Newsletter Operator

Eric Siu is the CEO of Single Grain and host of two successful podcasts: Marketing School and Leveling Up. These podcasts receive over 1 million downloads per month.

Follow Eric on Twitter: @ericosiu

Want more content like this?

Join Newsletter Operator for more strategies on how to grow and monetize your newsletter here: NewsletterOperator.com

• Work with Ryan's agency Tailwind
• Work with Matt's agency GrowLetter

Follow Matt McGarry @JMatthewMcGarry and Ryan Carr @ryan_boat on Twitter

Episode Topics & Timestamps

00:00 Early podcasting success fueled by validation and education.

05:59 Content strategy should align with expertise and budget.

08:48 Daily marketing podcast successful with 2700 episodes.

11:28 Ads to the newsletter to value, not ads.

14:23 Starting an agency is challenging but rewarding.

16:31 Start side hustle, secure financial cushion first.

21:06 Strategic hiring in the US, referral recruiting.

24:46 Productized agencies offer clear and predictable services.

26:28 Maintaining quality and demand for creators is important.

31:29 Webinar on real-life AI use cases.

35:53 Monthly marketing content with unlimited options available.

36:45 Finding sponsors for your newsletter through titles.

42:18 Financial subscriptions, conferences, and high returns.

44:48 Powerful email sales strategy: ask for a reply.

46:25 Creating communities for learning and networking.

50:00 Stay focused, avoid distractions and reach success.

Links Mentioned

Leveling Up Newsletter
Single Grain

Ryan Sneddon is the founder of Naptown Scoop, a local newsletter covering Annapolis, Maryland.
Follow Ryan Sneddon on Twitter: @lifeof_scoop
Join the Newsletter Operator for more strategies on how to grow and monetize your newsletter here: NewsletterOperator(dot)com

• Work with Ryan's agency Tailwind
• Work with Matt's agency GrowLetter

Follow Matt McGarry @JMatthewMcGarry and Ryan Carr @ryan_boat on Twitter.

John Newtson is the founder of Financial Marketing Summit, a marketing conference for financial publishers, trading educators, and media brands.

Connect with John on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johnnewtson

Want more content like this?
Join Newsletter Operator for more strategies on how to grow and monetize your newsletter here: NewsletterOperator.com

• Work with Ryan's agency Tailwind
• Work with Matt's agency GrowLetter

Follow Matt McGarry @JMatthewMcGarry and Ryan Carr @ryan_boat on Twitter.

Episode Topics & Timestamps

00:00 Financial industry's pre-digital growth and transition.

03:14 Early e-letter advertising was profitable and impactful.

07:38 Product sales indicate customer interest and profitability.

10:23 Front end: introductory, back end: advanced products.

14:31 Financial media sources improve niche media buying.

18:52 Online marketing involves funnels, email series, and promos.

20:15 Diversify products for multiple sales and profits.

24:43 Porter Stansbury launched with a unique Amazon promo.

28:38 Understanding markets, focusing on big trends.

29:41 Mainstream story grabs attention but not wallets.

33:24 Copywriter promotes cannabis investment and attracts celebrity investors.

38:49 Affiliates offer new revenue through customer reactivation.

39:50 Buying sprees, competition for talent, sharing promos.

45:35 People falling due to shared worldview in promotions.

46:45 Buffet has strong philosophies on market changes.

50:03 Publisher drives ideas and makes qualitative decisions.

53:56 Publisher's $10 million promo led to less profit.

56:40 Search Matt McGarry on YouTube for an invite.

Links Mentioned

https://financialmarketingsummit.com/

[email protected]

In this episode of the Newsletter Operator Podcast, ​Jon Elder, the founder of ​Black Label Advisor, shares his journey from commercial construction to building a successful consultancy in the Amazon space. He started a side gig by launching his first brand on Amazon, which eventually led to the creation of the newsletter "Amazon Insiders." The newsletter focuses on the niche community of Amazon sellers and has seen rapid growth to over 15,000 subscribers.

Key Topics Covered:

• Background and Entrepreneurial Journey: Jon Elder shares his transition from the commercial construction industry to creating a consultancy for Amazon sellers and the establishment of the "Amazon Insiders" newsletter. He emphasizes the need for transparent consulting within the market and how the newsletter became a potential second revenue stream for his business.
• Micro-Niche and Newsletter Growth: Jon Elder explains the concept of a micro-niche, the revenue size, and the passion required for success. He discusses the launching of Amazon Insiders and the strategies he used to grow his newsletter, including reaching out to contacts, conducting newsletter swaps, utilizing tools like SparkLoop and Twitter ads, and making strategic newsletter acquisitions.
• Monetization Strategy: Amazon Insiders primarily focuses on sponsorships, with 85% of revenue generated from sponsorships. Jon Elder provides insight into how he approaches finding sponsors, packaging ad deals, and pricing, emphasizing the importance of building strong relationships with sponsors and promoting consistency in ads for better returns on investment.
• Growth Plans and Advice: Jon Elder discusses his future growth plans, which include increasing content production on Twitter, potential newsletter acquisitions, and reactivating Twitter ads. Additionally, he offers advice to those starting a niche B2B newsletter, emphasizing the importance of finding a unique voice, seeking partnerships, and not being hesitant to ask for support.

Episode topics & Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction to Newsletter Operator Podcast

(00:30) Introduction of Jon Elder, founder of Black Label Advisor

(01:00) Jon's Background and Entrepreneurial Journey

(2:00) Launching Amazon Insiders Newsletter

(3:00) Defining Micro Niche

(5:00) Choosing a Newsletter Topic

(6:00) Growth Strategies and Subscriber Acquisition

(7:00) The Role of SparkLoop in Subscriber Growth

(11:00)Additional Growth Channels such as Twitter

(16:00) The Use of a Mastermind Group for Engagement

(19:00) Monetization through Newsletter Sponsorships

(28:00) Approach to Identifying and Reaching Out to Sponsors

(33:00) Pricing and Packaging of Newsletter Ads

(33:00)Strategies for Achieving Growth Goals

(41:00) Advice for those Starting a Niche B2B Newsletter

Want more content like this?

Join Newsletter Operator for more strategies on how to grow and monetize your newsletter here: NewsletterOperator(dot)com

• Work with Ryan's agency Tailwind
• Work with Matt's agency GrowLetter

Follow Matt McGarry @JMatthewMcGarry and Ryan Carr @ryan_boat on Twitter.

Adam Ryan is the co-founder and CEO of WorkWeek, a B2B media company with 10+ newsletter publications and communities across various industries like healthcare, marketing, sales, HR, e-commerce, and fintech.

Episode topics & Timestamps
00:00 How WorkWeek started
05:04 Audience indicators and your ideal customer profile (ICP)
07:32 Slow, strategic growth trumps rushing into big projects.
10:19 Different business growth approaches have varying scalability and repeatability. Lifestyle businesses may benefit from an agency model, but for larger, scalable ventures, ongoing growth and compounding the business are crucial.
14:40 Approach to product development, growth metrics
17:32 Thoughts on newsletter recommendation networks
22:13 The email inbox is more sensitive
24:46 Paid ads
26:47 Maximizing existing audience potential
31:17 Acquiring newsletter subscribers and the potential trade-offs involved.
35:05 Focus on quality over quantity for newsletter subscribers.
36:34 Organic growth and subscriber engagement
40:14 Traditional media
43:35 Higher ad revenue, lower churn, better LTV
47:45 Prioritize audience, seek feedback, and consider time constraints.
50:24 How B2B lead generation works

Links Mentioned

WorkWeek.com
Want more content like this?

Join Newsletter Operator for more strategies on how to grow and monetize your newsletter here: NewsletterOperator.com

• Work with Ryan's agency Tailwind
• Work with Matt's agency GrowLetter

Follow Matt McGarry @JMatthewMcGarry and Ryan Carr @ryan_boat on Twitter.