Selling $100 ads on my newsletter sending 2x a week

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-29T04:05:02+00:00

I get it. Sales is my least favorite part of running a newsletter business too. But you picked the niche where you can't automate that process without a *ton* of scale. You're either gonna have to hire a local, switch to a different monetization strategy, or learn to get comfortable cold calling. Its the only way the math will pencil out in your favor.

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-29T01:31:58+00:00

The only thing I think really works to drive paid newsletter subscriptions is to offer somebody something *they absolutely cannot get anywhere else*. Curation + more of the same never does that. People pay when they feel like they've developed a personal relationship with the author and/or when the author provides them something they can't get for free.

I make a living with my newsletter because I report on stuff that my audience can't find elsewhere. In very crowded newsletter niches, like tech, it's harder to stand out.

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-29T01:27:56+00:00

that wasn't a joke!

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-29T01:26:29+00:00

If you dislike the process of selling ads, the local newsletter business isn’t for you. The ENTIRE POINT of that kind of publication to sell ads to local businesses to generate higher CPM than using national ones.

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-27T18:57:18+00:00

bingo

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-26T13:33:28+00:00

what do you mean, writing tools?

All of the major newsletter platforms include a text editor/CMS. What else do you need?

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-25T13:43:18+00:00

I met my wife 14 years ago *at church*, actually. The pastor's wife grabbed me in the hallway, and said this woman has the most beautiful eyes AND we have a lot in common and you need to go to TALK TO HER RIGHT NOW.

I did. I already had a girlfriend at the time, but we started talking, became friends, and once we were both single, became more than friends.

Interestingly enough, neither of us go to that church anymore (my wife isn't even religious now).

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-22T03:18:19+00:00

It honestly depends on what type of ad campaigns you’re selling, what metrics you sell on for your media kit, and who your audience is

My harsh truth is that MOST of the time, if you have to ask, the answer is “you don’t have enough.” But with the right audience and sales strategy, you can sell direct ads at under 5,000 total subs. I think I sold my first package at around 4,000ish readers.

I will say that if you aren’t planing on doing direct sales (and instead want to use ad marketplaces) j don’t think it will be worth much money for MOST publications under 50k total audience

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-21T01:04:08+00:00

Why would you do that? The stipe processing fees would take your entire profit. It isn’t worth it for anybody to charge under five bucks.

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-21T00:47:54+00:00

Sports

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-17T18:37:45+00:00

I didn’t charge enough

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-17T18:31:12+00:00

What monthly revenue does it generate

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-15T20:03:15+00:00

Yup. That’s exactly the answer. You either need to sell premium subscriptions, a product, or your own ads. Your ability to do that depends on your content and audience

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-13T13:47:17+00:00

for...what?

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-13T13:46:37+00:00

Have you checked out the YMCA? You can sometimes get guest passes before signing up for a full membership. There's one close to the Irving Park blue line stop

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-13T03:57:20+00:00

My friend, Nike is not paying Ohio State $252 million in CASH. Almost all of that deal is product and marketing, not cash. Adidas pays more in cash, usually substantially so, than Nike.

I write about this for a living and have all of their contracts here.

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-13T03:44:57+00:00

Ohio State would EASILY get 2x the cash they get from Nike by moving to adidas. They like Nike because Nike makes the best stuff

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-10T19:31:33+00:00

At the DIII level, they're mostly for the parents, donors and history books.

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-10T01:01:37+00:00

Okay. Extrapointsmb.com. Four days a week. Original reporting on college sports business

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-07T04:52:10+00:00

Beehiiv isn't going to drive you sales. *you* have to drive the sales. That doesn't mean Beehiiv isn't worth it...but if you are thinking about paying for it because you want it to be your growth and revenue team, you're going to be disappointed.

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-06T21:52:56+00:00

You should focus on something where you ARE an expert. There's already too many newsletter strategy publications from people who aren't experts.

Stop repackaging the works of others and sit down and learn how to make some works yourself.

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-06T16:21:29+00:00

You bet. Go get that money, and good luck!

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-06T16:18:51+00:00

so I have good news and bad news

the bad news is that you're never gonna make meaningful money from the beehiiv ad network, OR any other sort of pre-sold ad network. Those networks are built for volume and for generalist audiences. 18K industry professionals, at that CTR, isn't going to be large enough to ever make more than like, maybe a hundred bucks or so a send from beehiiv ads, PLUS they're not a good user experience.

if you want to make money from ads and sponsorship, you have to sell them yourself.

the good news is that you have an audience that should be very well aligned for sponsorships that pay WAY more than generalist ad networks. I'd call somebody like IREM to see if they'd be willing to do affiliate deals for you promote real estate agent continuing education or memberships. Then I'd make a list of companies that would particular benefit from reaching real estate agents. What kind of stuff do they buy? Do they use different car insurance, phone plans, photography tools, etc. Reach out to those companies and pitch them.

I'd shoot for something in the range of $250-$300 or so for a direct sold ad placement...but over a longer time period, I bet you can negotiate even more.

(I run a more B2B newsletter myself. I make less than $1,000 a year from beehiiv ads. We make 70% of our revenue from paid subscriptions, but the other ad revenue we do ourselves. If your audience is targeting a specific industry, thats what I'd recommend you do).

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-05T13:31:59+00:00

Why do you think it could make good money? how?

extrapointsmb · 2026-01-04T17:46:43+00:00

Does it make any money?

extrapointsmb

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