👀 Seeking your sponsors

There are lots of ways to monetize your newsletter, and selling ads works for many publications. If you've tried numerous money-making methods and haven't found one that's clicked, you may discover the perfect partnership in newsletter sponsors. This week's newsletter is about how to get started with placing ads in your newsletter, authoring an airtight advertising pitch, and setting the right price for your sponsorships. Let's go!

In this week's issue 📨

• Selling ad spots in your newsletter
• Create a sponsorship proposal
• Pricing strategies for your ads

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Ading up

If you're dipping your toe into the newsletter monetization market, one of the most popular ways to profit from your publication is newsletter ads. If you have an engaged and growing audience, there are plenty of partners out there who would love to be introduced to them. Newsletter sponsorship can sound intimidating and complicated, but we're here to help make it approachable and straightforward.

Wendy Madill, guest writer for MailerLite, breaks down how to get started with newsletter advertising so your business can keep flourishing.

Types of ads

• If you'd like to keep your newsletter content mostly unchanged, sponsored emails seamlessly blend in ad space so you don't disrupt your usual rhythm. If you'd like to take it a step further, you can work with your sponsor(s) to design a newsletter that aligns with their brand's style rather than your own.
• Dedicated emails allow a single sponsor to take complete control of your newsletter's design and utilize your entire email for their ad. Just be sure to include your newsletter’s sender name, logo, and advertising disclosure so it doesn't get marked as spam by your followers.

Selling ad space

• The most common pricing models for newsletter ads are CPM (cost per mile) and CPC (cost per click). For example, CPM charges sponsors a dollar amount per a set number of subscribers, while CPC is based on the number of clicks their ad receives. Start with lower rates to cultivate close partnerships.
• When pitching ad space to potential sponsors, ensure you have a sponsorship page that includes an overview of your newsletter, audience insights, and booking information. Use any helpful resources that will strengthen your pitch. (Troy Hunt's sponsorship page is a great inspiration.)

Benefits of ads

• If you've chosen the free subscription model and are looking for ways to keep the lights on, newsletter sponsorships are a great way to generate passive income without changing your content strategy. Use this handy-dandy newsletter pricing calculator to help determine your sponsorship fees.
• If you know your audience, you know what they love. Featuring sponsors in your newsletter is a thoughtful way to introduce products, services, and resources that your subscribers will benefit from. This helps build rapport, boosts your credibility, and provides extra value to your readers.

Best practices

• Before you go ad-crazy, you should survey your audience to get a temp check on how they feel about being shown ads. You also want to be sure you're choosing sponsors who align with your content and brand, so you don't turn off your readers and start seeing unsubscribes.
• Experiment with different ad placements and formats to determine what resonates with your subscribers. If ads aren't working out, that's ok! Consider an ad-free paid subscription model if you haven't already. Some publishers succeed with ads, some don't, but giving it a try is the only way you'll know.

Interesting stories & ideas 📚

• When to say no to freelance projects – Freelance Cake
• Must-follow creators and newsletters – The Creative Cheat Sheet
• The great lock-in of 2025 – Cal Newport
• Get multiple commissions from one idea – Journalism.co.uk
• Stop buying intrusive online ads – Press Gazette

Propose and boast

You've decided that newsletter ads are for you, and you have some exciting sponsors in mind, but how do you go out and get them? Pitching! Before you can sell ads, you've got to sell yourself. A sponsorship proposal is your opportunity to showcase why a partnership with your brand is a no-brainer. You're already a gold star publisher, so it's time to utilize your writing skills to talk about you.

The team at Mailchimp offers some valuable tips on crafting the perfect proposal to secure your ideal newsletter sponsor.

#1 Introduce yourself with a brief overview of your publication, history, and values. Share some links to your best work and maybe even offer your potential sponsors a discount or trial offer so they can access any paid content.

#2 Provide relevant newsletter metrics, like audience size, open/click rates, site views, and any other brands you've partnered with. It's ok if you're a new kid on the block with smaller numbers, just be honest and take it step by step.

#3 Clearly outline your offer so your potential sponsor knows what they're getting into. Where will their logo/ad be? Do your terms include social media mentions? Will they be participating in events or webinars? Set clear expectations.

#4 Highlight the benefits of your partnership. With access to a new audience (yours), your potential sponsor should see more brand awareness and conversions. If the alliance makes sense, both of you will experience a positive reputation boost.

#5 Offer a pricing plan with different levels and rates to cater to various budgets and needs. Your sponsorship package should be able to attract a diverse range of businesses, while ensuring your wide net makes sense for your brand.

#6 Personalize everything to give your targeted contact tailored service. Your proposal shouldn't read like a cookie-cutter reply. Keep it customized, clear, concise, detailed, and graphically beautiful.

Make cents

Deciding on what prices to set for ads in your newsletter can get complicated. You don't want to turn sponsors off with rates that are too high, and you don't want to sell yourself short. Whether you're just getting started with newsletter sponsorships or you're looking to adjust existing ad prices, setting appropriate rates is crucial to staying competitive and maximizing your revenue.

The staff at Indiegraf explains how to construct a thoughtful pricing strategy for your newsletter ads and sponsorships.

‣ The best place to get started with setting ad rates is to get familiar with what's already out there. Take a peek at your competitors by requesting their media kit and pricing info. You should also subscribe to lots of newsletters in your niche to look at their ad offerings and better understand your own value.

‣ Consider pricing your newsletter ads on a flat rate basis, especially if you're a smaller publisher. This makes your strategy straightforward, simple, and easier to manage while you grow. This way, you don't have to worry about hitting specific quotas or tracking lots of data that can come with the CPM or CPC approach.

‣ Once you've settled on pricing, you can set your sights on building a clear and hefty media kit so your potential sponsors can get familiar with your brand right away. This should include anything and everything about your publication, like your goals, example content, ad types, ad prices, and audience demographics.

‣ If you want to attract early adopters, start with lower rates and increase as you go. This will help you develop a trustworthy relationship with your sponsors, and if you do well, it will make raising your rates less awkward since you'll already have a strong partnership with them.

‣ After you've started nabbing sponsorships, you always want to take the time to review and adjust your prices based on your growing audience and engagement levels. Keep experimenting with different types of ads to see how your subscribers respond. Don't be afraid to ask for feedback!

‣ Your success with ads may change throughout the year, so consider seasonal fluctuations when setting your sponsorship prices. For example, you may notice less ad activity in the summer versus the holiday season, so adjust your strategy accordingly to stay sustainable and competitive.

Curator's pick ✍️

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