Summary:
1. Local Events as Monetization & Brand Builders
John is leaning heavily into hosting local events as a growth and monetization strategy. His first event—a paid happy hour with raffle prizes and sponsorship from a personal injury attorney—is already generating revenue and brand interest.
37 people registered and he’s already made over $500 in ticket sales.
Sponsor covered venue and drinks in exchange for exposure—low-cost, high-impact.
Raffle prizes (like suite tickets) and a donation drive add community value.
Future event interest is already inbound (e.g. Rivian wants to host one and pay him).
He's using events to build trust, in-person connection, and open sponsorship doors for bigger plays.
2. Cold Email + Smartlead = Underrated Sales Channel
John is getting meaningful traction using cold emails to sell newsletter sponsorships, powered by Smartlead and Clay.
Uses Smartlead to manage warm inboxes across 3 domains and 6 mailboxes.
Sends 10–15 emails/day per inbox = 60–90/day total.
Closed 3 sponsors last week alone, all from cold email.
Avoids Instantly due to predatory pricing practices (Smartlead is <$100/mo all-in).
Recommends targeting high-LTV businesses like lawyers, med spas, senior living, etc.
Hires people on Fiverr for lead scraping if you don't want to use Clay.
3. Future Growth: Welcome Flow Monetization + Hybrid Event Packages
John is thinking long-term with a sharp focus on monetizing the welcome flow and layering hybrid sponsorship packages.
Wants to trigger dynamic landing pages based on survey answers (e.g., homeowners → insurance offer).
Exploring CPL (cost-per-lead) partners for welcome emails and survey paths.
Suggests bundling events + newsletter placements into a single ad package.
Considering launching a Shark Tank–style pitch event with a wealth management sponsor.
Using platforms like Handshake to hire interns for Instagram content (carousels work best).
Believes newsletter value is in distribution + trust, and long-term upside is in building a higher-multiple business on top of that (agency, home services, etc.).
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