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Marketing Examined

Marketing Examined

Beehiiv Newsletter Breakdown

Ricky
July 15, 2024

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. QUICK NOTE .

Hey, it’s Ricky. Welcome to Pixels’ Break It Down edition.

Aside from running my newsletter design studio and putting out “fires” when my twin boys’ potty training goes sideways… I spend several hours per week crafting these breakdowns to show you how the pros design and position their successful newsletters to keep readers engaged and bring in more revenue.

If you've been enjoying the Pixels’ newsletter and found it helpful, I'd really appreciate it if you'd share it with anyone you think might benefit from it.

Pass along this link: https://readpixels.com

Let’s dive into this week’s break down. 🍉

. BREAKDOWN .

. Marketing Examined .

Newsletter by Alex Garcia
Check it out at Marketing Examined
Built with Beehiiv

Alex loves marketing and is currently building a 9-figure media company while training to win the Crossfit Games. Today, we’re diving into one of his newsletter brands 👑

Here is the usual newsletter structure:

• Top Header Image
• Introduction
• Sponsor Ad 1
• Playbook
• Sponsor Ad 2
• Rabbit Hole Reads
• More Marketing Examined
• Footer

Let’s break it down for you.👇

. Top Header & Introduction .

Capitalize on the section that gets seen the most:

Simple, big, centered top banner (obvious main topic).
Link to case studies (more value) and scheduler to learn about his sponsorship packages (most likely, his main monetization avenue).
Story-driven introduction that’s relevant to that edition.
He usually links to two different sponsors.
Alex’s social media profile picture (recognized by many) adds familiarity and a touch of human/personal branding.
Doubling down with a direct call-to-action (and audience size) linking to the scheduler from #2.

.Sidenote on #2.

This approach is interesting because almost all newsletters that sell sponsor ads usually direct potential sponsors to a page with info about audience size, demographics, and pricing. Alex just get them straight to scheduling a call.

. Sponsor Ad 1 .

Make the sponsor ad blend in with the rest of the content:

The “fine print” no one reads in a contract until it’s too late.
Highly relevant, benefit-driven, desired outcome headline.
Introduce the problem, benefits, and solution.
Speak to the reader’s desired outcome. 👇

. What I love about it: .

Alex uses the same background color as in all other sections and a proven copywriting formula to generate more leads for the sponsor.

. The Playbook .

Story-driven credibility by association:

Custom heading that blends in with background (it’s an image).
Onbrand custom image that represents this section.
Strong opening that establishes massive credibility.
Curiosity-driven open loop that keeps readers engaged.

. What I love about it: .

Alex gives credit where credit is due and honors his mentor while elevating his credibility, retaining your attention, and making you to want more. 🤌

Don’t settle for generic stock images:

Add more context with custom images to provide clarity
Stay consistent with it throughout every edition
Iterate and test new ideas over time

End of this section:

. Bring it home: .

Remind them of the problem and the solution.
Summarize the simple-to-follow action steps.
Paint a vision of a positive outcome and inspire them to get better.

. Sponsor Ad 2 .

Leverage a real-world example to make sponsor relevant:

Position sponsor as your partner, not just a sponsor.
Headline driven by an open loop and desired outcome.
Intriguing question + hint into how much work that takes.
Give them an idea of how it works while still establishing the massive workload involved in the process.
“Don’t worry, my partner makes it super easy to do the same. It’s free to try it out.”
Use a desired outcome-driven call-to-action in the button. Most say, “Learn more,” which inspires a “thanks, but no, thanks” response.

. Why I love it: .

Genius (and rare) way of strategically positioning a sponsored ad. Take notes, my friend. Take notes!

. Rabbit Hole Reads .

Great curation + relevance = winning combo:

Custom heading that blends in with background (it’s an image).
Icon conveying the idea of this section: explore further.
Interesting, relevant articles and resources to go deeper.

. What I love about it: .

This section can easily boost reader’s engagement (click rate) and it can also be used to position sponsored ads or affiliate partnerships in a subtle way.

. More Marketing Examined .

Take them deeper into YOUR world:

Always three bullet points, three different resources.
Always links to their latest video podcast episode. (Keeps it fresh for every newsletter edition).
Always links to a page with all ways to subscribe to podcast (Spotify, Youtube, Apple, etc).
Always links to their Cut30 (short-form video creation 30-day bootcamp).
The footer is as simple as it gets.

. Conclusion: .

Alex and the Marketing Examined crew are masters at their craft and I find myself learning a lot from them. Learn the world’s best growth marketing strategies from Marketing Examined, it’s free.

🍉 Beehiiv Design Course — tactical lessons on building and designing effective newsletters with Beehiiv. [See inside]

🍉 Want Pixels to design your newsletter? — we’ll transform your newsletter design, strategic structure, and results. [Book a call with me]

🍉 Follow Pixels on Twitter and Linkedin.

That’s all for now.

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See you on the next edition.

Get creative,
Ricky 🍉

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