
Spot opportunities for new products
Improve email content
Create better CTAs
1. Content Hubs > Random Posts
Old way: "Here's a quick post about ab exercises!"
New way: "Here's an entire ab program with videos, meal plans, and progress tracking"
Real talk: The goal is to build massive value libraries, not one-off posts.
2. Getting Personal (Like, Really Personal)
Old way: "Hey [First Name]!"
New way: Using 192,500+ data points to truly understand subscribers
Pro tip: Let subscribers answer 3-4 survey questions & get to know their preferences. That way you can segment subscribers and provide relevant value. That's gold for personalization.
3. The Multi-Channel Symphony
Instead of screaming "SUBSCRIBE!" everywhere:
Create platform-specific resources
Link content across channels
Make subscribing feel natural
Add value at every touchpoint
Example: A podcaster creates episode-specific resources that subscribers can access via email. Smooth, right?
4. AI as Your Secret Weapon
AI isn't just for chatbots anymore. Use it to:
Analyze thousands of subscriber data points
Spot opportunities for new products
Improve email content
Create better CTAs
The Results
The Results
While specific metrics weren't shared, the strategies point to a clear truth: email marketing in 2025 is about building relationships, not just collecting addresses.
While specific metrics weren't shared, the strategies point to a clear truth: email marketing in 2025 is about building relationships, not just collecting addresses.
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
Quality beats quantity every time
Get personal or get ignored
Be everywhere (strategically)
Let AI do the heavy lifting
Quality beats quantity every time
Get personal or get ignored
Be everywhere (strategically)
Let AI do the heavy lifting
2,678+ people enjoy it
➤ Every week, we dig up stories of how regular people started and grew their businesses—
➤ Plus the marketing hacks that won them customers.
➤ Then, we share those insights with you.
➤ Every week, we dig up stories of how regular people started and grew their businesses—
➤ Plus the marketing hacks that won them customers.
➤ Then, we share those insights with you.
The Million Dollar Question
The Million Dollar Question
Is it harder to get email subscribers in 2025? Yes. But that's actually good news if you're willing to put in the work. While everyone else is still playing checkers with basic lead magnets, you can be playing chess with content hubs and deep personalization.
Remember: Value never goes out of style. But how we deliver that value? That's what's changing.
Is it harder to get email subscribers in 2025? Yes. But that's actually good news if you're willing to put in the work. While everyone else is still playing checkers with basic lead magnets, you can be playing chess with content hubs and deep personalization.
Remember: Value never goes out of style. But how we deliver that value? That's what's changing.
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Like this?
Do me a favor and pass this on to a friend or share on X/reddit? It'll take just 20 seconds—this one took me about 2.5 hours to research and write 🫠
P.S. I’ve got a weekly newsletter where I share stories about founders who have started successful online businesses, growth strategies, and tips to start/grow your own business. I would love for you to join here
Read the full email here.
Do me a favor and pass this on to a friend or share on X/reddit? It'll take just 20 seconds—this one took me about 2.5 hours to research and write 🫠
P.S. I’ve got a weekly newsletter where I share stories about founders who have started successful online businesses, growth strategies, and tips to start/grow your own business. I would love for you to join here
Read the full email here.
