name	sponsorship-playbook
description	Load when working on newsletter sponsorships, creating media kits, pricing sponsorship placements, evaluating sponsor fit, or managing sponsor relationships. Contains comprehensive guidelines for newsletter monetization through sponsorships.

Sponsorship Playbook

Core Philosophy

Sponsorships should create a win-win-win: value for the sponsor (ROI), value for the reader (relevant offers), and revenue for the publication. Never sacrifice reader trust for short-term sponsor revenue.

Understanding Sponsorship Economics

Key Metrics

CPM (Cost Per Mille)

Formula: (Sponsorship Price / Subscribers) × 1,000

Audience Type	Typical CPM Range
General consumer	$10-25
B2B general	$25-50
B2B specialized	$50-100
High-value niche	$75-150+

Effective CPM (eCPM)

Based on opens: (Price / (Subscribers × Open Rate)) × 1,000

A 10,000 subscriber newsletter with 50% open rate has 5,000 effective impressions.

Pricing by Subscriber Count

Subscribers	Price Range	Notes
1,000-5,000	$50-300	Focus on engagement over scale
5,000-15,000	$300-800	Professional media kit needed
15,000-50,000	$800-3,000	Multiple placement tiers
50,000-100,000	$3,000-10,000	Premium pricing justified
100,000+	$10,000+	Enterprise deals, custom packages

Placement Types

Primary/Header Sponsorship

Location: Top of newsletter, above content
Format: Image + headline + description + CTA
Pricing: 100% of base rate
Best for: Brand awareness, product launches

Mid-Roll Sponsorship

Location: Between content sections
Format: Native-style, blends with content
Pricing: 60-80% of primary rate
Best for: Products needing context

Classified/Footer

Location: Bottom of newsletter
Format: Text-only, job listings, tools
Pricing: 20-40% of primary rate
Best for: Multiple sponsors per issue

Dedicated Send

Format: Entire newsletter about sponsor
Pricing: 3-5x primary rate
Best for: Major launches, deep partnerships
Caution: Use sparingly (max 1/month)

Creating a Media Kit

Essential Components

1. Newsletter Overview (1 page)

## [Newsletter Name]

**Tagline**: [One-line description]

**Mission**: [Why you exist, who you serve]

**Topics Covered**:
- Topic 1
- Topic 2
- Topic 3

**Publishing Frequency**: [Daily/Weekly/etc.]

**Founded**: [Date]

2. Audience Demographics (1-2 pages)

## Our Audience

**Total Subscribers**: [Number]
**Average Open Rate**: [%] (industry avg: 20-25%)
**Average Click Rate**: [%] (industry avg: 2-3%)

### Who Reads Us

**By Role**:
- Data Scientists: 35%
- Data Engineers: 25%
- Analysts: 20%
- Students/Learners: 15%
- Other: 5%

**By Location**:
- Mexico: 40%
- Spain: 20%
- Argentina: 15%
- Colombia: 10%
- Other LATAM: 15%

**By Company Size**:
- Enterprise (1000+): 30%
- Mid-market (100-999): 35%
- Startup (<100): 25%
- Freelance/Student: 10%

### Audience Interests
[Data from surveys, engagement analysis]

3. Engagement Proof (1 page)

## Engagement Metrics

**Key Stats**:
- [X]% open rate (vs industry [Y]%)
- [X]% click rate on sponsor links
- [X] average replies per issue

**Reader Testimonials**:
> "[Quote from reader about value]" - [Name, Role]

**Growth**:
- [X]% month-over-month subscriber growth
- [X]% year-over-year growth

4. Case Studies (1-2 pages)

## Sponsor Success Stories

### [Company Name]
**Campaign**: [What they promoted]
**Results**:
- [X] clicks to landing page
- [X]% click-through rate
- [Conversion/signup numbers if available]

> "[Quote from sponsor about experience]" - [Sponsor Contact]

5. Pricing & Packages (1 page)

## Sponsorship Options

### Primary Sponsorship - $[X]
- Top placement
- [X]x[Y] image
- Headline, description, CTA button
- Typically [X-Y] clicks

### Secondary Sponsorship - $[X]
- Mid-newsletter placement
- Smaller image or text-only
- Typically [X-Y] clicks

### Classified Listing - $[X]
- Footer section
- Text only (2-3 lines)
- Best for job listings, tools

### Package Deals
- 4-week commitment: 10% off
- 8-week commitment: 15% off
- 12-week commitment: 20% off

*Custom packages available for launches and special campaigns.*

6. Ad Specifications

## Creative Requirements

### Images
- **Primary**: 600×300 pixels (2:1 ratio)
- **Secondary**: 300×200 pixels (3:2 ratio)
- **Format**: PNG or JPG, under 200KB
- **Style**: Clean, minimal text overlay

### Copy
- **Headline**: 50 characters max
- **Description**: 150 characters max
- **CTA**: 25 characters max

### Links
- Include UTM parameters for tracking
- One link per placement
- No redirect chains

### Deadlines
- Creative due: 3 business days before send
- Changes accepted: Up to 24 hours before send

Sponsor Evaluation Criteria

Fit Assessment Checklist

Audience Alignment

Product/service relevant to our audience
Price point appropriate for reader demographics
Brand values compatible with publication
No direct competitor to existing sponsors

Quality Standards

Legitimate business with good reputation
Product/service we would genuinely recommend
No misleading claims in ad copy
Landing page is professional and works

Business Viability

Payment terms acceptable
Clear on deliverables and timeline
Reasonable revision expectations
Long-term partnership potential

Red Flags - Do Not Accept

Get-rich-quick schemes
Unproven health claims
Competitor to loyal sponsors without discussion
Excessive tracking/pixel requirements
Pressure for no-disclosure sponsorship
Unreasonable performance guarantees

Sponsor Outreach

Finding Potential Sponsors

1. Look at Similar Newsletters

Who sponsors newsletters in your space?
Tools: Swipe file of sponsor ads you see

2. Analyze Reader Tools

What tools does your audience use?
What products do they ask about?

3. Job Postings

Companies hiring in your niche have budget
Tech companies especially

4. Funding Announcements

Recently funded startups need awareness
Check Crunchbase, TechCrunch

Outreach Template

Subject: Sponsorship Opportunity - [Newsletter Name] ([X]k [audience type] subscribers)

Hi [Name],

I'm [Your Name], publisher of [Newsletter Name], a [frequency] newsletter
reaching [X] [audience description] in [region/language].

I noticed [Company] is [reason they're a good fit - new product, hiring,
similar sponsor in space]. Our audience of [specific description] would
be a great fit because [specific reason].

**Quick stats:**
- [X] subscribers
- [X]% open rate
- [X]% sponsor click rate

Would you be open to a quick call to explore sponsorship options?

I've attached our media kit with full details.

Best,
[Your Name]

Follow-up Cadence

Day 0: Initial outreach
Day 3: First follow-up (if no response)
Day 7: Second follow-up
Day 14: Final follow-up
Then: Add to nurture list, try again in 3 months

Sponsor Management

Pre-Campaign

Sign agreement/IO (Insertion Order)
Collect creative assets
Review for compliance with guidelines
Schedule placement
Send preview for approval

During Campaign

Send confirmation when live
Share real-time stats if available
Be responsive to questions

Post-Campaign

Send performance report within 48 hours
Include: impressions, clicks, CTR
Ask for feedback
Propose renewal if successful

Performance Report Template

## Sponsorship Performance Report

**Sponsor**: [Company Name]
**Campaign Date**: [Date]
**Placement**: [Primary/Secondary/etc.]

### Results

| Metric | Result | Benchmark |
|--------|--------|-----------|
| Impressions (opens) | [X] | [X] |
| Clicks | [X] | [X] |
| Click Rate | [X]% | [X]% |

### Observations
[Any notable patterns - which links performed best, time of clicks, etc.]

### Recommendations
[Suggestions for future campaigns]

### Next Steps
[Renewal options, upcoming availability]

Negotiation Guidelines

What's Negotiable

Price (within reason - max 20% discount)
Package deals (volume discounts)
Payment terms (net 30 vs. net 15)
Creative flexibility (within guidelines)
Reporting depth

What's Not Negotiable

Editorial independence
Disclosure requirements
Exclusivity without premium
Performance guarantees
Creative review rights

Handling Price Objections

"It's too expensive"

"Our rates reflect the quality and engagement of our audience. Sponsors typically see [X]% CTR, which translates to [Y] cost per click - competitive with paid channels. Would a smaller placement work for testing?"

"We need guaranteed results"

"We can't guarantee specific outcomes, but I can share historical sponsor performance data. Our average sponsor CTR is [X]%, and [Y]% of sponsors renew after their first campaign."

"We have limited budget"

"I understand budget constraints. We have smaller placements starting at $[X], or we could explore a multi-week package with a discount. What's your target CPM or cost-per-click?"

Install Skill

SKILL.md