Build a list worth having, not just a big one.
The subscribe offer, the growth loops, the content rhythm, and the metrics that matter beyond list size.
Inside: The subscribe offer, the growth loops, and engagement-first metrics.
Install it in one line, or paste it in.
~/.claude/skills/ and runs automatically when it is relevant.Connect your context. Set it to your motion.
it reads subscribers, opens, clicks, and unsubscribes, so the plan targets your real weak spot, not a generic one.
shows which pages and referrers drive signups, so you double down on the sources that actually convert.
ties subscribers to pipeline, so the newsletter is measured on business impact, not applause.
This was built for a B2B operator growing a topic-focused newsletter tied to a business. Set these to your stack:
The rates and counts below are illustrative placeholders, not benchmarks. Replace them with your own.
| Set this | What it is | Default / Example |
|---|---|---|
| TOPIC | what the newsletter is about | your specific anglenot a broad category |
| AUDIENCE | who it is for | the reader you wantby role |
| CADENCE | how often you publish | weeklybiweekly |
| SUBSCRIBE_OFFER | the reason to hand over an email | the promise of every issueplus an optional lead magnet |
| EMAIL_TOOL | where it sends and reports | your newsletter platform |
| NORTH_STAR | the metric that matters most | engaged subscribersnot raw list size |
| GROWTH_LOOPS | how readers bring readers | referralssharescross-promos |
Everything the skill does, in full.
Takes a newsletter and builds the system to grow it: the offer that convinces someone to hand over an email, the loops that turn readers into more readers, the publishing rhythm that keeps opens high, and the metrics that tell you whether the audience is actually engaged or just large. It builds the growth plan. It does not write every issue for you.
- 1The subscribe offer (earn the email)
An email address is a real ask. The subscribe offer is the promise that makes it worth it: a specific, recurring value the reader cannot get by scrolling. "Sign up for updates" earns nothing. "Every week, one teardown of how a real team does X" earns the click. Optionally pair it with a lead magnet, but the durable offer is the promise of every issue, not a one-time download.
- 2Growth loops (compounding, not just paid)
One-time pushes plateau. Loops compound. Build the loops that fit the topic: a referral mechanic (readers invite readers for a reward), shareable issues (a format people forward), cross-promotions with adjacent newsletters, and a public archive that pulls search traffic. Name the two or three loops worth building, because a loop beats a blast every time.
- 3Content rhythm (keep them opening)
Consistency is the retention engine. Set a cadence you can actually hold and a recognizable structure so readers know what they are getting. The issue people open every week is worth more than the perfect issue that shows up randomly. Define the recurring format so writing gets easier and opens stay high.
- 4Activation (the first two weeks decide)
Most unsubscribes happen right after signup, when the promise and the reality first meet. Plan the welcome sequence and the first few issues to deliver the offer immediately, so a new subscriber gets the value they were promised before they forget why they signed up. Acquisition without activation is a leaky bucket.
- 5Metrics that matter (not list size)
List size is a vanity number. A big, dead list is worse than a small, engaged one. Track the NORTH_STAR of engaged subscribers (opens and clicks over time), net growth (subscribes minus unsubscribes), the growth-loop contribution (how many came from readers, not spend), and, where the CRM allows, pipeline touched. The skill flags when someone is optimizing for a number that does not pay.
- The subscribe offer is a specific recurring promise, not "get updates."
- At least one compounding growth loop is in the plan, not only paid or one-time pushes.
- Activation (welcome plus first issues) is planned, not just acquisition.
- The headline metric is engagement, not raw list size, and the skill says so out loud.
- Any rate or count shown is labeled illustrative unless it came from your connected data.
NEWSLETTER GROWTH PLAN · weekly teardown newsletter (illustrative) Topic: one real team's workflow, taken apart, every Thursday. Subscribe offer: "Every Thursday, one teardown you can copy by Friday." (plus optional lead magnet: a starter pack of the 5 best past teardowns) Growth loops: 1. Referral: invite 3, unlock the private archive 2. Shareable format: each issue ends with a copy-paste checklist people forward 3. Cross-promo: swap mentions with 2 adjacent newsletters each month Rhythm: same 3-part structure weekly (the setup, the teardown, the steal). Activation: 1 welcome + best-of issue within 24h, so the promise lands before they forget. Metrics (north star = engaged subs): Engaged (opened 2 of last 4) track weekly Net growth (subs - unsubs) not gross signups % from loops vs paid is growth compounding? Pipeline touched (via CRM) business impact, not applause Next move: connect the email tool so the plan targets your real bottleneck, not a generic one.
Where an operator takes this next.
The plan is step one. Here is where an operator takes it once the manual version proves out.
You built the system once, now the metrics that matter get watched every week.
Connect your email tool (a newsletter platform) so opens, clicks, and unsubscribes feed the plan weekly instead of a one-time estimate.
Wire a scheduled Claude task to flag the week engaged-subscriber rate drops two weeks running, so activation problems get caught before they show up in a shrinking list.
Sync subscriber emails against Salesforce or HubSpot so the plan can report how many touched pipeline, not just how many opened.
One skill is the on-ramp.
A single skill does one job. Chained into a playbook, or run as a full build, it becomes a system. Here is where this one plugs in.