How to Use Other People’s Newsletters to Become an Expert in Your Niche
You may already be doing it.
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I’m a newsletter fiend.
I’ve subscribed to a bucketload of mailing lists over the last few years. If I hadn’t switched off the email notification option on Substack, I’d probably receive hundreds of newsletter editions on a daily basis.
And that doesn’t include the dozens of newsletters I’ve subscribed to outside of this platform.
When I read something good from a creator, I just have to know more.
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Learning from the best
It may seem like a recipe for overwhelm, but being on a ton of different mailing lists is actually a great way to deepen your understanding of a particular topic.
For example, I feel like I have a pretty solid handle on how to write online and generate income from it (hence this publication). I’m certain the valuable information I’ve gleaned from creators further up the ladder from me has contributed to that.
And where did I gain access to the majority of that information? Newsletters.
Social media is another great access point, but even if you’ve set up notifications for your favourite creators, it’s still easy to miss the juicy morsels they drop for their followers. Life (and algorithms) get in the way.
That’s why subscribing to mailing lists, in addition to following people on social media, is so key.
A simple process
If you want to develop a well-rounded understanding of a certain topic, it’s a good idea to draw from multiple sources.
Here’s the approach I’ve been using for a while now:
Find creators in your chosen niche or topic area. They’re usually hanging out on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. Consider following them and setting up notifications to stay updated on their work.
If you’ve searched with a question and a particular creator has answered it in a satisfying way, subscribe to their newsletter. Ignore how many others are on their list (if they’ve disclosed it). Subscribe for the ongoing learning potential you expect to tap into, not just for free lead magnets.
Do this for several creators in the same ballpark. Want to know where to find them? Just browse the Following list of the initial creator on social media.
Compare and contrast. Once you’ve subscribed to several mailing lists, sit back and wait. You’ll likely receive a ton of value from them collectively over the following weeks. Compare their ideas, suggestions and opinions. See where they agree. Keep an eye out for anything that goes against the grain (diamonds in the rough).
Trim the fat. After a few weeks or months, don’t be afraid to unsubscribe from the lists you’re not resonating with. It might be down to a clash of styles, content that didn’t meet your expectations, or someone constantly selling the same thing. Stick with the creators you like best.
It’s a team effort
You’ll have heard the saying “it takes a village to raise a child” — it’s completely applicable to online learning, too.
If you want to deepen your knowledge around a topic, take multiple viewpoints on board. Seek out a variety of perspectives in the same niche. Don’t just stick on your blinders and follow one creator, no matter how much you might like them.
The more information you can glean, and the more widely-spread the sources of that information are, the better you’ll understand a topic as a writer, creator or solopreneur yourself.
And that’s the fastest way to become an expert in your niche.
Roughly how many newsletters are you subscribed to?
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I would say I'm subscribed to 20 right now. And I completely agree. Each newsletter that I'm subscribed to is because I have learned something new from them, and want to keep learning more in the future.
It's exactly what I've always did. It's a dynamic approach, too.
The newsletters I subscribe to constantly change. I read every issue from some authors, while only the most interesting ones from others. And the group of "must read" authors also changes.
Following only the best seems a good optimization. But you risk falling into an echo chamber. Especially as the few you follow become more and more expert.
But, as you say finding patterns is the most useful thing. When something works, or not, for many people, it must be true.