Local Newsletter Founding Sponsor (Letterman Case Study): How Jordan Landed $5,000/Year

If you run your publication on Letterman, a local newsletter founding sponsor can underwrite your growth for the year and give you breathing room to experiment with ads and new sections.

 

On this week’s call, Jordan (Casper Buzz) shared that he closed a $5,000 “Founding Sponsor” for a one-year commitment and he’s fueling list growth with simple image ads that average about $0.40 per subscriber.

 

His best-performing ad line is as plain as it gets: “Everybody loves our newsletter.”  Below is a field guide to copy, adapt, and ship, built for Letterman publishers.

 

1) Package the “Founding Sponsor” so it’s easy to buy

 

Jordan’s version is simple: $5,000 for one year in exchange for prominent ongoing visibility (“blasted on my page”) plus flexibility to run promos during the year.

 

The spirit is support for an independent local voice (your Letterman publication), not a one-off ad buy.

 

Keep your package clean: a badge (Founding Sponsor of <City> <Newsletter>), ongoing logo placement in the newsletter, a quarterly feature, and priority scheduling for timely promos (new menu, grand opening, seasonal push). 

Why this works: local businesses want durable community presence. A founding slot feels prestigious and long-term. It’s also easier to approve because it’s budgeted once, not renegotiated every few weeks.

 

Letterman angle: Make the Founding Sponsor visual predictable—top or near-top position each issue—so readers learn to expect it. Consistency increases recall without needing bigger banners or gimmicks.

 

2) Use proof to justify price (without a 40-page media kit)

 

Jordan’s funnel to grow Letterman subscribers is working on simple images and clean copy: “Everybody loves our newsletter” and it’s generating ~$0.40 CPL. Use that in your proof.

 

Your story: “Our community wants this. They’re joining at low cost, and they open/read weekly.” If you don’t have CPL yet, start ads now (image + line above) and gather one week of data first. 

Mini proof deck (3 slides):

 

1. Audience: current subscriber count + growth the last 30 days.
   
   

2. Engagement: average open rate + 2–3 samples of reader replies.
   
   

3. Momentum: your best ad + the CPL line (“We’re adding readers at about $0.40 each”).
   
   

Keep it painfully simple. A sponsor doesn’t buy charts, they buy confidence.

3) The outreach email (copy-ready)

Subject: Founding Sponsor of [CITY]’s Letterman Newsletter

Hi [Name],

 

I run [Newsletter Name], a Letterman-powered local newsletter that covers wins around [City]. We’re offering one “Founding Sponsor” position for $5,000/year. It includes a badge and logo near the top of every issue, a quarterly feature, and priority scheduling for your promotions.

Why now: we’re growing fast (adding readers for about $0.40 each on Facebook image ads), and we publish on a reliable weekly cadence. I’d love to show you our quick proof deck and map out what a year could look like for [Business Name].

Could we do 15 minutes next Tuesday or Wednesday?

 

Best,
[You]
[Phone] | [Newsletter Link]

 

(Adjust price/terms to your market; the structure matches what readers see in Letterman each week.)

 

4) The discovery call: questions that win trust

 

Sponsors want to feel heard, not “sold.” Try this 10-minute flow:

 

• Goal check: “In Q4, what outcome would make this a win? Foot traffic? Event RSVPs? Email signups?”
  
  

• Calendar moments: “What dates already matter? New menu? Holiday hours? Hiring push?”
  
  

• Audience fit: “Our readers skew [brief demographic/interest]—does that match who you want?”
  
  

• Proof they’ll feel: “Here’s how your badge appears in Letterman every week. Here’s a sample quarterly feature.”
  
  

• Simple next step: “If we lock in today, we’ll run your badge starting Friday and schedule your first feature in two weeks.”
  
  

Why it works: It positions you as a local operator with a steady content product (Letterman), not a one-off ad peddler.

 

5) The offer script (verbatim-friendly)

“Here’s the simplest version: $5,000 for the year. You’ll be our Founding Sponsor—that means a permanent badge near the top of our Letterman issues, a feature each quarter, and priority placement for any promos you email us.

 

We’ll plan the first quarter today: a ‘Meet the Team’ feature, a holiday promo, and a January hiring post. If we under-deliver on any quarter’s feature (timing or placement), we’ll add an extra run on us.”

 

That last line is your make-good. It’s specific, cheap for you, and reduces their risk.

 

6) Guarantees that help close (and why they’re safe)

 

• Scheduling guarantee: “If a quarterly feature misses the agreed week, we’ll bonus an extra feature the following month.”
  
  

• Reporting guarantee: “You’ll receive a one-page recap with basic numbers (opens, clicks on your section, and any tracked redemptions).”
  
  

• Visibility guarantee: “Your badge will appear within the first screenful on mobile and desktop for every issue.”
  
  

These are easy to honor in Letterman because your layout is consistent and you control the send. (If your deliverability is shaky, fix DMARC/SPF/DKIM first with MX Toolbox → Email Health and Cloudflare updates so your founding sponsor’s first week hits inboxes. The calls this week walked through that step by step.)

7) The one-page agreement (what to include)

• Term & fee: 12 months; $5,000 (quarterly or upfront).
  
  

• Deliverables: weekly badge/logo placement; 4 features; up to X timely inserts with 72-hour notice.
  
  

• Creative: you accept simple text/logo; you will lightly edit for clarity/fit.
  
  

• Make-good: the bonus feature clause above.
  
  

• Editorial line: you retain editorial control (you’re not promising sticky advertorial every time).
  
  

• Measurement: you’ll provide a monthly recap (opens, CTR on their section, optional redemption tally).
  
  

Keep the doc two pages max. Sponsors say yes to simple.

8) How this ties back to growth (and renewals)

Jordan’s ad engine is efficient: image ads, brand-matched colors (he even mentioned matching Canva colors to his logo), and clean copy: “Everybody loves our newsletter.” That keeps new readers coming in cheaply, which your sponsor wants to hear because more readers = more exposure for their badge and features. 

Your renewal playbook:

• Monthly recap: one screenshot of your Letterman issue with their badge + basic stats.
  
  

• Quarterly planning call: choose next feature’s angle (e.g., “Holiday Guide insert,” “Meet the Chef,” “New Product Spotlight”).
  
  

• Surprise & delight: once per year, include a community photo or short reader quote about their business (ask permission).
  
  

• VIP moments: invite them to sponsor a seasonal reader giveaway (gift card, tickets). You manage the mechanics; they get goodwill.
  
  

9) Troubleshooting common objections

• “$5,000 is high.” “We can split quarterly ($1,250/quarter). It includes weekly visibility and one feature per quarter. If it under-delivers, we bonus another feature. We keep it simple and predictable.”
  
  

• “We’ve tried newsletters.” “Most locals see one-off ads. This is different: it’s a year-long Founding Sponsor presence in a Letterman newsletter readers open weekly. You’re buying sustained attention, not a one-week spike.”
  
  

• “We need immediate results.” “Let’s plan a first-month offer we can track (QR code or unique URL). You’ll have numbers within two issues.”
  
  

10) Your 7-day sprint (so you actually do this)

Day 1: Draft the Founding Sponsor package and make-good.

 

Day 2: Build the Letterman badge block and sample feature.

 

Day 3: Send five outreach emails (template above).

 

Day 4: Run the image ad with “Everybody loves our newsletter.” (Start recording CPL.)

Day 5: Hold two discovery calls; send the one-page agreement same-day.

 

Day 6: Fix deliverability if needed (MX Toolbox + Cloudflare). Day 7: Publish your next Letterman issue with a Founding Sponsor placeholder (even if “Coming Soon”) to set the pattern.