Sell Newsletter Sponsorships—Even If You Have a Small List

Hey creators,

Ever sit back and think, “My newsletter’s not huge yet, so there’s no way I can land paid sponsors... right?” Actually, you might be selling yourself short. Sponsorships and ads have long been the backbone of newsletter-first media companies—big and small.

Sure, some of the famous ones like Milkroad or Morning Brew sold for millions, but even if your list is nowhere near that size, you can still bring in sponsor dollars.

This week, let’s break down a straightforward approach to secure newsletter sponsorships—even if you’re rocking a smaller audience.

1. Why Newsletter Sponsorships?

If you’ve ever wondered why top-tier newsletters earn a chunk of revenue from ads, it’s simple:

1. High Engagement: Compared to social feeds, newsletters feel cozy and personal. Advertisers see more meaningful interactions.

2. Great ROI: Subscribing to your newsletter is voluntary, so your readers are already fans or in your niche. That’s gold for sponsors.

3. Scalable: As your audience grows, so does your potential ad revenue. Even with a smaller list, you can build up from small deals to bigger ones.

TL;DR: Ads can be a massive revenue driver. Don’t wait for 50K subscribers to jump in.

2. When to Start Selling Ads?

The short answer: Now.

• Don’t wait around, thinking you need 10K subscribers. If your audience is loyal and your click rates are solid, advertisers may bite.

• Start small with a few placements. See how your readers respond to relevant and ethical sponsors.

Critical Mass: Typically, bigger sponsors look for a certain threshold—like 5,000–10,000 subscribers for B2B or 10,000–20,000 for B2C. But if you’re driving 100+ ad clicks from just 2,000 loyal subscribers, you can still strike direct deals sooner rather than later.

3. Use 3rd Parties for Early Monetization

Before you can prove “We get X clicks per sponsor,” you need some data. That’s where third-party ad or affiliate networks help:

• Examples: Beehiiv’s Ad Network, Paved, or affiliate deals like Impact.com.

• Why: You can monetize right away (even with a smaller list). Plus, you’ll track how many clicks or conversions you typically deliver.

• Bonus: Add these “mini sponsors” to your media kit to show advertisers you’ve already run successful ads.

Sure, 3rd-party ads aren’t as lucrative or flexible as direct deals. But they cover your costs and give you real data to woo direct sponsors later.

4. Know Your “Average Ad Clicks”

To pitch direct sponsors, you’ll want to say something like, “We typically drive 50–100 clicks per ad.” That confidence comes from actually running a few test ads. Then, you can set fair pricing and not just guess.

5. How to Price Your Ads

Most newsletters start with a CPC (cost-per-click) approach for smaller lists. It’s transparent:

• Formula: (Average clicks) x (CPC rate) = total ad fee.

• If you drive 100 clicks and you charge $5 per click, that’s a flat $500 per ad.

Common CPC Ranges:

• B2C: $1–$5 per click (small newsletters).

• B2B: $5–$10 per click (small newsletters).

The bigger your audience or the more targeted your niche, the higher end you can go. For a 50k–100k audience, you might jump to $3–$6 CPC in B2C or $5–$20 in B2B.

6. Sell Packages, Not Single Spots

Why?

• One ad might not move the needle enough for sponsors to see results.

• Bundles of 3–6 ads give them repeated exposure and more clicks.

• Plus, you land bigger deals in one go—and save yourself the hassle of constant one-off negotiations.

Sample Package

• Minimum: 3 ads for $1,500 total (assuming $500/ad).

• Discount: 6 ads for $2,400 total, so effectively $400/ad. The sponsor sees a price break, you get a larger upfront commitment.

7. Consider Sponsored Content

If you can handle some extra writing and alignment work, sponsored content commands 5–10x your regular ad price. The sponsor basically “takes over” the entire segment, and you produce deeper coverage—like a mini case study or deep dive.

• Yes, it’s more work. But it can bring in significantly more money.

• Keep it relevant and transparent, so readers don’t feel blindsided by an ad disguised as editorial.

8. Build a Basic Media Kit

Even if you’re small, a short media kit elevates your credibility. Include:

1. Newsletter Overview: Who you are, who you help.

2. Key Numbers: Sub count, open rate, average clicks.

3. Audience Info: Demographics, job roles, or top regions if you know them.

4. Ad Options & Pricing: Summaries of your “primary” ad slot, sponsored content, package deals, etc.

5. Past Sponsors: Even if it’s from affiliate networks—show you’ve run ads successfully.

A short PDF or webpage is fine. Passionfroot also offers an amazing platform to build and host your media kit in.

9. Tell Your Audience You’re Open to Sponsors

You might have advertisers lurking in your own audience.

• Add a sponsor CTA at the end of each newsletter: “Want to sponsor an upcoming issue? Click here.”

• Mention it occasionally on social media and your website.

• The goal? Put the word out. You never know who’s reading.

10. Next Steps

1. If You’re Starting from Scratch: Try 3rd-party ads for a couple of issues. Track your average ad clicks and conversions.

2. Build a Media Kit: Even a simple page or PDF with your data, pricing, and brand story.

3. Pitch: Offer a smaller “test” package of 3 ads to new sponsors. Provide a discount for 6–8 ads.

4. Refine & Scale: If your ad slots are selling out, raise rates. If not, either adjust the price or find more effective leads.

Final Thoughts

Sponsorships might seem daunting if you’re a small newsletter. But as long as your readers are genuinely engaged—and your sponsors align with their interests—you can absolutely land deals. Even “small” newsletters can earn hundreds or thousands of dollars a month from consistent, well-packaged sponsorship sales.

Give it a shot, gather some data, and watch your sponsor revenue grow. Keep me posted on your journey—would love to hear how it goes!

Until next time,
GoLetter Team