Case Study: Newsletter Revamp Using Smart Brevity
The Challenge:
A weekly thought leadership newsletter had plateaued. Opens were flat. Clicks were low. Key audiences weren’t engaging. The goal: rethink the newsletter as a high-impact, persona-driven tool rather than just another email blast.
The Insight
Audience ≠ one-size-fits-all. By segmenting subscribers by job description, we uncovered that the audience we thought made up the bulk of the sends was managers. Company leadership accounted for the bulk of the sends, meaning they were the ones signing the contracts. That meant:
Pivoting the direction of the newsletter: Went from prioritizing manager interests to leadership interests.
Optimizing subject lines: We researched what subject lines leadership most engaged with and used that to drive content
A new format: We wanted the newsletter to be succinct, scannable, and appealing to busy leaders.
The Approach
We modeled the newsletter on the Smart Brevity approach: concise, scannable, structured for quick comprehension. Strategy included:
Content optimized for what leaders want: We pivoted the content we covered to appeal to our biggest send group
Scannable formatting: headlines, bullets, and bold highlights made content digestible
A/B testing: subject lines and content placement refined for engagement
Scalable workflows: templates and repeatable processes allowed a small team to sustain quality output
Execution Highlights
Editorial direction shifted to persona-relevant insights, turning a generic newsletter into a targeted engagement tool
Condensed long-form content into scannable sections inspired by Smart Brevity, letting readers absorb key points quickly
Optimized subject lines and headers increased opens and clicks
Templates and workflows ensured the process was repeatable and scalable
The Impact
Open rates increased +5%
Click-through rates increased +2%
Engagement reached industry-standard benchmarks
Newsletter became a strategic, persona-driven tool, not just a broadcast
Repeatable workflows allowed ongoing Smart Brevity-style optimization
Key Takeaway
For this newsletter, success came from Smart Brevity + audience insight. By combining scannable, concise content with a clear understanding of who the audience is and what they need, even a small team can transform a plateaued newsletter into a high-impact, persona-driven engagement engine.
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*This case study is done using the Smart Brevity framework