Email just might be the least glamorous tool in your marketing kit. No algorithm, no potential viral moment, no follower count to obsess over. Just a direct line to people who actually want to hear from you—and that, as it turns out, is the whole point.
For Westchester business owners weighing whether to launch a newsletter, the short answer is probably yes. The longer answer involves being honest about your bandwidth, your goals, and whether you’re willing to treat it like a publication rather than a promotional flyer.
The Case for Taking the Plunge
John Goodman, founder of Tuckahoe-based John Goodman PR, spells out the value of a newsletter this way: On social media, algorithms decide who sees your message. A newsletter delivers information directly to customers, employees, and partners who want to hear from you. That inbox access is something you own, and no platform change can take it away.
Goodman also makes the case for newsletters as a long game. “When companies provide useful information, industry perspective, or thoughtful commentary on a regular basis, they position themselves as credible voices in their field rather than just sellers of products or services.” That consistent presence matters.
Make It Feel Less Like Marketing
Lisa Buchman, executive vice president and chief communications officer at Harry, an integrated marketing agency based in Armonk, offers this simple filter; “The best newsletters just don’t feel like marketing.” Translation: Lead with information your reader can actually use, rather than a sell. She’s equally direct about focus. “Keeping it simple is key.” Pick a lane: industry news, behind-the-scenes company updates, expert tips, client stories. Trying to do all of it in one send usually means doing none of it well.
Who Should It Come From?
One of the more underrated decisions is the byline. Buchman points to a broader cultural shift that’s making this choice more consequential. “We’re in the age of influence, and a lot of brands are finding people aren’t responding to the brand as much as they’re responding to an individual,” she points out. “So, depending on the content, you can highlight different people in your company, your organization, your brand, and that makes it personal.” Her example: “If you’re talking about how to keep your heart fit into your 60s, 70s and 80s, maybe that newsletter should be coming from the top cardiologist at the hospital.”
Cadence, Visuals, and the Video Question
One of the most common mistakes new newsletter publishers make is overcommitting on frequency. Buchman’s advice: “Consistency is more important than frequency. Choose a cadence you can manage. Monthly might be a good place to start.” A newsletter that shows up reliably builds trust. One that goes dark for two months does the opposite.
On visuals, she advises thinking hard about good-looking ‘hero’ images, which are the first thing readers see. They should instantly grab attention and build expectations. Try to use imagery authentic to your company rather than so-so stock photos. And if you have behind-the-scenes video content, use it.
Connect It to Everything Else
A newsletter shouldn’t exist in isolation from the rest of your marketing. If you’re publishing a blog on your website, feature it in your newsletter and link back to it, Buchman suggests. “It’s really sort of all integrated and part of the same strategy.” Think of the newsletter as the distribution engine for content you’re already creating.
For businesses with varied customer segments, she adds one more lever worth pulling. “Segmented messaging can often perform much better. You’ll get higher click-through rates and higher engagement with your content if it’s targeted to your audience.” Most major email platforms make basic segmentation accessible even for small teams.
Choosing Your Platform
Substack gets a lot of attention, as it has a built-in discovery network and a social media feature called Notes that’s become increasingly important for growing an audience, for better or worse. But it’s not the only option, and for some businesses, it may not be the right one. The platform made headlines recently after drawing widespread criticism for allowing accounts promoting hate speech and extremist ideology to remain active and monetized. For brands with any sensitivity around association, that’s worth factoring in.
The more established players—Mailchimp and Constant Contact—remain solid, reliable choices, particularly for businesses that want robust integrations, list segmentation, and detailed analytics without a steep learning curve. If you’re looking for something newer with a cleaner interface and strong growth tools, Beehiiv has been gaining traction fast among independent publishers and small businesses. Built by former Morning Brew employees, the platform was designed specifically for newsletters that want to scale, with a built-in referral program and ad network included from the start.
How Do You Know If It’s Working?
Open rate is the number most people watch first, and industry benchmarks hover around 20 to 30 percent for small businesses, though this varies significantly by sector. Click-through rate, the percentage of people who actually tap a link, is a more meaningful indicator of engagement. Beyond the metrics, pay attention to replies, direct messages, and whether people mention your newsletter in conversation. That qualitative signal is often more telling than any dashboard.
The caveat: A newsletter takes real time to do well. If you’re producing it yourself, budget at least a few hours per issue for writing, editing, and design. If that feels unsustainable, consider hiring outside help, or starting smaller than you think you need to. A focused two-paragraph send that goes out reliably every month will outperform an ambitious six-section issue that never quite makes it out the door.
Related: Inside the 914 Room: A New Kind of Networking in Westchester
