📌 This Format Gets 13.97% Clicks

If you’re a business owner with a strong offer, the natural next step is expanding through more channels.

A newsletter is one of the best: it builds personal connection, drives direct sales, and keeps costs low.

But while many launch a newsletter, very few get real results.

Why?

This week’s 3 handpicked email gems…

1. $20M+ A Year Newsletter With 1 Employee (YouTube)

2. How to get more brand deals and sponsorships (YouTube)

3. One Method That Guarantees No Issues With Opens (LinkedIn)

Everyone talks about copywriting, design, and consistency.
But the format - your actual layout and structure - is what gets people to read, click, and act.

This is where Content–Market Fit lives or dies.

And in this issue, I’ll show you the exact format I use in Vaughan Brief,, my local newsletter that gets:

• 46.68% open rate

• 13.97% click-through rate (That’s about 4 to 6 times the industry average.)

 1. A simple format that builds trust and clicks

When I launched Vaughan Brief, I had one job:

Serve busy families in Vaughan with a 3-minute plan for the week.

Pretty simple, right?

But here’s what made it work:

• I gave the newsletter a reliable structure — 5 sections they could expect every week.

• I tailored every word to how families make decisions.

• I made it strictly practical.

• Each section gave just enough info to know if it’s worth clicking.xxx`

Your goal as a newsletter operator is to build a habit.

A habit to look for that newsletter.

A habit of opening it.

A habit of clicking.

Here are the typical engagement benchmarks:

• Open rate: 28% to 36%

• Click-through rate: 2.6% to 3.6%

If your numbers are average or lower, the problem might not be your copy - it might be your format.

 2. Here’s how three newsletters get it right:

1440

Every issue follows a structured format:

• Key headlines and summaries

• Brief updates across sectors

• Uplifting stories and human interest

• Deep dives with links for more

• Clearly labeled, relevant sponsored content

6AM City

Designed for local engagement at scale:

• Local weather and sunrise/sunset

• One strong lead story

• Polls and interactive bits

• Events and bite-sized news

• Always upbeat, never political

• Personal editor notes for connection

Vaughan Brief

My own format includes 5 recurring sections tailored to local families:

1. For Families – kid-friendly events

2. For Couples – adult-only activities

3. For Golden Age – senior-friendly picks

4. Local Aroma – top food spots

5. The “Trust Me” Recipe – a short, popular dish to try

Each section aims for 5 items—short, practical, and designed for clicks.

3. How to know if you have content–market fit

Here are five simple tests:

1. People actually click
   If your click rate is below 2%, you might be too broad, or solving a problem nobody cares enough about.

2. People reply or forward
   When your content resonates, your inbox reflects it. So do referrals.

3. People can explain what you do in one sentence
   “He’s the one who helps restaurant owners fill empty tables with email.”
   If you’re not that clear, your content may still be too vague.

4. You stop over-explaining
   When your topic hits a real pain point, you don’t need a 10-paragraph intro.

5. People come back
   Retention is the silent proof. No one unsubscribes from a newsletter that gets them results.

Need a shortcut to check your fit?
Download the 5-point content–market fit checklist here:

Bonus exercise to test your format

Here’s a tip I give to consulting clients:
Write your next issue just for your top 20% of customers.
Ignore everyone else.

Then read it back.
Did it hit harder?
Was the offer clearer?
Chances are, yes.
Because writing for “everyone” is where resonance dies.

P.S.

Want to launch or fix your newsletter fast & risk-free? → Newsletter in 10 Days

Want 1:1 help & risk-free? → Book a strategy call

P.P.S.

Questions about newsletter growth, monetization, or other how-to topics?

Reply to this email or connect with me on ​LinkedIn.​