Launch & Grow a Paid Newsletter: Checklist for African Founders

Phase 0: Positioning (1–2 hours)

• Define your ONE reader (specific role/peer, not "marketers" but "Series A startup marketers struggling with attribution")
• Articulate the job-to-be-done (What pain do you relieve? What result do you deliver?)
• Commit to cadence and format (e.g., "Every Tuesday: one teardown + three tactical takeaways")

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Phase 1: Pre-Launch Assets (1–2 days)

• Build minimal landing page with: clear value prop (one sentence), sample issue embedded or linked, email signup form
• Draft 3 pillar posts (flagship quality—these set your standard)
• Update Twitter/X bio to reflect newsletter focus
• Create pinned tweet with signup link + clear benefit

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Phase 2: Early Traction (Weeks 1–4)

Guest Posts (Quality over quantity)

• Identify 2–3 relevant outlets your target reader follows
• Pitch with 80% complete draft (not ideas)
• Include compelling CTA: "Get the full playbook in my newsletter"

Twitter Value Threads

• Turn each post into a thread (1 insight per tweet, actionable)
• Post thread same day as newsletter goes out
• End thread with newsletter signup link

Advisor Circle

• Recruit 10–20 respected peers in your niche
• Give them early access to drafts
• Ask for specific feedback, not blanket promotion
• Request amplification on launch day

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Phase 3: Sustainable Cadence (Ongoing)

Protect the Process

• Block sacred writing time (e.g., mornings = no meetings)
• Build 12-week topic pipeline: Week 1–4: Titles only; Week 5–8: Bullet outlines; Week 9–12: Full drafts
• Source weekly prompts: "What's your biggest challenge with [X]?" (to subscribers)

Quality Standards

• Every post includes: concrete advice, peer-grade tactics, real examples, numbers
• Cut fluff ruthlessly—respect your reader's time
• Maintain consistent format (helps you ship faster)

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Phase 4: Flip to Paid (After 8–12 Issues)

Model Setup

• Paid: Weekly flagship content
• Free: Monthly "Best of + What You Missed" digest
• Decide paywall split: 70–80% paid, 20–30% free preview

Launch Email

• Explain WHY now (what changes for paid members)
• Detail WHAT paid includes (specific benefits, not vague promises)
• Offer founding member discount (time-boxed: 5–7 days)
• Make it personal—this is a big moment

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Phase 5: Pricing Strategy

• Set monthly: $12–15 (start higher than comfortable)
• Set annual: $120–150 (emphasize savings %)
• Make annual the default/highlighted option
• Create student discount code (50% off)
• Reserve scholarships for exceptional cases—no haggling
• Run 2–3 limited promos per year (Black Friday, etc., 20–30% off)

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Phase 6: Community (Optional, High-Leverage)

• Create ONE private channel for paid members (start simple)
• Seed weekly: Post 3 best questions, provide 3 fast answers
• Curate "Best of Community" monthly digest (light editing, heavy value)
• Let community shape future content (listen for patterns)

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Phase 7: Growth Tactics That Work

Core Flywheel

• Keep shipping remarkable posts (nothing beats this)
• Publish flagship guest post quarterly
• Create teaser thread for every paid post
• End every free post with "3 Things You Missed This Month" + upgrade CTA

Amplification

• Ask subscribers to forward best issues to one peer
• Encourage Twitter/LinkedIn shares (make it easy)
• Occasionally spotlight member wins/testimonials

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Phase 8: Minimal Team (Scale Smartly)

• Hire freelance editor (clarity + structure, not voice)
• Add light community moderator (for curation/events)
• Bring in designer for key assets only (landing page, lead magnets)
• Wait until process is tight before hiring

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Phase 9: Metrics to Track

• Free → Paid conversion rate (aim for low single digits early, improve over time)
• Monthly & annual churn (benchmark: <5% monthly, <20% annual)
• Open rate by day/time (stick to promised cadence)
• Time to first value: % of new subscribers who read flagship post in Week 1
• Paid subscriber count (growth rate month-over-month)

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Phase 10: Pitfalls to Avoid

• ❌ Don't chase growth hacks over quality content
• ❌ Don't promise formats you can't sustain weekly
• ❌ Don't build a team before your process is proven
• ❌ Don't let audience demands override your genuine curiosity (burnout alert)
• ❌ Don't discount too often—trains readers to wait
• ❌ Don't over-complicate—simple, consistent, valuable

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30/60/90-Day Sprint Plan

Days 1–30: Proof of Concept

• Ship 4 issues on schedule
• Publish 1 flagship guest post
• Post 4 Twitter value threads
• Build advisor circle (10–20 people)
• Hit 100–300 subscribers

Days 31–60: Prepare for Paid

• Ship 4 more issues
• Open pilot community space (paid members only)
• Draft paid launch email + landing page
• Create founding member offer
• Hit 300–500 subscribers

Days 61–90: Launch Paid + Iterate

• Execute paid launch with promo (5–7 days)
• Publish 1 more flagship guest post
• Start monthly "What You Missed" for free list
• Ship 4 paid issues
• Target: 2–5% free→paid conversion (10–25 paid subs if you have 500 free)

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Quick Reference: First 90 Days at a Glance

Timeline	Key Actions	Success Metric
Week 1–2	Launch free newsletter, ship 2 issues	50–100 subscribers
Week 3–4	Guest post published, 2 more issues	100–200 subscribers
Week 5–8	4 issues, build community pilot	200–400 subscribers
Week 9–10	Prep paid launch, draft materials	Launch assets ready
Week 11–12	Launch paid, ship paid issues	10–25 paid subscribers

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