Email newsletters build relationships with your audience over time — they're a direct line to people who've already said they want to hear from you. Yet most businesses send newsletters inconsistently (or not at all) because the production work keeps getting deprioritized. A virtual assistant can take newsletter creation off your plate, keeping your list engaged on a reliable schedule while you focus on your business.
What "Outsourcing Newsletter Creation" Actually Means
Before delegating, be clear about what you're handing off. A VA can typically handle:
- Researching and selecting content to feature (blog posts, news, curated links)
- Writing or editing email copy based on a brief or outline you provide
- Building the email in your platform using a template
- Adding images, CTAs, and links
- Running pre-send checks (link testing, preview text, subject line)
- Scheduling or sending to defined list segments
What they typically still need from you:
- The core message or story you want to tell each edition
- Approval before it goes out to your list
- Any proprietary insight, personal anecdote, or expert opinion that only you can provide
Step 1: Choose and Template Your Email Platform
Pick one email platform and stick with it. Common choices: Mailchimp, Klaviyo, ConvertKit, ActiveCampaign, or HubSpot.
Build a branded email template your VA will use for every newsletter. A consistent template:
- Reduces production time for each edition
- Maintains visual brand consistency
- Simplifies the VA's workflow
Your template should include pre-formatted sections: header, intro text area, main content blocks, CTA section, footer with unsubscribe link and physical address (required by CAN-SPAM).
Step 2: Define Your Newsletter Format
Document the structure of each newsletter edition so your VA knows exactly what to build:
Example newsletter structure:
- Subject line (A/B test two options)
- Preview text
- Intro paragraph (personal, conversational)
- Main feature: [blog post / tip / story / offer]
- Secondary section: curated resources or industry news
- Call to action
- Closing line + signature
The more clearly you define the format, the faster your VA can produce each edition without needing your input on structure.
Step 3: Build a Content Brief Template
Create a brief template your VA fills out — or that you complete — before each newsletter. It should include:
- Edition date and scheduled send time
- Primary topic or theme
- Key points to cover
- Any specific links, products, or offers to feature
- Tone notes for this edition (more serious, celebratory, educational, etc.)
- Subject line direction or A/B test ideas
With a completed brief, your VA can produce a first draft without scheduling a meeting.
Step 4: Establish a Production Calendar
Define a consistent production schedule:
- Content brief due: e.g., Monday by noon
- First draft due: e.g., Tuesday by end of day
- Review window: e.g., Wednesday
- Revisions due back to VA: e.g., Thursday morning
- Send date: e.g., Thursday or Friday
This cadence works for weekly newsletters. For bi-weekly or monthly newsletters, adjust the timeline accordingly. The key is a fixed, predictable schedule.
Step 5: Create a Voice and Style Guide
Your newsletter represents your voice. Your VA needs clear guidance to write in a way that sounds like you:
- Describe your tone (conversational, expert, casual-professional)
- Share examples of past newsletters they should emulate
- List phrases or words you use naturally
- Specify what topics are off-limits
- Note whether you use first-person ("I"), second-person ("you"), or both
The goal isn't for your VA to sound like a different person — it's for them to draft something you can review, lightly edit, and send as your own.
Step 6: Set Up a Review and Approval Process
Always review before sending. Options:
- Email draft review: Your VA builds the campaign in draft mode in your email platform; you review the live preview and approve with a reply or Slack message
- Google Doc review: VA writes the copy in a Google Doc first; you edit inline before they build the email
- Loom walkthrough: For complex editions, your VA records a quick Loom showing the built email before you log in to review
For more on using Loom in your VA workflow, see using Loom to train your virtual assistant.
Step 7: Track Performance and Adjust
Ask your VA to pull the previous edition's metrics before drafting the next one:
- Open rate: Is your subject line resonating?
- Click rate: Are your CTAs compelling enough?
- Unsubscribe rate: Is the content relevant to your list?
Use these data points to evolve the newsletter format and content mix over time. A VA who tracks and reports on performance is contributing to your marketing strategy, not just producing content.
Common Newsletter Outsourcing Mistakes
Not giving the VA access to your insights: Your expertise and perspective are what make newsletters worth reading. Even a brief set of talking points transforms generic content into something valuable.
Skipping the review: Your newsletter goes to your entire list. Always review before it sends.
Not building a template first: Each newsletter built from scratch wastes time. Invest one hour building a solid template and save dozens of hours over the year.
Ready to Hire?
A great newsletter is one of the most powerful tools for keeping your audience engaged and your brand top of mind. Ready to hire a virtual assistant? Virtual Assistant VA connects you with trained VAs who specialize in email marketing — so your newsletter goes out on schedule, every time, without consuming your week.