Newsletter Creation & Curation Skill
Use this skill to create B2B newsletters that match business context, not generic content templates.
Deep strategic guidance is in PLAYBOOK.md. Use this file as the executable operating manual.
Mode
Detect from context or ask: *"Outline only, full edition, or full edition + calendar?"*
| Mode | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|
quick | Edition outline + 3 lead story angles, no writing | Planning, editorial direction |
standard | Full newsletter edition, all sections written | Publishing this week |
deep | Full edition + 4-week content calendar + audience segmentation recommendations | Launching or systematizing a newsletter |
Default: standard — use quick if they're still deciding what to write. Use deep if they're building a newsletter from scratch or scaling.
Context Loading Gates
Before generating any newsletter content, collect:
- Company context: What product/service? Who is the ICP?
- Newsletter goal: Lead gen / thought leadership / personal brand / category ownership
- Industry vertical: Sales Tech / HR Tech / Fintech / Operations Tech
- Company stage: Series A / Series B / Series C+
- Role: Founder / VP-Director / PMM-Content / Enterprise employee
- Geography: US-first / India-first
- Prior issues: Any existing issues to maintain consistency and voice?
- Approval constraints: Does this need legal/brand/manager review?
Structured intake — answer all 5 dimensions before proceeding:
Goal: [lead_gen | thought_leadership | personal_brand | category_ownership]
Industry: [sales_tech | hr_tech | fintech | ops_tech]
Stage: [series_a | series_b | series_c_plus]
Role: [founder | vp_director | pmm_content | enterprise_employee]
Geography: [us_first | india_first]Phase 1: Context Analysis
Before drafting, reason through:
- Template match: Which industry template best fits? (Sales Tech = data-heavy; HR Tech = research-led; Fintech = compliance-aware; Ops Tech = practical)
- Cadence match: Series A = weekly/bi-weekly for simplicity; Series B = weekly with process; Series C+ = media-grade weekly with pillars
- Role constraints: Founder = direct POV allowed; Employee = approval checkpoint required before final draft
- Geography adjustments: India-first = IST timing + local examples; US-first = EST/PST + US benchmarks
- Goal-content alignment: Lead gen needs a clear conversion CTA; thought leadership needs original insight, not general content
Output one-line strategy statement:
For [ICP], we publish [cadence] to achieve [goal] with [format].Phase 2: Issue Blueprint
Before writing full draft, produce an issue blueprint:
## Issue Blueprint
**Strategy:** For [ICP], [cadence] to achieve [goal].
**Industry tone:** [tactical/research-led/compliance-aware/practical]
**Approval required:** [yes/no — who]
**Sections:**
1. Subject lines (3 options) — [~words each]
2. Hook — [target ~75 words]
3. Core insight — [target ~200 words]
4. Actionable playbook — [target ~150 words, 3-5 steps]
5. CTA — [1 sentence, singular action]Get confirmation or proceed to draft.
Phase 3: Full Issue Draft
Generate complete publish-ready draft. Required structure — every issue:
Subject Line Options (3 required)
Produce 3 distinct angles:
- A: Curiosity/open loop ("The metric most [ICP] ignore")
- B: Specific + benefit ("How [Company type] achieves [X] in [timeframe]")
- C: Contrarian/bold ("Stop [common behavior]. Do this instead.")
Hook
- First 2 sentences must earn the read
- Lead with the problem + stakes
- Target: busy reader can extract the point in 60 seconds
Core Insight
- One primary takeaway per issue — not three
- Support with: data, framework, or named pattern
- Include specific numbers or named examples wherever possible
Actionable Playbook
- 3-5 steps or checklist items
- Each step must be implementable, not just conceptual
- Series A = simpler steps; Series C+ = more sophisticated process
CTA
- ONE measurable action only
- Options: reply with [X], click [link], share [asset], book [demo]
- Never use vague CTAs ("Learn more")
Phase 4: Refinement Checklist
Run before delivering:
Clarity: Can a busy reader extract value in 60 seconds?Specificity: Does each section include concrete guidance or evidence?Relevance: Does tone match industry and role constraints?Compliance: For fintech/employee-led, is a legal/manager review step included?Consistency: Does voice align with prior issues (if any were provided)?CTA: Is there exactly ONE measurable CTA — not two, not zero?
Phase 5: Self-Critique Pass (REQUIRED)
After completing the draft, evaluate:
- Does the subject line A option create genuine curiosity without being clickbait?
- Does the hook deliver a problem + stakes in the first 2 sentences?
- Is the core insight something subscribers couldn't get from a generic AI prompt?
- Does the playbook have steps that are specific to this audience, not generic "tips"?
- Is the CTA actually measurable — i.e., can they track whether it worked?
- For fintech/employee contexts: is there an explicit approval checkpoint?
Flag any issue: "The playbook steps are too generic for a Series B SaaS audience — they read as beginner content. Revised to assume existing process maturity."
Iteration Protocol
After delivering the draft:
- Ask: "Does the hook earn the read? Does the playbook feel actionable for your audience?"
- If hook is weak → rewrite using a different angle (data-led, story-led, or contrarian)
- If playbook is too generic → ask for a specific example from their own experience to ground it
- For next issue: "Want me to save these content themes so the next issue builds on this one?"
Output Structure
## Newsletter Issue: [Name] — Issue #[X] — [Date]
**Strategy:** For [ICP], [cadence] to achieve [goal].
---
### Subject Line Options
A) [Curiosity/open loop]
B) [Specific + benefit]
C) [Contrarian/bold]
**Recommended:** [A/B/C] — [reason]
---
### Hook
[2-3 sentences — problem + stakes]
---
### Core Insight
[200-300 words — data, framework, or named pattern]
---
### Actionable Playbook
1. [Step]
2. [Step]
3. [Step]
---
### CTA
[Single measurable action]
---
### Distribution Plan
- **Send time:** [Day, Time, Timezone]
- **LinkedIn amplification:** [Post angle / hook]
- **Secondary channel:** [Platform + angle]
### KPI Targets
- Open rate goal: [%]
- CTR goal: [%]
- Primary metric: [SQLs / subscribers / replies]
### Approval Required
[Yes — [who] | No]
### Self-Critique Notes
[Issues flagged + revisions made]Playbook Map (Deep Dives in PLAYBOOK.md)
- Sales Tech strategy:
SECTION A - HR Tech strategy:
SECTION B - Fintech strategy:
SECTION C - Operations Tech strategy:
SECTION D - Role approvals and geography tactics:
CROSS-CUTTING: UNIVERSAL FRAMEWORKS
*Skill by Brian Wagner | AI Marketing Architect | brianrwagner.com*