By Lesley McKenzie, Newsletter Director
In 2015, Morning Brew launched a simple but revolutionary daily email newsletter. The concept? A five-minute, Millennial-driven read with a distinct voice that distills the business news of the day. Three years later, it had one million subscribers. Today, Morning Brew Inc. has evolved into a B2B juggernaut, poised to generate $25M in 2024 through its “Brewniverse” of newsletters, podcasts and in-person events.
Morning Brew Inc. is far from the only major player in the newsletter sandbox; The Skimm, which targets Millennial women, has an audience of 7.5M subscribers, while The Hustle, which focuses on business and tech news, reaches 2.5M. Readers gravitate towards — and opt in to — B2B newsletters like these for myriad reasons, from industry-specific insights to the sense of community they foster, not to mention the time savings that come with consuming curated or niche content delivered straight to your inbox.
And it’s paying off: In 2020, the worldwide email marketing industry, which includes B2B newsletters, was valued at $7.5B — a number that is projected to more than double by 2027, reaching an estimated $17.9B, according to German global data and business intelligence platform Statista. Meanwhile, newsletter publishing platforms such as Beehiiv and Substack are witnessing explosive growth; in 2024 alone, Beehiiv generated nearly $2M per month, according to its cofounder, Tyler Denk.
So how do you build a successful B2B newsletter? On the heels of the ninth launch in its newsletter portfolio — this time in the retail sector — MVF Global has gleaned a few insights into what makes up the winning formula.
Determine Your Niche
To succeed in the competitive B2B newsletter market, start by focusing on a specific, or often overlooked audience or topic. The first step is identifying an underserved segment; one that may be overlooked by broader industry newsletters. At MVF, for example, our goal is to serve owners and operators of small- to mid-size businesses. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, there were 33.2M small businesses (defined as 500 employees or fewer) in the United States in 2023 — a figure that makes up 99.9% of firms. Whether you’re focusing on owners of trucking fleets or dental practices, the key is to find a space where your content can fill a gap and directly address the unique needs of your audience.
Stake Out the Competition
Understanding the competitive landscape in the B2B newsletter space is crucial for identifying gaps your content can fill. Start by pinpointing newsletters targeting similar markets. Evaluate the content they provide and the way it’s formatted, noting their strengths and weaknesses, tone, frequency and engagement strategies. Pay attention to their unique selling propositions — what makes them stand out, and where do they fall short? This helps you pinpoint opportunities to position your newsletter more effectively, and make it stand out from the pack.
Define Your Value Proposition
What makes your newsletter indispensable? Your value proposition should reflect the unique insights, expert knowledge, or industry-specific guidance you can offer. It’s about understanding what your audience truly seeks — whether it’s detailed trend analysis, practical solutions, or insider perspectives — and delivering it in a distinct fashion. At MVF, we handpick best-in-class experts with a finger on the pulse of their respective fields to both curate our newsletters and bring their valuable perspective to the table (alternatively, newsletter publishers can opt for a less-personalized AI-powered model). The result: newsletters that become not only valuable sources of information, but also trusted resources and conversation-drivers for business leaders.
Create Your Brand Identity
A thoughtfully crafted newsletter has its own design language that resonates with audiences and becomes instantly recognizable, all while allowing the content to take centerstage. The tone of voice should be equally singular, whether it’s confident and direct like our trucking newsletter, Inside Lane, or more chatty and casual akin to our retail newsletter, The SKUpe. Choose a smart and attention-grabbing name that both reflects your area of expertise and has the ability to stand out in inboxes.
Find, Grow, and Retain Your Audience
A successful B2B newsletter strategy requires building and retaining a loyal and engaged target audience. Start by fine-tuning your landing page with clear calls-to-action, while optimizing it for search engines to drive organic traffic. Share content on social media platforms that resonate with your readers (LinkedIn is ideal for reaching B2B audiences) and build partnerships with like-minded, complementary voices in your space to drive signups organically while simultaneously raising your brand profile. If you have the budget, consider investing in paid acquisition tools like Facebook ads that can also provide a focused boost in subscribers. Don’t forget to consistently analyze performance data to refine your strategy, and, most importantly, continue to create valuable, shareable content that’s guaranteed to keep your subscribers reading, clicking and sharing, week after week.
