How Dickie Bush never runs out of email ideas
(Most creators would never think to do this)
My friend Dickie Bush has 200,000+ email subscribers.
But every time he launches a new newsletter, he does something most creators would never think to do:
He emails his first 100 subscribers personally (from his Gmail) and asks them one simple question:
“What do you want me to write about?”
Here’s an example
A few weeks ago, Dickie launched a new newsletter called the AI Operator (if you haven’t already, I highly recommend checking it out).
And a few days after launching it, he sent all his existing email subs this email:
Now, there are 2 reasons why this is a super smart move (and why you might want to do the same).
Why This Works
This simple tactic does two 2 things at once:
It tells you exactly what your audience wants to read. Your subscribers literally tell you what they’re struggling with - in their own words. Those replies become content ideas, email topics, lead magnet concepts, and even product ideas.
It improves your deliverability… big time. When people reply to your emails, it signals to email providers (Gmail, Outlook, etc.) that your readers actually want to receive and engage with your emails. That means better inbox placement and higher open rates over time.
Make sense?
Cool!
Now, let’s talk about how you can implement this for yourself (and don’t worry, you don’t necessarily have to send 100+ emails manually lol).
How To Steal This
Dickie does this manually because it adds a personal touch.
But the truth is, you don’t have to do it manually.
You can automate the whole or at least a good chunk of the process.
Here are 2 ways you can go about it:
Option 1: Add it to your welcome email
Include a simple CTA in your welcome email asking new subscribers what they’re struggling with.
Something like:
“Quick question — what’s the #1 thing you’re struggling with when it comes to [your topic]? Just hit reply and let me know. I read every response.”
This runs on autopilot.
Every new subscriber gets the question, and you get a steady stream of replies without having to manually send 100s of emails.
Option 2: Send a periodic “check-in” email
Every few months, send a simple email to your whole list asking people to share what they’re working on or struggling with.
Something like:
“Hey — I’m planning out my next few emails and want to make sure I’m writing about what actually matters to you. What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing right now with [your topic]? Hit reply and let me know.”
This works even if you’ve never asked before.
People love being asked for their opinion.
Now, you might be wondering…
“But Daniel… what do I do with all the replies?”
First off, it’s worth acknowledging:
Once the responses start coming in, you’ll have more content ideas than you know what to do with.
Which is an amazing problem to have.
Now, just to get more tactical, here’s what I’d do with those replies:
First off, reply back. Even a quick “Thanks for sharing this!” builds goodwill and keeps the conversation going.
Spot patterns. If 10 people mention the same struggle, that’s your next email (or lead magnet). This is something you can do with AI, btw.
Use their exact words. The language your subscribers use is gold. Pay attention to it and find ways to weave it in your subject lines, hooks, and copy.
Save everything. Keep a running doc with all the replies you get. It’s a content idea bank that always keeps growing.
Now, as usual, I want to make it as easy as possible for you to implement this :)
The Prompt
This prompt can help you write copy to execute both approaches:
The welcome email CTA
And the standalone check-in email
Just copy/paste the prompt into your favorite AI tool, answer the questions it’ll ask you, and then voilá - you’re good to go!
