Whether you're working with an assistant on your newsletter or doing it all yourself, it's still a great idea to have a process that you follow each time you publish.
This helps with consistency, ensures that nothing gets overlooked, and keeps you from having to remember each step when you write/send.
Here's an example standard operating procedure (SOP) that you can use or modify for your own work:
Example Newsletter SOP
- Draft newsletter in Google Doc (each Tuesday; or 1st and 3rd Tuesday; etc)
- Get feedback or sleep on it (OPTIONAL!)
- Add newsletter draft from Google Doc into Mailer Lite (Wednesday)
- Copy existing newsletter in MailerLite
- Update subject line
- Update message
- Update recommendation links
- Double-check “send to” list
- Send myself a test email and check formatting and all links (Wednesday)
- Send email (or schedule email to go out on Thursday at 10 am)
- Copy fresh Format Draft document from Google Docs for next newsletter (Wednesday)
- Add tasks for next newsletter to my calendar/scheduler or copy tasks and assign new due dates (Wednesday)
- Set reminder to check and record newsletter analytics (schedule this task for at least 24 h after posting; can be 1 week later or even done once monthly for all newsletters sent in the month)
I recommend creating a single recurring task with each of these as subtasks inside whatever task or project management system you use. I like Upbase, but you can use whatever works for you! Check off each task as it gets completed, which will allow you to keep track of what's happened and what still needs to happen.
If you're working with an assistant, this will help keep both of you on the same page. (More on working with an assistant to schedule your newsletter here.)
I hope this is helpful!
Warmly,
Camille