Last week, Lenny's Newsletter (the #1 tech publication on Substack) launched something big...
He partnered with 15+ SaaS companies to give his paying newsletter subscribers free access to $10k+ worth of premium tools...
Then he teased a new $350/year “Plus” tier... promising guaranteed access to all deals (plus some exclusive ones, coming "soon") 👇
Why's this such a big deal?
This bundle is super smart because it's a win-win-win for everyone involved:
- Subscribers collect thousands of dollars in added value at no extra cost
- Partner brands land repeated exposure to Lenny’s 1.3 million-strong, perfectly targeted audience (essentially free premium ad space)
- Lenny can leverage the increased perceived value of his paid plans to convert more of those 1.3m free subscribers to paid subscriptions (at zero cost to him)
Quick (conservative) napkin math:
Let's assume just 0.5 % of free subscribers upgrade to grab the bundle — that’s 1 in 200 readers..
On an audience of 1.3 million, that tiny lift alone equals roughly $1–2 million in new annual revenue.
And, in reality, I bet the real number is likely 2-5x higher.
Especially when you factor in the new "premium" subscription tier revenue too.
Every paid newsletter should steal this strategy
Even if you're not "Lenny-famous", pretty much anyone with a paid newsletter should steal this strategy and launch some kind of partnership offering/bundle with relevant brands.
Here are a few easy, effective ways to test the waters:
- Flash Deals: Partner with a tool your audience loves and offer free access to the first 50 people who upgrade today. Urgency drives conversions.
- Paid Newsletter Bundle: Trade annual subscriptions with a complementary paid newsletter and include each other’s product in your own paid tier. Instant cross-promotion, zero cash cost.
What are you waiting for?
Get out there and leverage partnerships to grow faster today!
