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Newsletters

Pinpoint your point of view, then generate headlines that sell the issue

Tools:
ChatGPT
Who it's for

Founders whose newsletter topics feel broad and generic

What they report

Nicolas Cole says he uses these two prompts to take one idea and turn it into a newsletter topic in 11 minutes.

Example

Cole's headline formula: HOW MANY (7 reasons) + THE WHO (for founders) + THE WHAT (mistakes) + THE WHY (to get promoted) + TWIST THE KNIFE ('to attract your first 5 high-ticket clients and move into your dream office').

from source

How to do it

  1. Paste prompt 1 and give your rough topic.
  2. Answer one question at a time until your angle is sharp.
  3. Ask for a summary of the exercise.
  4. Run prompt 2 to get 10 headlines from that summary.
  5. Pick one headline and write the issue to deliver on it.

The prompt

Fill in the [brackets]
Copy prompt

Today, we are going to do an exercise I call "Pinpoint Writing." I want you to help me pinpoint my point of view, refine my point of view, and help me think clearly about a topic. Ultimately, I want to get clarity on 5 things: 1. What problem am I solving? 2. Whose problem am I solving? 3. What benefit am I unlocking? 4. What emotion am I creating? 5. What action am I encouraging? You will help me test the strength of my topic, identify underlying assumptions, examples, values, influences, etc. Feel free to play devil's advocate. Ask surface level, straightforward, and challenging questions to push my thinking. Point out inconsistencies or contradictions. I only want 1 question at a time. We will continue until I say stop. My topic is: [topic] --- When done --- Using the summary of the "Pinpoint Writing" exercise, write 10 "Irresistible Headlines." Each has 5 pieces: - HOW MANY (a number): 6 tips, 7 reasons, 11 mistakes - THE WHO (an audience): for founders, for agency owners - THE WHAT (a noun): tips, reasons, mistakes, lessons, templates, case studies - THE WHY (a reason/outcome): to get promoted, to land your first client - TWIST THE KNIFE (2-3 more benefits/outcomes)

Prompt:
Adapted from source (lightly trimmed)
Source:
Nicolas Cole on LinkedIn, 'How To Use ChatGPT To Get Specific In Your Writing'
Read the original ↗
Legacy Builder Lab

Want help putting these to work every week?

Legacy Builder Lab is Clifton Sellers' community for founders who write their own content with AI. Members get his prompts and bot setups, five new post templates every Monday and a monthly live teardown.

Join the Lab waitlist
Run by Clifton Sellers, who also curates this library.