Hi Oddies,
Jen Glantz here. I’ve been the gal behind this newsletter for three whole years. whoa. It started after I had an intimate conversation with one of the coolest people in the world, on his podcast, that millions of people listen to. I confessed that life was at a bit of a standstill and I wanted a new creative outlet to fuel my passion about all the odd things in the world — including ways you could make money.
He pushed me to start this Odd Job newsletter universe and in July of 2021, I bought a bunch of domain names (including my all-time favorite: youareodd.com) and just start writing about fun ways to get very unique jobs.
Fast forward to today and this newsletter has 156 posts and almost 5k subscribers. It’s been a joy in my life and also a source of passive income (from brand sponsors to affiliate links to paid subs).
But if you were to zoom out on my life, you would see me: a 5”6 pizza-stained t-shirt wearing human trying to clutch onto too many things, all at once, with limited time.
Pre-baby, I worked 50-80 hours a week, happily. Now, I love that I can work and spend a lot of quality time with my baby during the week. I’ve reduced my work hours to just 15-25 hours a week (depending on how much childcare we can round up) and then spend the rest of the day with my 1-year old.
So why the heck am I telling you this?
Well, because it means I’ve had to think deeply about what projects I can devote my hours to every week and what projects I want to put in the hands of other people who have the time, energy, and oomph to take them to next level.
SO! I, Jen Glantz, am looking for someone who wants to run this badass newsletter.
If you ever wanted to sit behind the driving wheel of a newsletter, with a cool audience, and a wickedly interesting topic, and wheels that are already bringing in cash money, this could be the opportunity for you.
Happy to share more — hit reply if you’re interested or pass this along to anyone who might be interested.
BUT NOW! Onto today’s topic — which is oddly enough about newsletters.
How to make money from owning a newsletter.
Let’s go!
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P.s. I tested out a bunch of tools to find one that helps you build a website in just minutes using AI. Seriously, minutes. I recorded an entire video showing you how I built a website for a dog walking side hustle I wanted to start. Give it a watch and try building your own website in minutes here. I asked the company for a discount code for my subscribers and they shared one! Use code: Jen for a discount.
🤑 How to make money running a newsletter
Newsletters are a secret weapon for creators. You can make several streams of income from writing a valuable newsletter to audience of readers. The cool part is that you don’t need a million subscribers to still make money. Brands, for example, will pay newsletter creators big money, even if they have a small audience, as long as that audience aligns with their niche.
For example, this newsletter has a little under 5k subscribers and brands have paid me $3,000+ for newsletter ads and partnerships. Why? Because the audience is made up of people who want to do something new with their lives - whether it’s a career shift or a side hustle. So brands who want to sell that audience something - a product, service, tool, etc. want to get access to the newsletter.
So how the heck does a newsletter make any money? Let me explain:
How to make money from running a newsletter:
Subscription Model: Offer premium content or exclusive updates to subscribers who pay a monthly or annual fee. This can include in-depth analysis, behind-the-scenes content, or early access to new products.
Affiliate Marketing: Include affiliate links in your newsletter for products or services that align with your audience's interests. Earn a commission for every sale generated through these links.
Sponsored Content: Collaborate with brands to feature sponsored content in your newsletter. This can include product reviews, sponsored articles, or promotional messages.
Native Advertising: Integrate advertisements seamlessly into your newsletter content. Ensure that these ads are relevant to your audience and provide value.
Product Promotions: Promote your own products or services within the newsletter. Offer special discounts or bundles to subscribers as an incentive to purchase.
Event Promotion: Promote events such as webinars, workshops, or conferences within your newsletter. Offer special discounts or early bird pricing to subscribers.
Consulting or Coaching Services: Offer consulting or coaching services related to your newsletter's niche. Provide personalized advice and guidance to subscribers for a fee.
Membership Tiers: Create multiple membership tiers with different benefits and pricing levels. This can include access to exclusive content, community forums, or one-on-one sessions.
Merchandise Sales: Sell merchandise such as branded merchandise, books, or digital products (e.g., ebooks, courses) to your newsletter subscribers.
Crowdfunding: Use platforms like Patreon or Kickstarter to crowdfund your newsletter. Offer rewards or perks to supporters based on their contribution levels.
What you need to start making money from your newsletter:
An audience. Again, it doesn’t have to be big, but you need to have subscribers. For brand deals, you’ll show them open rates, audience stats, and anything else you can to prove that your niche is their niche.
Value: Even if you had a million subscribers, if you’re not giving them value in your newsletter, they won’t open it up and then your numbers are just a waste. Ask yourself how you can give your audience value inside of every newsletter you send.
Media kit: having a one-pager media kit to send to brands makes the pitching process easier. You can design this for free using Canva.
A place for your newsletter to live. I love Substack (that’s where this newsletter lives) because it’s 10000% free to use - no strings attached and easy to use.
A place to sell ads to brands (the one I used shut-down but I believe in cold pitching brands so that works) or affiliate platforms to use (LTK, Amazon affiliate, Howl, etc.)
Want more?
Have questions or want more clarification? Leave a comment and I’ll respond!
Some more resources: newsletter niches for 2024, six-figure newsletter in a year, 20 profitable newsletters.
Want a personal deep dive into how you can start and monetize a newsletter? Book a 1:1 coaching session.
Want to own this newsletter? Hit reply. Let’s chat it up.