Inbox Collective is a consultancy that helps newsrooms, non-profits, and indie newsletters grow audiences and get results via email.
You probably have a few questions, so let’s get those answered.
- Who runs Inbox Collective?
- What kind of work does Inbox Collective focus on?
- Who does Inbox Collective typically work with?
- What does an engagement with Inbox Collective look like?
- How much does it cost to work with Inbox Collective?
- Who has Inbox Collective worked with?
- How do I get in touch with Inbox Collective to discuss next steps?
- What if consulting is a bit out of my budget?
Who runs Inbox Collective?
Inbox Collective was founded by Dan Oshinsky (that’s me, hi!), and despite the name of the company, Inbox Collective is a one-person operation. Since I started this consultancy in 2019, I’ve worked directly with more than 100 companies, ranging from large newsrooms to indie newsletters.
A bit more about me: I was the founding Newsletter Editor at BuzzFeed and the first Director of Newsletters at The New Yorker. I’ve also been a featured speaker at events like Litmus Live in Boston, Email Summit DK in Odense, Denmark, and the Email Marketing Summit in Brisbane, Australia.
What kind of work does Inbox Collective focus on?
My focus is on helping newsrooms, non-profits, and indie newsletters figure out how to build, grow, optimize, and monetize their email strategy. If you’re interested in…
- Launching new newsletters
- Growing your email audience
- Engaging with readers
- Monetizing your email program
- Building automations, like a welcome series or reactivation series
- Fixing deliverability issues
- Improving your email content and copy
…then Inbox Collective might be a good partner for you!
Who does Inbox Collective typically work with?
Newsrooms, non-profits, and indie newsletters — though I occasionally take on other projects, usually with brands that I believe serve some sort of public good. (One example: I’ve done consulting with Winnie, a site that helps parents find child care.)
What does an engagement with Inbox Collective look like?
The best way to figure out the right type of engagement with Inbox Collective is to set up a call with me — reach out to dan@inboxcollective.com, and we can find time to chat!
But the work typically falls into one of these buckets:
Coaching calls — This is the most common way I work with clients, which range from large, international newsrooms to local publications to non-profits or individual writers. With coaching, I like to set up a monthly call every month for 12 months so I can be a strategy partner to help your team tackle key objectives, like building out a welcome series or converting readers to paying supporters. Everything is built around your unique needs, and coaching allows me to support you and your team as you grow.
Strategy audits — Established orgs often ask me to do an audit of their newsletter strategy, sometimes looking at all parts of their strategy (content, growth, monetization, deliverability), and sometimes focusing on just a single part (usually growth).
Workshops — For newsrooms looking to take their newsletter strategy to the next level, I’ve devised a series of workshops to help clarify your strategy and get your team working together to improve your email program. These workshops, which last anywhere from a half-day to a few days, are best done in person, though they can be done over Zoom, too.
Paid talks — I’ve been a featured speaker on email strategy at conferences and events in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, the U.K., and U.S., as well as digital-first events for audiences around the world. I also give private talks — over the years, several organizations have invited me to join them (in person or remotely) to present about newsletters.
How much does it cost to work with Inbox Collective?
My base rate for monthly coaching calls is $3,500 per year. For small newsrooms or non-profits, with annual profits until $1 million per year, I offer a discounted rate: $2,000 per year. Of note: These rates are only for organizations willing to commit to at least 12 calls over the course of a year.
Aside from coaching, I rarely take on projects that cost less than $5,000. (Anything smaller and I usually push that client towards coaching.) But the exact rate depends on the size of the project. Once we’ve talked and I have a chance to scope out the work, I’ll be able to provide a more specific estimate.
Who has Inbox Collective worked with?
I’ve worked a range of clients over the years, including:
- Digital-first orgs, like 1440, Footballguys, and The Intelligence.
- Local newsrooms, like the Anchorage Daily News, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and Charlotte Ledger.
- Non-profits, like the Leakey Foundation and Sightline Institute.
- International outlets, like Bhekisisa, in South Africa, Postmedia, in Canada, and Walsroder Zeitung, in Germany.
- Non-profit newsrooms, like Boulder Reporting Lab, Education Week, and WJCT.
How do I get in touch with Inbox Collective to discuss next steps?
Email me at dan@inboxcollective.com. Let’s talk.
What if consulting is a bit out of my budget?
I’ve got an ebook for sale, called “53 Questions To Help You Build A Better Newsletter.” It walks you through the questions I ask clients about their newsletter to identify areas of improvement — and then explains how to take advantage of these opportunities. You can buy it for $39.
I also partnered with Ian Barto and Nate Heintz, of Ad Astra, to create the Newsletter Advertising Playbook. When you buy it, you get a personalized assessment of your current advertising strategy, where we’ll show you what’s working, what’s not, and where you’re leaving money on the table. Then we’ll give you the Playbook, which shows you how to implement a successful ad strategy, and share our suite of sales resources. The Playbook is designed for someone who’s building out an ad strategy for their newsletter but needs help to unlock the next $25-50k in ad revenue. You can buy the Playbook for $500.