Building a Lucrative Newsletter Business Model with Jack Appleby
Episode 874: Show Notes
So many people have been telling me that I have to meet the creator of Future Social, Jack Appleby, and today, he is on the podcast so you can hear his story! He is monetizing and building a business in an incredibly unique way and I can’t wait for you to hear all about it.
Jack has had an extensive career with quite an intense growth trajectory going from zero to 60,000 subscribers almost instantaneously. But he is not making his money as a social media influencer. Instead, Jack’s main income in his half-million-dollar business comes from his newsletter! Something most people only use as a lead magnet. Today he delves into how he did it, the importance of creating value-based content, the art of selling creative ideas, and so much more!
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The Most Important Part of Building a Successful Newsletter
Jack had a bit of a controversial start as he practically force-fed his audience really high-value content and while this is not the most ideal strategy, he strongly feels that it set him up for success! So many of his subscribers have become loyal to his newsletter because of the quality of his content and this is not something that is focused on enough. Spending time considering how you can bring value to your audience is of the utmost importance. Deciding what to write about is an entirely different ballgame. Jack’s approach is to leverage his experiences and what he imagines people will need in their day-to-day lives. Remember, it is your job to serve your audience!
Why Jack Decided to Make His Newsletter the Main Monetization of His Business
Most people don’t make a newsletter the driving force behind their income, but Jack did! That’s what makes his business model so distinct. For him, it simply paid well and was familiar to him. Jack was trained as a journalist so writing comes naturally to him. He saw how much money people spent on newsletter advertisements, and because his content is so value-based, he only accepts ads that will bring value to his audience. He also uses his skills and experience to sell custom content to the companies he advertises. He has a half-million-dollar business and the majority of that money is coming from newsletters!
Developing the Skill of Selling Creative Ideas
So how does he figure out the needs of a brand that approaches him? And how does he decide how to meet those needs in a creative way? Jack loves having meetings with the brand managers so he can figure out what is most important to them and find the most value-based hook within their business that stays true to his business. He also works ‘on the fly’ quite a lot and comes up with creative ideas in the most random moments.
Now, this may sound like an impossible skill to develop but Jack’s consumption of social media has helped him hone this ability to sell creatively. He also took improv and public speaking classes to get extremely good at selling these things. If he can, why can’t you? These skills have given him the ability to pitch such crazy ideas! He has used his entrepreneurial skills to figure out where his income is going to come from and I want you to learn from his unique methods.
The Future of Future Social and Jack Appleby
Through his newsletter, Jack has built a business that perfectly aligns with his passion for analysis and discussions. This is no accident. He has intentionally curated his content to ensure he can keep having excellent conversations with his followers about the topics that fascinate him most. Writing is also a lonely process (something Jack is intimately familiar with) and his courses are another step he has taken to help incorporate discussions, teaching, and collaboration into his business model.
Additionally, in a bold social media move, he has started documenting his experience of trying to make a comeback as a 35-year-old ex-basketball player. What started as fun, now has 100,000 followers! He loves it so much because he gets to step out of his ‘expert’ role at Future Social and into the role of a normal guy people are cheering on. Now he has signed deals for the basketball content alone and it has become an entire business!
For better or worse, Jack is always vulnerable. I want you to learn from this and use your own vulnerability to appeal to your audience. I’d love to hear what you think of Jack’s strategy and find out more about your biggest takeaways from this episode so feel free to shoot me a DM on Instagram!
Quote This
“What’s made me really stand out in my industry is being highly original at all times.”
—Jack Appleby
Highlights
The Tangible Things Jack Does to Get People on His Newsletter [0:06:32]
Why Jack Decided to Make His Newsletter the Main Monetization of His Business [0:10:43]
Developing the Skill of Selling Creative Ideas [0:16:04]
The Future of Future Social and Jack Appleby [0:26:48]
Our Guest:
Jack Appleby
Website | Linkedin | Instagram | X
How to Hoop Forever on Instagram | Tiktok
Jack is the founder of Future Social and boasts over 15 years of agency experience specializing in social media, content, influencer partnerships, and campaign strategy. As a Director of Creative Strategy, Jack has led Social AORs and campaigns for major brands including Microsoft, Beats By Dre, Verizon, and Spotify. Beyond his professional achievements, Jack is an NBA enthusiast, vinyl record collector, and music aficionado. He’s passionate about creating innovative solutions and is always ready for the next exciting project.
OUR HOST:
Abagail Pumphrey
Boss Project on Instagram | Facebook
Abagail hosts the twice-weekly podcast, The Strategy Hour, which is recognized by INC and Forbes as one of the best podcasts for entrepreneurs.
Key Topics:
Newsletter Monetization, Unique Business Model, Selling, Personal Brand, Creativity
