Placement Type #1: PRIMARY SPONSORSHIP
What you deliver:
1200 x 600 banner image
Headline
Body copy
CTA button
BONUS: Logo at newsletter top (title sponsor status)
Where it goes: Right after your opening or before your first content section.
Pricing calculation (50K subscribers, 40% open rate):
Opens: 20,000
Expected CTR: 1%
Clicks: 200
Industry CPC: $4-5 (standard) | $10 (finance)
PRICE: $1,000 (standard) | $2,000 (finance)
Action step: Position this as your premium placement.
Highest visibility = highest price.
Placement Type #2: SECONDARY SPONSORSHIP
What you deliver:
Headline
Body copy (shorter than primary)
CTA button
NO banner image
Where it goes: Middle of newsletter, between content sections.
Pricing calculation (50K subscribers, 40% open rate):
Opens: 20,000 → Expected CTR: 0.5%
Clicks: 100
Industry CPC: $5 (standard) | $10 (finance)
PRICE: $500 (standard) | $1,000 (finance)
Action step: Offer this to sponsors who've maxed budgets on primary or want to test your audience affordably.
Placement Type #3: CLASSIFIED/TOOLS AD
What you deliver:
Sponsor name
One-line description
Simple CTA link
Maximum 2 lines total
Where it goes: End of newsletter, integrated with your quick links/tools/resources section.
Pricing calculation (50K subscribers, 40% open rate):
Opens: 20,000
Expected CTR: 0.3%
Clicks: 60
Industry CPC: $5 (standard) | $10 (finance)
PRICE: $300 (standard) | $600 (finance)
Action step: Perfect for new sponsor relationships and testing on smaller budgets. Sell in 4-week packages for recurring revenue.
Placement Type #4: DEDICATED ISSUE
What you deliver:
Entire newsletter issue focused on sponsor
Full editorial showcase of their product/service
Your editorial voice = implicit endorsement
Where it goes: This replaces your regular newsletter for one send.
Pricing calculation (50K subscribers, 40% open rate):
Opens: 20,000 → Expected CTR: 2%
Clicks: 400
Industry CPC: $7 (standard) | $10 (finance)
PRICE: $2,800 (standard) | $4,000 (finance)
Action step: Only offer this to repeat sponsors who've already seen success with you. This builds trust and drives higher performance.
Quick Reference: PRICING AT A GLANCE
(50K List, 40% Open rate)
Placement Type | Standard Categories* | Premium Categories** |
|---|---|---|
Primary | $1,000 | $2,000 |
Secondary | $500 | $1,000 |
Classified | $300 | $600 |
Dedicated | $2,800 | $4,000 |
*Standard: SaaS, E-commerce, General
**Premium: Finance, B2B Enterprise
THE SPONSORSHIP LADDER (Build Relationships):
NEW SPONSOR → Start with Primary bundle ($1,000)
• Standard entry: Single Primary placement
• Bundle option: Combo of 2 Primary placements (different issues)
• Gives sponsors maximum visibility to test your audience
PRICE-CONSCIOUS SPONSOR → Pitch Secondary + Classified combo ($800)
• Use this when sponsors are reluctant on Primary pricing
• Mid-funnel visibility + bottom-funnel exposure
• Lower risk while still delivering meaningful reach
SUCCESSFUL TEST → Upgrade to combination packages
• Primary + Dedicated combo (ultimate package)
• Primary + Secondary + Classified (full funnel coverage)
• Mix and match based on campaign goals and budget
5 RULES TO APPLY TODAY:
Calculate YOUR numbers: Use this formula with your actual open rates and list size. Your price = (Opens × CTR × CPC).
Adjust CPC by category: Finance/enterprise pay more. Creator tools/early-stage pay less. Don't undersell premium audiences.
Bundle for higher deals: Offer "Primary + Classified" packages or multi-week commitments to increase deal size.
Limit ads per issue: Maximum 1 Primary + 1 Secondary + 1 Classified. Most newsletters run just 1 Primary + either Secondary OR Classified. Scarcity maintains performance and reader experience.
Track everything: Send sponsors detailed click reports. Data builds confidence for repeat buys and upsells to dedicated issues.
BOTTOM LINE:
Match placement to sponsor goals, not just their budget.