In a town best known for the Packers, one Green Bay native is making a different kind of play. Mike Higgins, a local real estate entrepreneur, just launched his first edition of Green Bay Buzz, a hyperlocal newsletter designed to connect the community, spotlight small businesses, and build deeper roots in a region he already knows well.
Mike isn’t just flipping houses anymore—he’s flipping the script on how to grow influence in a digital age by going local, not viral. Backed by guidance from newsletter veteran TJ Larkin, this first-time publisher shares how he’s turning his city knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit into a newsletter people will actually read—and respond to.
Forget going viral. Be known where it matters most—your own backyard.
As Mike puts it, "You can try to be a big fish in the pond of 330 million people… or you can be a big fish in a pond of 175,000." In Green Bay, that kind of visibility isn’t just possible—it’s powerful. With a tight-knit community and an NFL franchise anchoring the town’s identity, it’s the perfect size and setup for a local personality to stand out.
Mike’s real estate work already put him on the map, but the newsletter gives him a platform to amplify that reach and diversify his influence. Whether it’s featuring a new restaurant, promoting local events, or highlighting a long-vacant mansion that just sold, each piece of content becomes a way to engage—and potentially unlock new business deals.
Starting Strong with Smart Strategy and Simple Tools
Mike’s blueprint for launch was simple: copy what works, and make it local.
Rather than overthinking the format, Mike borrowed proven structures from other successful local newsletters. He used Beehiv for distribution, Canva for branding, and is already running Facebook ads to grow subscribers. From day one, he focused on:
A clean layout with recognizable sections
Custom branding with Green Bay colors (but avoiding Packers trademarks)
A fun, accessible name—Green Bay Buzz—that sticks in the mind
Clear segmentation of content: events, food, news, real estate, and polls
Crucially, Mike also leaned on a virtual assistant to handle the heavy lifting of curation, allowing him to jump in and add the local flair only a true resident can provide.
“She does 80% of it. I’m curating and adding the local spice,” Mike says.
Content That Connects: News, Events, and Real Estate
From bounce-house GIFs to million-dollar homes, Mike’s got the content formula down.
TJ walked through Mike’s first issue in real time, offering tweaks and best practices like:
Using background colors and borders to make sections pop
Keeping text short and skimmable—"write like you're on Twitter"
Adding images or even animated GIFs to boost visual appeal
Always including real estate, even when not promoting his own listings
One standout suggestion? Segmenting real estate highlights into three tiers: affordable, median, and premium homes—maximizing appeal across income levels and keeping readers curious.
“Give people what they want. They love seeing real estate, even if they’re not buying,” TJ emphasized.
Ads, Instagram, and the Power of Brand Cohesion
Great content means nothing without eyeballs—and Instagram can help.
Mike's newsletter isn’t a vanity project. It’s a marketing engine. From running optimized Facebook ads (once he fixed a $30 misstep) to planning Instagram content that aligns with each newsletter, he’s already thinking about multi-platform visibility.
TJ encouraged shooting casual video clips at local spots and turning them into Instagram Reels—or even GIFs embedded in the newsletter. The goal? Create a consistent experience across email, social, and eventually a podcast, all under the same brand.
“Savannah Bananas” Energy: Making Local Fun Again
The key to success? Be the most entertaining version of yourself.
Mike cited the wildly popular Savannah Bananas baseball team as inspiration: “They made baseball fun again. I want to do that for local news.” That means humor, personality, and breaking the mold of dry, copy-pasted news aggregation.
TJ agreed, adding, “AI’s not going away, but it can’t replicate the perspective of someone who lives there. That’s your superpower.”
Bringing It All Together
Mike Higgins’ launch of Green Bay Buzz isn’t just a newsletter—it’s a masterclass in local positioning. By leveraging his real estate roots, adopting smart digital tools, and doubling down on authentic community connection, he’s building a brand that can scale both influence and income.
His advice for others? Start simple, steal shamelessly from what’s working, and never underestimate the power of personality.
“I just have to stick with it long enough to make it work.”
How I Can Help You Succeed
Before we dive into this week's insights, I want to make sure you know about all the resources available to support your local newsletter journey:
🎙️ The Podcast - Deep-dive conversations with successful newsletter operators sharing their playbooks and lessons learned | Link
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🧠 1:1 Consulting - Personalized guidance tailored to your specific newsletter challenges Link
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