How one Canadian publisher streamlined newsletters and sparked real audience growth

In an era where inboxes are flooded with unread messages, one Canadian publisher is proving that email newsletters — done right — can be a powerful engine for audience engagement and revenue growth. During a recent Editor & Publisher webinar, Danielle Hastings, Vice President of Operations for iNFOTEL Multimedia & Infonews shared how their partnership with newsletter platform Letterhead transformed a chaotic, inconsistent process into a streamlined, revenue-generating asset.

The key? Simplicity and focus — both for internal teams and external advertisers.

“We knew we had something good,” Hastings explained, referring to their locally produced newsletter content. “But we were struggling to get it to the right people consistently. Sometimes newsletters went out, sometimes they didn’t. It wasn’t sustainable.”

That’s where Letterhead came in. Chris Sopher, Cofounder and CEO of Letterhead, emphasized that the platform is purpose-built to help publishers and organizations use email to drive connection and revenue without the complexity of traditional CRM or marketing automation platforms.

“Our goal is to make it incredibly easy for newsrooms to launch, grow, and monetize newsletters — without requiring a full-time tech team,” said Sopher. “If you can write an email, you can build on Letterhead.”

For Hastings, that simplicity was critical. Her teams in British Columbia are lean, and local journalism depends on efficient use of resources. “We’re a small organization with a big footprint,” she said. “The idea of a plug-and-play solution that allows our journalists and editors to focus on content — and not tech — was very appealing.”

Building with intention, not just frequency

Prior to onboarding with Letterhead, INFOTEL’s newsletters were inconsistent in both schedule and quality. The lack of a centralized system also meant advertising revenue was left on the table. “We weren’t selling enough newsletter sponsorships,” Hastings admitted. “We didn’t have the infrastructure to confidently go to market.

That changed quickly. Within weeks of using Letterhead, Hastings said they were able to increase both consistency and value.

“We now have a daily product we’re proud of,” she said. “It’s going out every day, and our advertisers are seeing results.”

That’s no accident. According to Sopher, the Letterhead team works closely with publishers to build sustainable newsletter models — both editorially and financially.

“There’s a misconception that newsletters are just repurposed RSS feeds or article dumps,” said Sopher. “In reality, the most successful newsletters have voice, curation, and a clear value proposition.” He continued, “Your newsletter should feel like a product, not just an email. Something the reader expects and wants — whether they’re checking it over morning coffee or catching up on their phone at lunch.”

Turning newsletters into sales tools

But editorial success was only half the story. Hastings noted that once her team understood how much newsletter real estate could be worth, they started thinking more creatively about sponsorships. “We always had great local advertisers,” she said. “But we weren’t maximizing the value of our direct relationships. Letterhead gave us the tools to create packages and campaigns that made sense.”

With customizable layouts, native ad slots, and automated delivery, the platform made it easy to pitch newsletter sponsorships alongside digital display and social. “We now bundle everything together,” Hastings said. “It’s helped us open new conversations with clients who weren’t buying before.”

Sopher explained that this bundling strategy is exactly what Letterhead was designed to support. “When we built the platform, we wanted to support both the journalist and the seller,” he said. “Our analytics and sponsorship tools are designed so your sales team can walk into a meeting and say, ‘Here’s what you’re getting, here’s who’s seeing it, and here’s what you can expect.’ That kind of transparency builds trust — and helps close deals.”

Ease of use for everyone involved

While INFOTEL’s editorial and sales teams were thrilled with the results, Hastings said the best feedback came from advertisers.

“They love it,” she said. “Our sponsors appreciate seeing their branding in a product that feels polished and local. One even said, ‘It’s like being in the front page of the inbox.’”

She added that ease of setup was another huge benefit. “You don’t need a developer to launch a campaign,” Hastings noted. “I can log in, drag and drop, and I’m done. That matters when you’re juggling a million other things.”=

Stopher agreed. “The real power of Letterhead is that it’s built to remove friction,” he said. “We want publishers spending more time on relationships — with readers and advertisers — and less time fiddling with code or chasing broken templates.”

Looking forward: From newsletters to strategy

As the webinar wrapped, both Sopher and Hastings emphasized that newsletters aren’t just a tactic — they’re a strategic pillar. “Email is intimate,” said Stopher. “It’s direct. It’s measurable. And for local publishers, it’s often the only channel where you own both the content and the audience relationship.”

Hastings echoed the sentiment. “This isn’t just a tool — it’s a mindset,” she said. “We’re not just pushing content anymore. We’re building habits, trust, and revenue at the same time.” And for other publishers thinking about leveling up their email strategy, Hastings had a simple message: “Don’t wait. This has been one of the best decisions we’ve made.”