How to find advertisers for your newsletter (even with a small audience)

Free newsletters can make serious money from sponsorships.

It’s the fastest, repeatable way to turn your newsletter into a profitable business.

And the best part is you don’t need 100,000 subscribers to make money from sponsorships or ads. 

Because most sponsors don’t care about audience size.

They care about:

• who your audience is
  

• how often they click
  

• how well your content performs.

And that’s great news for small newsletters.

Look at Creative Samba 👇

With just 3.2K subscribers and a 32.5% open rate, this newsletter is selling sponsorships at $1,300 per month (4 issues), i.e. $325 per newsletter.

Now why would advertisers pay so much? 

They'd pay because of the value of its targeted readership - to get access to marketers, managers, and designers from companies like Atlassian and Ogilvy Paris.

I've picked my 6 favorite tactics for landing sponsors that will help you monetize even with a small audience. 

These are the exact strategies I've seen work for early-stage newsletter operators.

#1 Write niche content 

Advertisers are shifting focus to small newsletters because they realized small niche content creators and micro-influencers drive better conversions than mass media as they're hyper-specific, and they have a targeted high-intent audience.

Let’s take a few examples:

• Marketing Examples by Harry Dry built a cult-like following around great landing pages and copy breakdowns.

Even in its early days, brands lined up for mentions and he was charging sponsors $2300/month.

When EmailOctopus sponsored it, Harry left his job to work on Marketing Examples full time.

• Trends.vc started as a lean weekly report by Dru Riley.

No fancy branding. No team.

But because his audience was made up of startup nerds and indie hackers, it attracted high-value B2B sponsors as soon as he started accepting ads in 2022.

Currently, Dru charges $1,000 for just one ad.

#2 Find the right advertisers 

There are three main ways to land sponsors. 

Each has its pros and trade-offs depending on your size, niche, and how hands-on you want to be.

1. Use a newsletter ad agency

If you’ve got 100K+ subscribers and your sponsors are getting 200–500+ unique ad clicks, agencies like Dan Oshinsky's Inbox Collective, Wouter Teunissen’s Time Media, or Katy Huff’s MadRev might be interested.

These agencies handle everything for you—finding sponsors, negotiating deals, and reporting performance. 

All you do is approve ads and get paid. 

It’s a great option if you’re looking to scale without spending time on outreach or logistics.

But they typically work with larger newsletters because brands expect high-volume performance.

2. Do your own outreach

If you’re still growing—or want more control over pricing, brand fit, and margins—reaching out to advertisers yourself is a great option.

Start by using a tool like Who Sponsors Stuff, a search engine that shows which brands are already sponsoring newsletters in your niche.

You can search by category, competitor, or even company name to find sponsors who are already spending on newsletter advertising.

Here’s a list of top 100 sponsors according to Who Sponsors Stuff.

This works well because you’re pitching people who already understand the value of newsletters. 

Focus on sponsors that align with your audience’s interests. 

For example, if you write about tech or productivity, SaaS tools are a strong match. 

If your audience is indie creators, look for platforms that cater to solopreneurs or small teams.

You’ll need a solid media kit, a clear pitch, and a compelling reason why sponsoring your newsletter will help them reach the right readers. 

It takes more effort, but you keep more of the revenue—and you choose who gets access to your audience.

3. Use a sponsorship marketplace

If you’re not ready for agencies and don’t want to pitch directly, you can use a sponsorship marketplace like Paved or beehiiv’s ad network (I’ve covered more about this later. Keep reading).

These platforms connect newsletters with brands, making it easier to get discovered. You set up a profile, add your stats, and either apply to campaigns or get inbound interest from sponsors.

Marketplaces are useful if you’re in the 1,000 to 50,000 subscriber range and want to monetize while you grow. 

You may not earn as much per campaign as you would with direct outreach, but it’s a low-friction way to get started and test what works with your audience.

#3 Create a media kit

Most media kits are forgettable: a few stats, a logo, and a “contact me” line.

To make it work, your media kit should sell why your audience listens to you—and how that benefits sponsors.

To make your media kit compelling, try this format:

1. Headline:

Instead of the generic "Media Kit," opt for a headline that immediately communicates the benefit to potential sponsors. 

Try this format: Your Brand in Front of [Niche] Decision-Makers

Let’s look at TLDR:

“Reach over 6 million tech professionals”

2. Must-have data:

Doesn’t need to be in the same order but here’s what you should include:

→ Open Rates: If your newsletter boasts open rates above 40%, include screenshots as proof. High open rates indicate an engaged audience that values your content.​

→  Click-Through Rates: Even if you haven't run paid ads, showing CTR from affiliate links or past content can improve advertiser's responsiveness.​

→ Audience Demographics: Provide insights into your audience's interests, professions, and behaviors. Brands are keen to know who they're reaching.​

Trends.vc does an excellent job at this. Their sponsor page includes all important details brands want to look at:

→ Previous Collaborations: If you've worked with brands before, include testimonials or case studies highlighting successful partnerships.

Here’s an example of how The Rundown adds testimonials to their media kit:

I grabbed this from TLDR’s Media kit to show how they’ve included case studies:

→ Campaign Results: Don’t just tell brands you have an engaged audience, show them what happens when you promote something. 

Include results from past campaigns: clicks, conversions, replies, product signups, or sales driven. 

The Rundown nails this strategy:

#4 The cold pitch formula (that lands sponsorship deals)

I've been studying how top newsletter ad sellers land deals. Katy Huff is the queen of this. 

Before founding MadRev, she was The Hustle's top performer, closing millions in deals with Microsoft, Amazon, Goldman Sachs, HBO, and Salesforce.

Katy's approach won meetings about 80% of the time on first or second contact. Here's the formula:

1. Keep the greeting casual 

People are suspicious of overly formal greetings. If possible, use the name their friends call them - it immediately cuts through the corporate barrier.

2. Personalize the subject line and opener 

Say something remarkable that shows you understand their brand. Katy uses humor that demonstrates she's familiar with the client while not taking herself too seriously.

3. Template the middle 

The body can be a template - just a few solid sentences explaining who you are that you can send to every prospect.

4. Make something visually stand out 

Use strategic bolding on one key sentence designed to catch skimmers' attention.

5. Respect their time 

Suggest a specific day for a call and mention it will be brief. 

Here's an actual example:

Sam Parr's approach (the OG method)

Before The Hustle had a sales team or copywriters, founder Sam Parr sold and wrote every ad himself. 

His approach was refreshingly simple:

Keep it focused entirely on what's in it for the advertiser - access to people actively looking for products like theirs. 

No fluff.

Sam's emails included basic stats that matter: audience size, open rates, and click-through rates. 

Nothing complicated.

I grabbed this whole outreach + email thread so you can see it for yourself:

#5 Fast-track sponsorships without cold outreach

If cold emailing isn't your preferred method, here are 3 strategies that'll help you build a sponsorship pipeline without sliding into DMs:

1. Get listed on ad marketplaces

The easiest way to start getting discovered is to list your newsletter on dedicated platforms where advertisers are actively looking to spend money.

→ beehiiv Ad Network: Since they're also a popular newsletter platform, they've created an ecosystem where sponsors can easily discover and book newsletters like yours. Their marketplace gives you access to brands already comfortable with newsletter advertising.

→ Paved: Another solid option that's been around longer. They handle all the logistics - from connecting you with relevant advertisers to managing payments. They take a cut, but the time saved can be worth it, especially when you're starting out.

→ Sponsorgap: Newer but growing fast. They focus on connecting indie newsletters with relevant sponsors and handle all the awkward money conversations for you.

Other newsletter ad marketplaces you can try are:

• Hecto

• BuySellAds

• Adnuntius

• Wellput

2. Create a “Sponsor Us” page

This is criminally underrated. Develop a dedicated sponsorship page on your website that shows your newsletter's value to potential sponsors. Include:​

→ Audience metrics - share key statistics like subscriber count, open rates, and click-through rates.​

→ Demographics - provide insights into your audience's interests, professions, and locations.

→ Show sponsorship packages - outline exactly what advertisers get (primary placement, word count, image inclusion) and at what price points.

→ Past successes - highlight previous sponsorships or collaborations, emphasizing the results achieved.​

→ Testimonials - include endorsements from past sponsors or readers to build credibility.​

→ Booking information - offer a clear call-to-action with contact details or a scheduling link for interested sponsors.

Jay Clouse, the founder of Creator Science, shows exactly how to do this right.

His sponsor page is clear and convincing—no fluff. 

He breaks down exactly what a brand gets access to and also includes a note on who their audience is, what kind of results sponsors can expect, and a clear call to book a slot.

3. Promote sponsorship opportunities within your newsletter

This is hiding in plain sight: your own newsletter is the perfect place to advertise your sponsorship opportunities.

Add a simple footer to every issue mentioning that sponsorship slots are available. 

Here’s how Justin Welsh does it in his newsletter, The Saturday Solopreneur.

#6 How to price your newsletter sponsorships 

When you're new to newsletter sponsorships, offer your first few sponsorships at a lower rate.

This approach helps you:

• Attract initial sponsors more easily.

• Build a portfolio of successful sponsorships.

• Gather testimonials and case studies to showcase effectiveness.

There are a few key elements that will help you decide the best charges for sponsorship deals. 

But first, let’s understand cpm and pricing based on your audience

CPM refers to the cost per 1,000 subscribers. It's a common metric used to price newsletter ads.

Typical CPM Rates:

• B2C Newsletters:
  

  • Lifestyle and consumer products: $10–$30 CPM.
    

  • Health and wellness: $15–$75 CPM.
    

• B2B Newsletters:
  

  • General B2B: $50–$100 CPM.
    

  • Highly targeted roles (e.g., CFOs, engineers): $100–$200+ CPM.

Example Calculation:

If you have 10,000 subscribers and charge a $50 CPM

$50 CPM x (10,000 / 1,000) = $500 per sponsorship slot.

Now, let’s look at different pricing models:

→ Flat Rate or Price Per Send (PPS)

One of the basic models. Advertisers pay a fixed fee based on how many people you send the ad to—regardless of opens or clicks. 

This is best for large, highly engaged lists and provides predictable income for creators.

→ Price Per Click (PPC):

You earn money each time a subscriber clicks on the advertiser’s link. This model rewards newsletters with high click-through rates and lets advertisers track direct performance.

Positioning beats pricing every time…

The single biggest factor in what you can charge isn't your subscriber count—it's who those subscribers are. 

A newsletter with 5,000 CTOs will command way higher rates than one with 50,000 random people.

Fractionals United charges a minimum $3,000 for sponsoring their newsletter of 2.7K subscribers, because their readers are C-suite execs and decision makers. This list is valuable to advertisers.

The best newsletters don’t win because they’re the biggest. They win because they’re intentional—about their audience, their messaging, and how they pitch.

If your readers trust you—and you can prove it with numbers—brands will pay to be in front of them.