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The Long Game
Samuel Salamanca / Writing

The Long Game

2024 Writing Newsletter Strategy

Overview

Long-form essay series on brand storytelling for small businesses. Published independently, 12K subscribers.

The Long Game started as a place to think out loud about something that kept coming up in client work: most small businesses understand they need content, but almost none of them understand what it's actually for.

The newsletter runs monthly. Each issue takes one strategic concept — positioning, audience specificity, platform selection, the difference between building an audience and building a customer base — and examines it through the lens of a real business decision.

Twelve issues published over fourteen months. 12,400 subscribers, 54% average open rate (industry average: 22%). Three issues were cited in brand strategy courses at two universities. No paid promotion — growth entirely through reader referrals and one guest post.