avatarChristina Piccoli

Summary

The website content discusses the benefits and ease of creating a mini curated newsletter as a means for content sharing and generating side income.

Abstract

The article emphasizes the growing popularity of mini newsletters, which are concise and curated collections of content. It outlines two approaches to newsletters: storytelling and curated content, with the latter being easier for those not skilled in storytelling. The author, Christina, shares her personal journey from attempting storytelling to adopting a simple, thematic curation process using Medium, YouTube, and other platforms. She highlights the simplicity of setting up a mini newsletter using tools like ConvertKit and Convertbox, and the potential for promoting both personal and external content, as well as earning through affiliate links and product promotion. The article also provides practical steps for starting and promoting a mini newsletter, emphasizing the mutual promotion between newsletters and products or services.

Opinions

  • The author, Christina, admits to not being adept at storytelling, which led to her preference for the mini newsletter format.
  • She expresses that mini newsletters are straightforward to create and require minimal time investment.
  • Christina advocates for the use of ConvertKit and Convertbox for newsletter management and email address collection.
  • She believes in the reciprocal benefits of promoting other creators' work and one's own products or services through the newsletter.
  • The author suggests that creating digital products, whether free or for sale, can aid in newsletter promotion.
  • Christina sees no downside to trying out a mini newsletter as a side income strategy.
  • She discloses the presence of affiliate links in the article, indicating transparency in her endorsement of products like the "amazing mop" from Amazon, ConvertKit, and Convertbox.

Why Mini Newsletters Are All The Rage (And Why You Should Start One)

It’s easy!

Image created by the author.

Go here if you need a step-by-step guide to starting a Mini Newsletter.

There are two schools of thought:

  1. Start a newsletter that tells stories, then tie the stories into products or services.
  2. Create a super short curated newsletter. (I call it a mini newsletter. Evan Kelly calls it an Atomic Newsletter.)

Storytelling newsletters are great because they allow your readers to connect with you. That builds trust.

But you need to be good at it.

I wanted to be one of these storytelling newsletter people, but then I realized…I suck at storytelling.

No one wants to hear about how I mopped my kitchen floor this morning. (Although I could tie that story into this amazing mop I got recently. That’s an affiliate link. Am I doing this right storytelling people??)

Out of frustration (and inspiration by Minimalist Hustler), I landed on option #2 — the short, but interesting, curated newsletter.

#2 is simple, and I like simple.

Why You Should Start a Mini Newsletter

Mini curated newsletters take very little time to put together.

Here’s my super easy process:

  1. Go to Medium, YouTube, and X.
  2. Look around and see what things catch my eye.
  3. Save any links that stand out.
  4. Come up with a theme for my newsletter for the day.
  5. Include the links.

When I’m really inspired, I’ll create an article (as I’m doing now), and that will go in one of my newsletters at some point.

The benefits of the mini newsletter are:

  • Promote other people’s work (it’s always a nice thing to do)
  • Promote your own work
  • Easy to put together
  • Earn simple side income through affiliate commissions or promoting your own offers

You can start your own mini newsletter in just a few minutes.

How to Start and Promote a Mini Newsletter

Starting a mini newsletter is so easy. You’ll need an account with ConvertKit. You can use it for free up to 1000 subscribers.

You also need a way to collect email addresses. I do this on the homepage of my website using a tool called Convertbox. But you can also create a landing page through ConvertKit and do it that way.

Go here for full step-by-step instructions to set up your mini newsletter.

Now you need a way to promote your newsletter and get people to your landing page. A few ideas for you:

  • Write Medium articles and include a call-to-action to your newsletter’s landing page. That’s what I do at the bottom of my articles:
Screenshot taken by the author.
  • Use any social media platform (X, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok, etc.) to promote your landing page.
Screenshot taken by the author.
  • Create a free digital product that you give to people who sign up for your newsletter.
  • Create digital products to sell that promote your newsletter in them.

Here’s the best part…

Your mini newsletters help promote your products and services, and your products and services help promote your newsletter.

Final Thoughts

Creating a mini, curated newsletter is the simplest form of side income I’ve come across so far. It only takes a few minutes to set up in ConvertKit (plus, you can easily create a template to save even more time) and can be sent out in just a few pushes of a button.

I can’t think of one downside to trying it.

About the Author

Hey! I’m Christina. I’m a married mom to two teenagers (and 3 cats and a dog). I love BBQ chips, hard rock music 🤘, and murder mysteries.

I also love creating quick, easy-to-digest newsletters to help you find simple side income ideas online that won’t take over your life. 👈 Click that astonishingly long link to sign up for free.

Affiliate Disclaimer

This article contains an affiliate link through the Amazon Associates program. That means if you click on my link and make a purchase via Amazon, I’ll get a small commission at no extra cost to you.

I also have affiliate links to ConvertKit and Convertbox, two of my favorite tools for small businesses. If you want to check them out, I’ll get a commission if you sign up for a paid subscription.

For additional tools and resource ➡️ Visit StartupStash Zendesk is giving $75,000 in credits and perks for startups! ➡️ Apply Now!

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