Beyond the Newsletter: Building a Multi-Channel Local Media Empire

Forget being "just a newsletter." That limited thinking is holding back your growth and leaving money on the table.

The most successful local media operators today are building comprehensive brands that reach their communities through multiple touchpoints. It's a strategy that TJ Larkin and Jas Singh both emphasize as critical for long-term success.

"Thinking more local media company and less local newsletter," TJ explains. "Having multiple channels, multiple angles to hit people at."

This multi-channel approach isn't just about vanity metrics—it transforms how your audience perceives your brand and dramatically increases your monetization opportunities.

One fascinating direction Jas is exploring is bringing his primarily digital brand into the physical world through events.

"We're getting into events just simply because we want to get our brand in the real world on real posters," Jas shares. "Anytime someone imagines anything fun happening in the city, they think of you."

For the Winnipeg Digest, this means organizing five "summer markets" where attendance is free but vendors pay to participate. Instead of handling all the operational details himself, Jas partnered with an established event company that previously advertised with his newsletter.

"I didn't want to take on the hassle of putting on a full market, coordinating with vendors, talking to the venue," he explains. His solution was to handle all the marketing while his partner manages the logistics—creating a win-win that extends his brand into the physical world.

Beyond events, both TJ and Jas discuss several promising expansion opportunities:

1. Directories: "You can charge $200 to any business in the city for being the top person in the directory list," Jas points out. With 30 different business categories at $300 per featured listing, that's potentially $9,000 monthly in largely passive revenue.

2. Podcasts: TJ mentions his local podcast as another leg of the stool supporting his media brand. This additional channel reaches audiences who prefer audio content and creates deeper connections with listeners.

3. Full Website: Moving beyond just a landing page, a comprehensive local website can provide evergreen content that continues to attract traffic and establish your authority.

4. Strategic Partnerships: Jas describes how partnering with complementary businesses creates opportunities that wouldn't be possible alone. His partnership with an event company lets him expand his brand presence without taking on operational headaches.

When approaching brand expansion, Jas recommends a practical experimental mindset: "For us, it just comes down to shots on goal. We're just trying a bunch of stuff, seeing what works."

This approach prevents getting stuck in analysis paralysis. Not every initiative will succeed, but each provides valuable information and potential new revenue streams.

Perhaps most intriguing is Jas's long-term vision for leveraging his media platform as a launchpad for equity partnerships.

"Going with the same model that we are with the markets. Go to an existing small player in HVAC or plumbing, show him your value, show him what you can deliver, and then say to him come third year that, 'Hey, if you want to renew this contract, it will have to be an equity-only contract,'" Jas explains.

This "hold co" approach transforms your media company from simply selling ads to building a portfolio of ownership stakes in local businesses—potentially a far more lucrative outcome.

The window to establish local media dominance is closing faster than many realize. As AI and other technologies make content creation easier, the barrier to entry drops—but the barrier to attention remains high.

"I just think there's a lot of opportunity right now," Jas emphasizes. Those who build multi-channel brands today will have insurmountable advantages over latecomers.

TJ agrees: "By the time it's easy, we know everything to do."

The multi-channel approach doesn't require tackling everything at once. Start with your newsletter, then systematically expand into complementary channels as you gain traction.

The key is shifting your mindset from "newsletter creator" to "local media entrepreneur." When you view each piece of your operation as part of a coherent brand strategy rather than isolated projects, you'll naturally discover opportunities to expand your influence and revenue.

Remember: Today's subscribers aren't just email addresses—they're the foundation of your local media empire.

Before we dive into this week's insights, I want to make sure you know about all the resources available to support your local newsletter journey:

🎙️ The Podcast - Deep-dive conversations with successful newsletter operators sharing their playbooks and lessons learned | Link

📧 This Weekly Newsletter - Quick, actionable tips delivered straight to your inbox every week | Link

🧠 1:1 Consulting - Personalized guidance tailored to your specific newsletter challenges Link

🚀 Launch Accelerator - A structured program to help you go from idea to profitable newsletter in record time | Link

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