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- This No-Code Database About Sponsors Brings In $100,000 A Year
This No-Code Database About Sponsors Brings In $100,000 A Year
Indie Hustle
August 31, 2023
A Database About Sponsors Brings In $100,000 A Year
What is the business and who’s behind it?
WhoSponsorsStuff, the brainchild of Ryan Sager and co-founder Jesse Watkins, finds its origins at the intersection of journalism, media, and entrepreneurship.
Who Sponsors Stuff is a database that tracks sponsorship data for newsletters
Ryan Sager, with an impressive editorial background, initiated the Wall Street Journal's weekend Review section and built TIME's Ideas vertical, bringing his extensive media experience to this innovative venture.
How was the business started?
The journey of WhoSponsorsStuff commenced when Ryan Sager transitioned from the editorial sphere into a more product-oriented role at a company called Ladders. Here, they distributed content through a daily newsletter, monetizing it with native ads.
With Jesse Watkins joining to manage ad sales, they orchestrated a multi-million-dollar ad business fueled by just one newsletter. Their knack for efficient monetization and a thorough understanding of newsletter content and ads planted the seeds for what would later become their business.
Following their tenure at Ladders, the duo ventured into the world of third-party sales for newsletters, assisting them in filling ad inventory.
In this process, they realized the need for a system to systematically track companies sponsoring various newsletters. What started informally at Ladders eventually evolved into a data-driven system that would be invaluable for publishers. Recognizing this potential, they decided to package and market it.
This endeavor led to the birth of WhoSponsorsStuff, a platform that meticulously tracks over 350 newsletters, providing detailed insights into newsletter sponsorship.
The platform compiles a wealth of data, including ad screenshots, sponsor landing pages, newsletter web views, company summaries, website links, LinkedIn profiles, and the best contacts for outreach.
The platform began as a database that meticulously tracks and catalogs which brands and businesses are advertising in email newsletters. It compiles this valuable data and makes it accessible to newsletter operators. Over time, it evolved into a comprehensive resource for the newsletter community, offering insights and tools to facilitate smarter decision-making in the advertising space.
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With this database, you would be able to find out stories of:
who got 100 paid users in just 1 day for his SaaS
who used a pricing strategy to hit almost $15,000 in sales for his digital product
who shared a step-by-step process to finding journalists and their email address in order to get free PR coverage for your business
who went from merely hundreds to over 200,000 monthly search impressions implementing just this one strategy
how this creator went from 0 to 2,500 email subscribers in just 30 days
who generated 6 figures from a digital product in just 2 weeks
What are some of the marketing strategies used?
The business focuses on the following ways to promote the site:
Inbound and Referral Marketing: WhoSponsorsStuff primarily attracts customers through inbound inquiries and referrals. Satisfied users recommend their service, a powerful marketing tool.
In a podcast interview, Ryan also shared that the business primarily focuses on showcasing the platform's capabilities and the value it provides to newsletter operators. Their marketing strategies include:
Educational Content: The Send and Grow podcast, hosted by Louis Nicholls, is a prime example of their educational approach. The podcast serves as a knowledge-sharing platform, where industry experts and successful operators discuss growth tactics, strategies, and advertising methods. By sharing their insights, WHO Sponsors Stuff highlights its expertise and commitment to supporting the newsletter community.
Niche Expertise: WHO Sponsors Stuff demonstrates its expertise in the newsletter advertising space by tracking over 280 newsletters and their direct sponsorships. This extensive database showcases their dedication to providing operators with data and insights that can help them make informed decisions about their sponsorship deals.
Pricing Calculator: The platform offers a pricing calculator on its website, enabling newsletter operators to determine the appropriate pricing for their advertising slots. This tool empowers operators to create fair and competitive offers, fostering trust and transparency in their relationships with advertisers.
Audience Engagement: By engaging with their audience and community, WHO Sponsors Stuff builds strong relationships within the newsletter space. The platform's efforts to interact with their users and provide tailored support contribute to its reputation as a valuable resource for the industry.
How does the business make money?
WHO Sponsors Stuff generates revenue by providing subscriptions to its platform, offering different tiers of access for newsletter operators. These subscriptions grant access to the platform's database and tools, allowing operators to stay up-to-date with the latest advertising trends and data.
Additionally, the platform may offer premium services or consulting to help newsletter operators optimize their advertising strategies and increase their revenue.
The core revenue stream comes from selling annual licenses to access their comprehensive database.
According to Ryan, over 50 publishers use their paid product, Sales Pro, to enhance their newsletter and podcast ad sales, including well-known names like Morning Brew, The Daily Upside, Flipboard, The Future Party, and 6AM City.
By providing a valuable service that streamlines ad sales, WhoSponsorsStuff has carved a profitable niche in the newsletter industry.