Varnan-Tech/opendirectory

Email Newsletter

Draft and design a complete HTML email newsletter from a topic or content brief. Output is paste-ready for Loops, Mailchimp, Beehiiv, Resend, or any standard email platform.

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Critical rule: Table-based HTML with inline styles only. No CSS classes, no flexbox, no grid, no <style> blocks. Every element gets style="" directly. This is not optional -- email clients strip everything else.

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Step 1: Brief Intake

Need three things to start. If all three present in the message: skip to Step 2.

If any missing, ask exactly:

"To get started, I need three things:

1. Topic -- what is this newsletter about?
2. Audience -- who is reading? (role, company size, how they know you)
3. Primary CTA -- what one action do you want readers to take?"

Wait for all three before continuing.

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Step 2: Complete Intake

Ask all questions in one message, grouped by category. User can skip any -- defaults apply.

"A few questions before I draft -- answer what you know, skip the rest:

Content

1. Length -- brief (300 words, punchy) / standard (500-700) / deep dive (800+ words)?
2. Format -- editorial article / numbered breakdown / personal story / data report?
3. Issue context -- one-time send / part of weekly series / monthly digest?
4. CTA URL -- what's the actual link? (or I'll use a placeholder)

Brand 5. Company / brand name -- for header and footer 6. Tagline -- one-line description (optional, for footer) 7. City & country -- for footer (e.g. "San Francisco, US") 8. Primary brand color -- hex? (e.g. #856FE6) 9. Secondary accent -- keep default yellow-green (#D8F90A) / use brand color / something else?

Design 10. Background -- dark (editorial/SaaS) / light (clean/corporate) / custom hex? 11. Display font -- editorial serif (Instrument Serif) / clean modern sans / system fonts only? 12. Button style -- pill (very rounded) / softly rounded / sharp corners? 13. Visual style -- editorial / technical+data / warm+founder / bold+campaign?

Platform & Technical 14. Platform -- Loops / Mailchimp / Beehiiv / Resend / other? 15. Tone -- educational / conversational / bold+direct / formal / playful? 16. Personalization -- none / first name / first name + company? 17. Subject line -- have one / want 3 options? 18. Secondary sections -- sponsor block / product callout / event / quick links / none? 19. Plain-text version -- yes (recommended) / no?"

Defaults if skipped:

Question	Default
Length	standard (500-700 words)
Format	editorial article
Issue context	one-time send
CTA URL	[CTA_URL] placeholder
Company name	[YOUR BRAND] placeholder
Tagline	none
City & country	[CITY, COUNTRY] placeholder
Brand color	none (use #D8F90A for all accents)
Secondary accent	#D8F90A (yellow-green default)
Background	dark
Display font	Instrument Serif (editorial serif)
Button style	pill
Visual style	editorial
Platform	generic
Tone	conversational
Personalization	none
Subject line	generate 3 options
Secondary sections	none
Plain-text	yes

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Step 2.5: Design Direction (internal -- not shown to user)

From Step 2 answers, determine:

• Visual character (from question 13, or inferred from tone + format if skipped)
• ONE unmissable element -- identify before Step 3
• Template path (see Step 5)

Character defaults if question 13 skipped:

• Educational / formal tone: Editorial
• Metrics-heavy content (stats, benchmarks, reports): Technical/data-forward
• Product launches, events, campaigns: Bold/campaign

Never ask the user for design direction separately -- derive it from their answers.

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Step 3: Structure Design

Read references/html-email-guide.md for layout rules before choosing sections.

Based on topic + audience + CTA + secondary sections requested, select sections from this library:

Section	Include when
header	Always -- logo placeholder + issue number or date
hero	Always -- big headline + 1-2 sentence hook
intro	Conversational or educational tone -- short personal note
main-content	Primary article or insight (text-heavy)
stat-callout	There is a compelling stat, quote, or data point
secondary-section	Secondary CTA was requested
product-cta	Brand context present and soft product plug fits
sponsor-block	Sponsor section was requested
quick-links	Curated links section was requested
footer	Always -- unsubscribe link + company name

Output the chosen structure as a numbered list with one-line purpose per section:

Proposed structure:
1. Header -- logo + Issue #1 / [date]
2. Hero -- headline + hook paragraph
3. Intro -- short personal framing
4. Main Content -- [topic] breakdown
5. Stat Callout -- key data point from the story
6. CTA -- [cta text]
7. Footer -- unsubscribe + company

Does this structure work, or should I adjust any sections?

Wait for confirmation before Step 4.

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Step 4: Content Draft

Write copy for each section in sequence. No HTML yet -- clean prose only.

Rules per section:

• Header: Issue number + date. No copy needed.
• Hero headline: 8 words max, outcome-focused, no starting with "I/We/Our"
• Hero hook: 1-2 sentences, problem or curiosity gap, pulls reader in
• Intro: 2-3 sentences, personal or contextual, not corporate-speak, contractions OK
• Main content: 250-400 words, scannable -- use bold phrases for key points, short paragraphs (1-3 lines), no walls of text, no bullet overload
• Stat callout: One stat or quote, 20 words max, punchy
• Product CTA: 2-3 sentences, value-forward, not "Check out our product" -- tell them what changes for them
• CTA button text: 3-5 words, action verb + benefit ("Read the full breakdown", "Save my seat", "Get the guide")
• Footer: Unsubscribe link placeholder + company name

Read references/subject-line-formulas.md then write 3 subject line options (if subject line not provided by user):

• Option A: Curiosity gap formula
• Option B: Direct benefit formula
• Option C: Number/list formula

Do not use em dashes. Do not use: "powerful", "seamless", "game-changing", "leverage", "innovative", "unlock", "transform", "elevate", "cutting-edge", "robust".

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Step 5: HTML Generation

Read references/design-system.md and references/html-email-guide.md before generating HTML.

Template or custom -- decide based on Step 2 answers:

Use templates/dark-newsletter.html as base when ALL of:

• background = dark (or not specified)
• display font = Instrument Serif (or not specified)
• no custom background hex provided

Use templates/light-newsletter.html as base when ALL of:

• background = light OR tone = formal
• display font = Instrument Serif (or not specified)
• no custom background hex provided

Generate custom HTML from scratch when ANY of:

• custom background hex provided (not dark, not white)
• display font = modern sans or system fonts only
• combination of answers produces a design neither template serves

For custom generation: use references/design-system.md Custom Generation Guide as the full token spec. Apply user's background/font/button/accent choices throughout.

Then (for template path):

1. Select only the sections needed from the template (based on Step 3 structure)
2. Fill in all [PLACEHOLDER] values with content from Step 4
3. Apply brand color substitution (see below)
4. Verify all [UNSUBSCRIBE_URL] placeholders are still present (platform tuning happens in Step 6)

Brand color substitution rules:

If brand_color is provided:

• Replace brand strip bgcolor (#D8F90A in the height:2px row) with brand_color
• Replace stat callout left border color with brand_color
• Replace category label color with brand_color
• If brand_color luminance is high (yellows, greens, oranges -- most neons): replace step badge #D8F90A with brand_color too
• If brand_color luminance is low (dark navy, forest, charcoal): keep step badges and CTA button as #D8F90A, only use brand_color for strip + stat border

If brand_color is NOT provided: keep all #D8F90A values as-is.

Content substitution rules (from Step 2 answers):

• If company_name provided: replace all [YOUR BRAND] and [COMPANY NAME] placeholders
• If city_country provided: replace [CITY, COUNTRY] placeholder
• If tagline provided: add as subtitle line in footer after company name
• If cta_url provided: replace all [CTA_URL] placeholders with actual URL
• If personalization = first_name: add platform-appropriate first name variable to hero greeting -- e.g. Hey %%first_name%%, on Beehiiv, Hey {{first_name}}, on Loops, Hey *|FNAME|*, on Mailchimp
• If personalization = first_name + company: add both variables where contextually appropriate

Brand color visual tension check (on dark email):

Does the brand color visually pop on #111111? Test mentally: would it be visible as a 2px strip?

• High-saturation colors (purples, blues, teals, pinks, yellows, oranges, greens): YES -- use for strip + stat border + category label
• Low-saturation / near-neutral (warm greys, beige, off-white): strip only; category label reverts to #555555
• Near-black (very dark navy, forest, charcoal below ~#2A2A2A): skip brand_color for ALL accent uses, fall back to #D8F90A for every element

Accent discipline rule: brand_color appears in AT MOST 3 places: brand strip, stat border, category label. Never in body copy, headlines, button backgrounds, or section backgrounds. Over-branding kills the premium feel.

CTA button text color:

• On #D8F90A button background: always use #0A0A0A text (it's a light color)
• On #111111 button background (inside yellow callout card): always use #F2F2F2 text
• On brand_color button: use #0A0A0A if brand is light, #FFFFFF if brand is dark

Required on every <td> with a background color: Both the bgcolor= HTML attribute AND the inline background-color: style. Example:

<td bgcolor="#D8F90A" style="background-color:#D8F90A;">

The attribute handles Outlook. The style handles everything else. Never use just one.

Design excellence (frontend-design principles, email-adapted):

Email's table constraints don't limit design ambition. Push within them:

• Typography to its extreme: 4-5 word headlines = 60px, -0.04em tracking. 6-7 word headlines = 56px, -0.03em. 8 words = 48px. Never size down for safety -- the headline is a poster, not a label. Instrument Serif italic on stat quotes adds literary weight no other element can match.

• Density contrast as craft signal: Hero = maximum open space (64px top). Body paragraphs = tight and dense. CTA callout card = maximum open space again (64px). Open → tight → open is the rhythm that reads as intentional design, not template output.

• Background depth via section alternation (all email-safe):

  • Header: #0A0A0A
  • Hero: #111111
  • Stat callout outer: #111111, inner elevated card: #1A1A1A
  • Body paragraphs: #161616 (subtle elevation creates depth without color)
  • Step cards: #111111 (contrast with body)
  • CTA callout card: #D8F90A (the ONLY bright element -- never dilute)
  • Footer: #080808

• Accent scarcity = luxury: One yellow callout card in a sea of dark reads premium. Yellow appearing in six places reads cheap. The CTA card's power comes entirely from being the single bright element in a dark email.

• Unforgettable test: Before saving, state in one sentence what a reader would describe to a colleague 3 hours later. If it's vague ("it was dark and clean") -- the visual anchor isn't strong enough. Make it specific ("the yellow card with the big serif headline").

• Stat callout as editorial pull quote: 4px left border (not 3px). 26px italic Instrument Serif on the quote text. 32px inner padding. This is the closest an email gets to a magazine pull quote. Treat it like one.

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Step 6: Platform Tuning

Read references/platform-compat.md and apply platform-specific adjustments:

Platform	Action
Loops	Replace [UNSUBSCRIBE_URL] with {{unsubscribe_url}}. Replace [FIRST_NAME] refs with {{first_name}}
Mailchimp	Replace [UNSUBSCRIBE_URL] with *|UNSUB|*. Add mc:edit="[section-name]" to editable <td> blocks
Beehiiv	Replace [UNSUBSCRIBE_URL] with %%unsubscribe_url%%. Replace [FIRST_NAME] with %%first_name%%
Resend	Replace [UNSUBSCRIBE_URL] with {unsubscribeUrl}. Note: React Email .tsx output available on request
Generic/Other	Keep [UNSUBSCRIBE_URL] as placeholder with comment: <!-- Replace with your unsubscribe link -->

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Step 7: Self-QA

Check the generated HTML before output. Fix every issue found -- do not skip.

Rendering checks:

• All styles inline -- no <style> blocks, no class= attributes anywhere
• All <table> have cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"
• Images (if any) have alt="", border="0", display:block in style
• Max-width 600px enforced on container table
• CTA button uses <table> + <td> structure with bgcolor= attribute, not just <a> with display:block
• No flexbox, grid, position:, float:, CSS variables (--var), min-height, max-height in any inline style
• border-radius on <td> only -- not on <table> or <a> (Outlook renders <td> radius)
• Footer has unsubscribe link with platform-correct variable

Content checks:

• Hero headline is 8 words or fewer
• CTA button text is 3-5 words
• No em dashes (-- is fine, not --)
• No banned words: "powerful", "seamless", "game-changing", "leverage", "innovative", "unlock", "transform", "elevate", "cutting-edge", "robust"
• Plain-text version strips all HTML cleanly (if requested)

Design quality checks:

• ONE unmissable element from Step 2.5 is visually dominant -- not buried between equal-weight sections
• Typography hierarchy clear: H1 >> H2 >> body -- size contrast at least 2:1 between each level
• All spacing values from valid rhythm only: 8 / 16 / 20 / 24 / 32 / 40 / 52 / 64px -- no arbitrary values (18px, 22px, 30px, 45px, etc.)
• Brand color appears in 3 or fewer places -- count instances; if more, remove from lowest-priority element
• No email slop patterns -- check against the slop list in references/design-system.md

If any check fails: fix inline, then re-run the checklist mentally.

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Step 8: Subject Line Presentation

If 3 subject line options were generated, present them with a recommendation:

**Subject Line Options**

A. [subject] -- [formula used, best for what audience/context]
B. [subject] -- [formula used]
C. [subject] -- [formula used]

Recommendation: [A/B/C] -- [one sentence reason based on audience and tone]

If user provided their own subject line, skip this step.

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Step 9: Save Files + Present Summary

Save the HTML to a file first -- do not dump it in the chat.

mkdir -p docs/newsletters

Write the full HTML to: docs/newsletters/[topic-slug]-[YYYY-MM-DD].html

Where [topic-slug] is the topic lowercased with spaces replaced by hyphens (e.g. "AI B2B Sales" → ai-b2b-sales).

If a plain-text version was requested, also write it to: docs/newsletters/[topic-slug]-[YYYY-MM-DD].txt

Then present this summary in the chat (no HTML code fence):

## Newsletter: [topic slug]
Date: [today's date] | Platform: [platform] | Tone: [tone]

Saved to: docs/newsletters/[topic-slug]-[YYYY-MM-DD].html

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### Subject Lines
A. [subject A] -- [formula]
B. [subject B] -- [formula]
C. [subject C] -- [formula]
Recommended: [letter] -- [one-sentence reason]

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### Send Checklist
- [ ] Replace [CTA_URL] with your actual link
- [ ] Replace [COMPANY NAME] and [CITY, COUNTRY] in footer
- [ ] Replace [YOUR BRAND] in header with your brand name (or swap in a logo image)
- [ ] Verify unsubscribe variable works in [platform]
- [ ] Send a test email to yourself before launching

Do not print the HTML in the chat. The file path tells the user where to find it.

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Section Reference

Section	Purpose
header	Logo + issue number or date
hero	Big headline + 1-2 sentence hook
intro	Short personal note or context
main-content	Primary article or insight (text-heavy)
image-block	Full-width image + caption
stat-callout	Highlighted stat or quote in a box
secondary-section	Second story or feature
product-cta	Soft product plug or feature highlight
sponsor-block	Sponsored content (clearly labeled)
quick-links	Curated links section (3-5 items)
footer	Unsubscribe link, company info, legal

Output Formats (on request)

• Standard HTML (default): inline-styled, table-based, works everywhere
• React Email: .tsx component output -- request explicitly, good for Resend + dev teams
• Plain text: stripped fallback always included unless user opts out