📌 3 Rules for Growing 170K Audience

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Hey!👋

This week, we’re spotlighting Strategy Breakdowns by Tom Alder.

This week’s 3 handpicked email gems…

1. How to Build a LinkedIn Audience From Scratch - Podcast

2. I came across the Austin Business Review newsletter and I love it

3. Calculate how much you can get paid for sponsorship - NL Ad Calculator

Backstory

Even now, when newsletters are booming, most people think growing a newsletter means writing great emails and hoping for the best.

But what if you could build an audience before ever sending your first issue?

What's in it for you?

1. A simple design tweak can transform your newsletter

2. Grow your list before you even send your first issue

3. Monetization isn’t one-size-fits-all

Opens, Clicks & Email Delivery

Here’s what Strategy Breakdowns teaches you—how to maintain a 50% open rate with a 60K email list.

A simple, fresh approach can transform how your newsletter looks - and boost your open rates.

Tom executes this brilliantly:

• Concise, no-fluff messaging – Every email gets to the point immediately.

• Visually compelling design – His design catches attention and keeps readers hooked.

• Engagement-driven structure – The first email pulls you in, and before you know it, you're opening the next… and the next.

See how that works… It looks interesting, right?

That’s the power of a smart, well-crafted newsletter experience, and free tool - Ezgif.

1. Landing Page

   A clean, curiosity-driven landing page featuring well-known names, strong social proof, and a compelling message - promising to reveal the secrets of proven success in just three minutes.

2. Welcome Sequence

Using GIFs adds movement to static pages, making them feel more dynamic and alive.

To keep curiosity high and build momentum, Tom paired his welcome email with a top strategy from a widely recognized brand—instantly boosting open rates.

Content

Picking the Right Niche: A Strategic Advantage

Niche selection isn’t the only success factor, but it’s a crucial one.

Choose wrong, and growth is an uphill battle.

Choose right, and it paves the way for sustainable success.

This newsletter’s niche—business strategy breakdowns—delivers three key advantages:

1. Success stories attract readers. People love learning what works (and what doesn’t).

2. C-suite executives value strategic insights. They seek lessons from others' successes and mistakes.

3. A senior decision-maker audience draws premium sponsors. Advertisers pay more to reach professionals with budget authority.

Beyond just selecting the right niche, he maximized its potential.

By consistently providing valuable breakdowns on company strategies, he positioned the newsletter as an essential resource for executives and professionals.

This newsletter follows a simple but effective format:

1. One key strategy per issue 

   Instead of overwhelming readers with multiple ideas, each email breaks down one powerful business tactic.

2. How it works in real companies – Readers get real-world examples with screenshots, case studies, and founder insights.

3. Key takeaways – The email ends with practical lessons readers can apply immediately.

This format does two things:

• it makes reading the newsletter a habit and

• keeps the writing process structured and repeatable.

Another simple yet smart feature that enhances the experience is organizing content by category.

Growth

Most people think you need a newsletter to grow a newsletter.

Not true.

Here’s how Tom hit 5,000 subs before sending a single email.

LinkedIn (Primary Growth Channel – 75-80% of subscribers)

• Outbound commenting strategy → Engages 15-20 high-profile posts daily.

• First-hour engagement strategy → 100+ reactions in the first hour = viral reach potential.

• Delayed CTA placement → Adds newsletter link after 1 hour to optimize LinkedIn reach.

• Multiple comments on own post → Adds extra value, encourages discussion and increases reach.

Here are Tom’s growth milestones:

1. 0 → 5K Subscribers (Pre-Launch Phase)

• Built a LinkedIn audience before launching.

• Collected emails before publishing the first issue.

2. 5K → 35K Subscribers (7 Months In)

• Posted daily on LinkedIn and optimized engagement.

• Used viral post mechanics to drive sign-ups.

• Cross-promoted with Beehiiv Boosts and Sparkloop referrals.

3. 35K → 60K Subscribers (14 Months In)

• Increased paid acquisition (Refind Ads, Beehiiv Boosts).

• Refined his LinkedIn content system to maximize reach.

• Expanded sponsorship revenue to reinvest in growth.

Take a look at behind-the-scenes strategies.

Monetization

Tom’s business model is simple yet powerful.

Here’s how he makes money:

How Sponsorships Work

🔹 Featured Sponsorship ($1,500 per ad slot)

• Includes logo + 400-character description + CTA button.

• Max 2 sponsors per issue.

🔹 Bundle Deal ($4,500 for 4 ads)

• Comes with a free LinkedIn shoutout to 100K+ followers.

🔹 Sponsored Breakdown ($5,000 per issue)

• Full-length feature covering a company’s strategy.

• Highly selective—only businesses that align with the audience.

Key Monetization Insights:

1. A niche B2B audience = high-value sponsorships. 91% of readers influence strategic decisions.

2. Bundled ad deals increase revenue per sponsor. The 4-ad package locks in long-term partners.

3. Affiliate income is small but recurring. SaaS referrals stack over time.

4. Archimedes - cohort-based course (CBC) : Partnering with Ben Meer, her course attracted 300+ participants (pricing undisclosed).

5. Sponsored Content:

   LinkedIn Posts: $4,000/post, with an average of 200K impressions and 250 paying customers per ad.

Newsletter Ads: $4,200/ad, converting 300 customers on average.

Learn how to make AI work for you

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