Why Do People Ignore Newsletters?

Mar 21, 2025

When you open your email in the morning, what happens? Let me guess: you delete 90% without even opening them.

And when you finally open a newsletter? You probably skip entire paragraphs, look for the important points, and close it in less than 30 seconds.

Don't worry. I'm not offended. I do exactly the same thing.

The problem isn't the content. It's the approach.

Every day, your inbox is invaded by dozens of newsletters. Most fail because:

The hard truth: if you don't capture attention in the first 5 seconds, you've already lost.

Steven Pressfield calls it "Resistance" — that invisible force that makes us ignore what could change our lives.

It's the same resistance that makes people skip your emails, ignore your newsletters, and close your Substack articles before reaching the end.

It's not personal. It's biological. Our brain is programmed to conserve energy and avoid what seems like work.

Instead of fighting human biology, use it to your advantage:

1. Deliver immediate value Don't save the best for last. Start with the gold.

2. Speak directly to ONE reader Not to an anonymous crowd. To a specific person with a real problem.

3. Cut the fat If you can say something in 10 words, don't use 20.

4. Create disruptive visual patterns Use space, formatting, and structure to break the automatic scroll.

5. Use the language of authenticity Forget corporate jargon. Talk like a real person.

Delete the first two paragraphs you wrote They're just you warming up. The real value starts after.
Rewrite the title to include a specific benefit Not "Reflections on creativity," but "How to unlock ideas when you're completely blocked"
Cut 50% of your content Yes, half. Keep only what's absolutely transformative.
End with a single action to implement Not a list of 10 suggestions, but a single step that can be done in 10 minutes.
Test your hook in 5 seconds Show only the title and first paragraph to someone. If they don't ask questions or ask to continue, rewrite.

When was the last time you read a newsletter from beginning to end?

When was the last time you implemented something you learned in a newsletter?

When was the last time you eagerly waited for the next edition?

If the answer is "I don't remember," you're seeing the problem.

Choose the last newsletter you sent. Open it and delete 50% of the content. Keep only what's absolutely essential.

Now, rewrite the title so it promises a specific benefit to the reader.

Can you capture attention right from the start? Can you maintain that attention until the end?

If your content doesn't pass this test, it's not ready yet.

Most of the content we create is disposable. And that's okay — as long as you deliver real value amid the noise.

I don't need you to read everything I write. I just need you to find that paragraph, that idea, that sentence that will change how you think.

If this email made you pause for 30 seconds and think, I've already done my job.

If this helped you, share it with someone who needs to be read.