6 ways to launch your new promotions offering

Learn the best practices for launching your promotions store.

1. House ads

“House ad” is advertising for promoting your products and services in unsold inventory space. This is an active education tool to let your newsletter subscribers know about the opportunity to view or purchase promotions to support your business.

When creating house ads for your newsletter, keep these best practices in mind:

• Highlight key data, like how many people your newsletter potentially reaches
• Publish house ads multiple times, especially on days readership is highest
• Publish a variety of types to showcase the options you offer
• Include examples of products or services that align with your content
• Set the tone of what promotions are placed in your newsletter by taking a lead
  • For example, do you want serious philanthropies to advertise? Demonstrate that tone and call to action
• Use house ads to promote other products and services you offer, like membership, merch sales, or events, to show different ways promotions can be used.
• Use house ads to ask readers what products and services they are most interested in — then use the information to inform potential sponsors to contact
• Include a call to action with a link to the store.

Examples you can use: 

2. Partnerships

Leverage existing relationships to secure promoters with needs that you already know align with your content and audience. This passive education tool shows your newsletter subscribers how they might purchase promotions to support your business.

When entering a partnership, keep these best practices in mind:

• Reach out to a variety of organizations to secure different types of promotions
  • For example, one organization might need to promote an event while another might need to advertise a community resource
• Leverage past inbound inquiries — reach out to organizations or individuals that have asked how to work with or support your brand in the past.
• Consider offering the partner a discount in exchange for being an early promoter.

3. CTAs 

Build ongoing reminders and calls to purchase promotions consistently in your publications. Buttons or links placed in your newsletter and on your website offer visitors easy access to information about your new promotion strategy and should link directly to your store.

When updating your website or newsletter, keep these best practices in mind:

• Place buttons in places where your readers can see them
• Label buttons or links, for example, “Support us with a promotion” or “Buy a promotion.”
• Link to the store

Example from our partner:

4. Announcements! 

Let your community know the space is available. Don't be shy. An announcement notifies your entire subscriber base that they’ll start to see promotions in your newsletter and encourages potential promoters to visit the store.

When writing announcements, keep these best practices in mind:

• Explain why you’re launching or changing your promotion strategy
  • For example, let your readers know that they can expect to keep receiving your content for free due to revenue support from promotions
• Publish the announcement multiple times, especially on days readership is highest
• Publish the announcement in the most-viewed or clicked sections of your newsletter
• Include examples of products or services that can be advertised in your newsletter to help set the tone and ensure brand alignment
• Include a call to action with a link to the store

Example from our partner:

5. Direct email campaigns

With an email campaign, either segment your subscriber list or create a list of potential promoters, then send a direct email series with information about your new promotions strategy specific to that group. Segmenting your list depends on what data you capture and store about your subscribers.

When crafting your emails, keep these best practices in mind:

• Create a short email series to send over a short period that:
  • Explains why your new promotions strategy is meaningful to this group
  • Offers examples of how to use the new promotions inventory
  • Highlights critical data, like how many people your newsletter potentially reaches
• Segment your subscriber list by data that may help indicate the likelihood to advertise
• Create a potential advertiser list representing organizations that align with your brand
• Include a call to action with a link to the store
• You can also mention your store in any existing direct email campaigns you send, like a subscriber welcome series. Example from our partner:

6. Social 

Use the tools you've got! Don't forget to share across the various channels where you have promotions available for easy booking. Use organic posts or paid advertisements to let your social media followers and others know about your store. 

When creating your social media posts, keep these best practices in mind:

• Target your posts to reach people likely to purchase an ad, like businesses relevant to your newsletter focus
• Use the post link or button to direct visitors to the store.