How to write a B2B newsletter worth reading (Exit Five Newsletter #122)

Hello and welcome to the Exit Five Weekly Newsletter - read by 20,000 B2B marketing professionals around the world. Exit Five is a membership site designed to help you build a successful career in B2B marketing. Join 4,000 other members at exitfive.com.

🔁 5 marketing projects I’ll (almost) always outsource

I’m a marketing generalist, and I used to believe that meant I had to tackle everything myself.

The result? Spending hours on things that weren’t my specialty and only getting halfway there (and that’s being generous).

But now I know the real key is finding specialists you can rely on for projects outside your wheelhouse. My top 5:

1. Need stunning visuals? A Graphic Designer can bring ad creatives and landing pages to life.
2. Want to improve organic reach? An SEO Expert will handle keyword research and on-page optimization.
3. Creating video content? Leave the editing to the pros for polished social clips or YouTube features.
4. Got a website that needs a refresh? Web Designers ensure it's conversion-ready.
5. Running paid ads? A PPC Specialist can optimize performance across Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

And you can find trusted talent for every single one of those marketing projects on Fiverr Pro (what we’re using at Exit Five).

Plus, an exclusive deal: the first 50 Exit Five community members to sign up for Fiverr Pro will get 15% off their first order of $200 or more, using code Exit15.

📧 It's Possible: There's a B2B Newsletter with 3.7M Subscribers

A favorite quote of mine about newsletters is from the Queen herself, Ann Handley:

“An email newsletter is not a distribution strategy, it’s a relationship-builder.”

And if your B2B newsletter isn’t getting traction, the tough truth is that you’re probably treating it like more of a distribution strategy.

Instead, try the relationship building approach.

That’s exactly what the Monday.com team set out to do with “Monday Insights,” their thought leadership newsletter that’s hit a 55% open rate with 3.7 million subscribers.

Here’s how they got it off the ground, kept the strategy simple, and let the value speak for itself.

1. Why launch a thought leadership newsletter?

The vision behind Monday Insights was straightforward: no sales pitch, no product plugs—just pure, relevant insights that would make readers better at their jobs.

The CEO wanted something that professionals could depend on, knowing they’d get a boost of relevant trends, tips, and timely guidance.

Takeaway: If you’re going to do thought leadership, go all in on value. Show up in your readers’ inboxes with something they need to know, and that’s how you build loyalty.

2. Building a strong, repeatable structure

To keep things digestible and create a consistent reading experience, they landed on a clear structure with familiar sections:

• Workplace Trends: From the latest research to headline-worthy happenings in the work world.
• AI in Action: A breakdown of how AI is reshaping the future of work, specifically for leaders.
• Manager’s Corner: Real talk on topics like team motivation, conflict resolution, and communication.
• Fun with “Water Cooler” Chatter: Something lighthearted or surprising to bring up in team conversations.
• Weekly Humor: A cartoon from a New Yorker artist to lighten the workday.

Each section keeps readers informed, engaged, and entertained without overwhelming them—especially helpful for leaders scanning for info they can use right away.

Takeaway: Structure your thought leadership content in a way that’s consistent but never static. Help your readers find their go-to sections and give them something unique they’ll actually look forward to every week.

3. Execution and scale

For Monday’s team, getting consistent, timely content every week was all about research and responsiveness. Arielle, the lead writer, dives into workplace reports, industry news, and, more importantly, real-life conversations. Topics come straight from what professionals are facing, whether it’s feedback woes, “quiet quitting,” or managing hybrid teams.

They gauge success with a simple metric: engagement. With some readers opening the newsletter multiple times, they know the content is hitting home. When a specific topic resonates, they’ll repurpose it into video content on LinkedIn or blog posts to amplify its reach.

Takeaway: Make your thought leadership newsletter a source of info your audience doesn’t want to miss. And don’t overthink measurement. If your open rate, shares, and reopens are strong, you’re doing something right.

4. It's all about long-term trust

Monday Insights isn’t just a one-off newsletter; it’s a way to build trust. The consistency, the timely insights, and the familiar tone have turned it into the most-read email Monday.com sends. And because they’re focused on long-term engagement, they’ve seen a compounding effect where each edition reinforces the value of the next.

Final Takeaway: Trust takes time, but if you stick to adding value and delivering on your promise, it will pay off.

P.S. What are some of your favorite newsletters in B2B? I’ve always got an eye out for new ones to subscribe to and check out. Any brands doing this well? Individuals?

Also let me know if you want the interview with Dave/The Monday.com content team! Just reply to this email – I read (and cherish) every one :)

📺UPCOMING EVENTS

🤠 Our next live event: Austin, TX Y'all!

We're headed to Austin, y'all! After Drive, we heard you loud and clear: you want more chances to meet other awesome marketers in person.

Here's all the details:

• Wednesday, November 13, 2024
• 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM (doors open at 5:00 PM)
• @ Antone’s, 305 E 5th St., Austin, TX
• $49 for Exit Five members, $99 for non-members 
• 100 B2B marketers
• Networking, fun prizes, and a conversation with top B2B CMOs  

Meet the Marketers is an evening of new connections, “speed dating” style networking (low pressure), and a panel discussion and live Q&A with Dave and some of Austin’s top CMOs.

See more details at exitfive.com/austin.

Tickets are limited to 100, and they're already almost gone—grab yours now.

Meet the Marketers in Austin

🏢 OPEN ROLES

Who's Hiring Right Now?

HOT JOB OF THE WEEK: We're hiring at Exit Five – we're looking for an Account Manager to be our sixth teammate. You'll be the primary owner of our sponsorship business - a $1m/year revenue stream. We've barely scratched the surface of what’s possible here, and you'll be the driving force in taking us to the next level.

Interested? Apply here.

Other open roles on the Exit Five job board this week:

• SpeedWork is hiring a Senior LinkedIn Ads Specialist
• Dragon360 is hiring a Advertising & Media Strategist
• AROYA is hiring a Performance Marketing Manager
• Rhapsody is hiring a Content Marketing Manager
• Peak Support is hiring a Head of Marketing ($140k-$185k)
• PDQ is hiring a Senior Customer Marketing Specialist
• Clara is hiring a Marketing Operations Specialist
• Circle is hiring a Head of Marketing
• CourseStorm is hiring a Growth Marketing Manager
• Freshpaint is hiring a Product Marketing Manager
• Close is hiring a Marketing Operations Manager. USA Only, 100% Remote. 
• Brainlabs is hiring a Global CMO/EVP of Social.
• Culture Partners is hiring a Business Illustrator and an Instructional Designer & Map Developer
•  

See All Open Roles >>

Have an open role and want to make sure the best B2B marketing talent sees it?

Just reply to this email and we'll send over more info on how you can post it on our job board + get it in front of 20k+ marketers.

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