📩 Update on Local Newsletter Life

In partnership with

Today marks the start of Week 29 of putting out the local newsletter.

Honestly, I cannot remember the last time I gave you an update on this.

So, apologies if I rehash some things you already know.

More on that in a moment.

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We Carry On

It would be an understatement to say that this local newsletter, at least in terms of revenue, is nowhere near where I expected it to be after 7 months grinding every damn week.

Has it been a failure?

In many ways, yes.

Yet, we carry on.

The business model is solid. We’ve only recent gotten our first sponsor.

Can it still be a success?

Yes, I think so. But not to the extent of my original projections. And that’s frustrating.

But I know it’s not me. It’s this local market.

Vegas is just different. I can’t do things like put on events and charge admission, like many of the other successful newsletter operators, cause Vegas has those same events for free…and lots of them.

I can’t put on a trivia night or a bingo night in a local bar or restaurant and sell tickets cause those are at loads of places in the city for free.

This is just one of several ways this market deviates from the norm.

As a local, it’s great. As a newsletter operator, it sucks.

That’s why this whole thing has been such a struggle. But, things are looking up, a bit.

Just in the last few days I’ve gotten two great leads for potential sponsors.

Both are local SEO clients here in Vegas. Both in real estate, but different areas as to not directly compete.

I haven’t approached them about sponsoring the newsletter as I want to get a month or two into their local SEO and ask after delivering some wins.

But, I’m hopeful. Which is different from a month ago.

And often, in any type of business venture, that feeling is the more important thing. Cause it helps you stay the course when things are tough.

And, my friend, things are tough with this one. Twenty-nine weeks, over $3,300 spent, countless hours of work, and less than $1,000 in revenue to show for it.

Am I being delusional or will it be worth it in the end? Time will tell.

Coming up…

Upcoming topics: one of the many things I’m working on: ecommerce, what’s working with websites, running an agency, AI music, Amazon KDP books, and more.

If you have a topic you want covered just reply and let me know.

Stay awesome,

Shawna

P.S. If you’re looking for high level discussions or tips on things like local SEO and Rank & Rent, I highly recommend Jacky Chou’s Advise community. I’ve been in it for several months and there’s tons of value in it, including a SOP for local SEO.

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