For anyone building a local newsletter, the road from hobby to profitable business can feel messy and chaotic. But it doesn't have to be. In this revealing conversation, TJ Larkin sits down with Landon from Wichita Life, a local media veteran who’s quietly built a revenue-generating content machine powered by ads, job boards, and real-world events.
Whether you're just starting your own newsletter or looking to professionalize your systems, this episode is a goldmine of tactical advice, hard-won lessons, and scalable ideas. Landon doesn't just talk theory—he walks through the exact tools, processes, and even pricing that are helping him build a sustainable business around hyperlocal content.
In this article, you’ll learn:
How to sell and structure newsletter ads without going crazy
Why a simple job board can be a cashflow machine
The ROI of hosting local events—and how to do it well
How Landon organizes his growing business with simple tools
What newsletter creators can learn from real estate and dating events
How to Sell Ads That Actually Work
Don’t overcomplicate ad sales—just be consistent and smart about placement.
Landon runs his newsletter Wichita Life four times per week, giving him plenty of ad real estate—but it’s not just about volume. He organizes ad inventory into three clear tiers:
Primary ads: Top-of-email placement with logo + full content
Secondary ads: Mid-email placement, similar format without the top logo
Baseline ads: Short text ads near the bottom, low-effort and low-priced
“The baseline ones are kind of just gravy,” Landon notes. Even if they don’t sell often, they’re easy to manage and bring in incremental revenue.
He tracks all this using a Google Sheet. “It’s super simple,” he says, but it works. Each date gets a column for each ad tier, and recurring advertisers (like the City of Wichita) are slotted in with a clear cadence: “City of Wichita – Period 1” and “Period 2,” for example.
No fancy CRM, just structured organization.
“I tried Sponsy—it’s great, but I’m disorganized. Google Sheets and email work best for me.”
Flexibility = Profit
Running ads is as much about control as it is about cash.
One underrated advantage of running multiple newsletters a week? Flexibility.
Landon intentionally keeps a few ad slots open each month. Why? So he can bump slower clients, insert his own promos (like his job board), or move things around when corporate clients get bogged down in red tape.
Even without selling out every slot, this flexibility ensures he never loses momentum—or money.
Building Recurring Revenue (Even Without Contracts)
Long-term deals bring stability, even if they’re handshake agreements.
Landon prefers locking in long-term deals—ideally one year—but admits many still operate on informal agreements. “A lot of these are handshake deals. They could cancel tomorrow,” he says.
Still, relationships and consistency have helped him retain advertisers like real estate companies, home cleaning services, and medical groups. Even when deals fall through—like a residential real estate sponsor who got acquired—Landon uses that as a chance to raise prices and pitch others.
Key insight: build a waitlist. When his real estate sponsor left, Landon already had 15 others interested in taking over the “Home of the Week” slot.
“Price just doubled and now I’m going to shop it around.”
The Low-Lift Job Board That Pays for Itself
Add a job board to your newsletter—even if you think it’s too early.
Landon’s been running a job board for about a year using Niceboard. It costs him ~$179/month, but with $99 for regular listings and $199 for featured ones, he’s already net positive—making thousands annually.
What makes it work:
Newsletter promotion: He seeds the board with 5–10 jobs and then promotes it within the newsletter.
Fast setup: “Took me 10 minutes to set up.”
Recurring clients: Several companies now post jobs regularly.
“One featured listing or two regular ones covers my costs. It’s just free money.”
And while Niceboard isn’t cheap, Landon notes there are cheaper alternatives—or even just listing jobs directly in your newsletter.
Events: Brand Builders More Than Moneymakers
Local events boost your brand, even if they don’t pad your wallet.
Each April, Landon hosts a Wichita Life anniversary party. It’s not wildly profitable, but that’s not the point. “I gave out 110 branded hats to influential people in Wichita. That’s a net positive,” he says.
He’s also experimented with partnerships—like co-hosting a women’s talk event—and is considering more creative formats like dating mixers or 20s/30s meetups based on newsletter polls.
One standout idea? Sponsor physical plaques for local awards (like “Best Taco in Wichita”)—with your logo on it.
“Now I’m associated with the best taco in town. That’s brand awareness that lasts.”
Tools and Systems That Actually Work
You don’t need fancy software—just systems you’ll actually use.
When it comes to managing ad deals, reminders, or content approvals, Landon keeps it simple:
Google Sheets: For ad slot tracking
Reminders app: For follow-ups with potential clients
Email: For 90% of communication
He’s tested tools like Sponsy, Beehive's sponsor blocks, and even Notion. But his advice?
“You can build the perfect system, but it only works if you actually use it.”
For those hiring help, tools like Todoist and Notion can be powerful—if you commit to training and process.
Bringing It All Together
The path from scrappy side project to profitable local media business isn’t about perfection—it’s about consistency, relationships, and using tools that fit your workflow.
Whether it’s leveraging job boards, selling newsletter ads, or experimenting with community events, Landon’s approach offers a blueprint: start simple, iterate often, and never stop experimenting.
Want to grow a local brand? Focus less on scale and more on connection.
How I Can Help You Succeed
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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