CEOs who don't understand marketing and buying media in a new landscape
In this very first send of my newsletter, I'm talking about how to position marketing to your CEO and how to price your newsletter sponsorships!
Hello everyone!
The first newsletter send is always the hardest, but I am taking the advice I give all of my clients and just hitting publish.
We've hit peak December paradox – half of us are sprinting toward year-end goals while the others are dropping "let's reconnect in January" faster than holiday party RSVPs. Me? I'm embracing the intensity! Between ambitious growth targets for The Purse, two client product launches, and that classic founder inability to ever truly slow down, my calendar (and life?) is delightfully chaotic. Though I am still sneaking in many cookie-baking sessions with my cute kids – because who doesn’t love sugar and sprinkles!
Your Marketing Challenges, Addressed!
Each week, I'm answering your marketing and media questions! Sometimes they're anonymous, sometimes they're signed, mostly answered by me and occasionally by the brilliant marketing and media folks in my network. This week, we've got two anonymous questions, and I'm tackling both! Now, onto this week's questions:
“I run marketing for a seed stage startup who is still uncovering product market fit. Since joining, I’ve launched their blog, grown their social from zero to 5,000, and laid the ground work for their strategy. Last week, my boss (the Co-founder and CEO) asked me "When Are We Going to Start Marketing?" What does this mean? “
- Consumer startup marketing lead who is already marketing
Oh, this one hits home. Every marketer has been there - you've rebuilt positioning, launched a content strategy from scratch, started seeing real engagement... and then someone asks when the "real marketing" will begin.
Let's decode what's really being asked here (it’s usually one of three things):
"when will we start running ads?"
“when will we launch our first campaign”
"when will we do something that catches my network's attention?"
Here's how to handle it:
For organic-focused strategies: Lead with your impact and paint a clear picture of what's next. Use this moment to strategically reframe how you’re approaching marketing and how this aligns with the current stage of the business.
For teams planning paid campaigns: Map out your strategic paid plan and show how it connects to your broader marketing efforts. This is also your chance to gently show that marketing is more than just advertising.
Most importantly: You need to do some work here to ensure the role of marketing within the company is clear, and that everyone is aligned on the approach and the impact.
"Help! Someone wants to sponsor my newsletter. How do I price my newsletter sponsorships?"
- From an industry-focused newsletter creator with 15k subscribers and 45-50% open rates
Let's talk newsletter economics, because this is where things often go sideways. Here's the reality: Everyone wants to buy niche newsletters like they're buying meta ads. And that’s missing the point.
Newsletter partnerships are not just a performance marketing play and you're not selling impressions – you're offering access to a highly engaged, specialized community that trusts your voice. That's worth real money.
Let's break it down (assuming 80% of your subscribers are industry folks that your advertiser is trying to reach, and you can deliver a 3-5% CTR on sponsored content): Start at a $0.40 cost-per-open for a full newsletter takeover. That's about $3,000 per takeover. Will you get pushback? Count on it! I have definitely pushed back on similar pricing. Use it strategically. Counter with additions to the offering: a month-long presence with two takeovers plus two follow-up mentions. It’s almost the same effort from you, better results for them, and everyone wins.
An important note: this is also priced based on the industry-focus, and would look a bit different for a lifestyle/consumer focused newsletter.
Ok, those are our questions for this week! Next week, I have a very special guest joining us to answer a question. Want to submit your biggest marketing and media challenge to me? Submit it here!
Other things Catching My Attention This Week
That fascinating Link in Bio deep-dive into menswear social (full disclosure: marriage to a menswear designer has turned me into someone who gets genuinely excited about fabric construction!)
Marketing Brew's take on brand activism heading into 2025
Nieman Lab's annual predictions piece – always a highlight, especially when you find yourself debating with half their takes and nodding in agreement with the rest
Shameless Plugs
My client Eddie AI is looking to connect with marketers who are also making videos, is that you? Fill out this survey and get access to an awesome opp!
The Purse has a very good edition of Home Economics going out on Monday, so if you’re not yet subscribed, highly recommend fixing that!
If you enjoyed reading this, please send it to a friend!
Thanks for following along, and please share your feedback. Hey EVA is definitely in the ‘creative experiment’ phase of life.
I loved this, Erika! Can’t wait to read more :) I always learn something from you!