An elevator newsletter typically refers to a concise, easily digestible newsletter designed to deliver key information quickly, much like an “elevator pitch” conveys an idea or proposal in a short time. The idea is to provide readers with valuable content in a brief, time-efficient format, often focusing on a single theme or a few critical points that can be consumed within a couple of minutes—much like the duration of an elevator ride.
Key Features of an Elevator Newsletter:
- Short and Focused: Content is highly condensed and straightforward, offering essential insights, updates, or tips without excessive detail.
- Engaging Headlines: Clear and compelling headlines grab attention and make the content easy to skim.
- Bullet Points and Lists: Information is presented in a simple, scannable format, often using bullet points or numbered lists.
- Actionable Tips: Provides quick, actionable takeaways that readers can implement immediately.
- Minimal Design: The layout is usually clean and clutter-free to ensure the focus remains on the content.
- Frequent but Brief: These newsletters may be sent more frequently (daily or weekly), but they only take a minute or two to read.
Purpose:
The purpose of an elevator newsletter is to cater to busy professionals who don’t have the time to read long emails or articles. It provides them with the most important updates, insights, or information they need in a time-efficient manner.
Example Use Cases:
- Daily Market Updates: A newsletter summarizing key stock market movements in a few bullet points.
- Tech News: Brief updates on the latest tech trends or product releases.
- Industry-Specific Insights: Quick insights tailored to specific industries, like real estate or marketing.
7 Examples of Elevator Newsletters
Here are a few well-known examples of elevator-style newsletters that focus on providing concise, high-value content quickly:
1. Morning Brew
- Focus: Business, finance, and tech news.
- Format: Morning Brew delivers a daily newsletter that summarizes key business and tech stories in an engaging, humorous, and digestible format. The content is structured into short paragraphs and bullet points for easy skimming.
- Frequency: Daily (Monday to Saturday).
- Why It Works: It offers busy professionals the most important news in just a few minutes, with witty commentary to keep it light and engaging. Website: morningbrew.com
2. The Skimm
- Focus: News and pop culture.
- Format: The Skimm breaks down major news stories into bite-sized summaries that are quick to read and understand. It often uses conversational language and includes links to dive deeper into topics.
- Frequency: Daily.
- Why It Works: It’s designed for readers who want to stay informed about current events but don’t have time for in-depth news consumption. Website: theskimm.com
3. NextDraft
- Focus: Daily news curation.
- Format: NextDraft curates the top 10 most interesting and important news stories of the day. Each story is summarized in a few sentences with Dave Pell’s personal and often humorous commentary.
- Frequency: Daily.
- Why It Works: It delivers a curated selection of news, allowing readers to get a quick overview of trending stories without the need to sift through the web. Website: nextdraft.com
4. 5-Bullet Friday (by Tim Ferriss)
- Focus: Personal development, tools, and recommendations.
- Format: Tim Ferriss sends a weekly email containing five quick bullets with recommendations on books, tools, gadgets, quotes, or articles he finds interesting.
- Frequency: Weekly (every Friday).
- Why It Works: It’s highly actionable, concise, and personalized, offering only five key insights or recommendations in each email. Website: tim.blog/5-bullet-friday
5. The Hustle
- Focus: Business and tech news.
- Format: The Hustle offers daily summaries of trending business and tech stories in a conversational and witty style. It’s designed to inform readers about the most important happenings in the business world in just a few minutes.
- Frequency: Daily.
- Why It Works: It presents serious business news in a fun, relatable tone, making it easier to digest. Website: thehustle.co
6. Finimize
- Focus: Financial and investment insights.
- Format: Finimize breaks down complex financial news and investment opportunities into short, easy-to-understand bullet points. It’s designed to help busy professionals and investors stay on top of the market.
- Frequency: Daily.
- Why It Works: It makes financial news approachable and quick to consume for readers who need fast insights into the markets. Website: finimize.com
7. TL;DR Newsletter
- Focus: Tech and startup news.
- Format: The TL;DR newsletter covers daily tech and startup news in a short and scannable format, typically offering brief headlines and summaries with links to full articles.
- Frequency: Daily.
- Why It Works: It’s designed for tech enthusiasts who want a quick digest of the latest developments in the industry without reading long articles. Website: tldrnewsletter.com
These examples demonstrate how different industries and niches use the elevator newsletter format to deliver valuable information in a concise and engaging manner. If you’re looking to create something similar, focus on delivering high-impact content that can be consumed in just a couple of minutes.