The best newsletter gift guides of 2024

Seems like everyone is doing one this year. These 3 are worth copying.

šŸ‘‹šŸ» Welcome to Newsletter Examples, where I highlight cool sh*t Iā€™m seeing in newsletters that you can steal for your newsletter.

This week, Iā€™m sharing examples of 3 excellent newsletter gift guides, compiled by Austin Business Review, Platonic Love, and Lennyā€™s Newsletter. Reading time: 3 minutes.

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šŸ’„ Cool event alert: Donā€™t miss the Newsletter Marketing Summit on Feb. 27-28 in Austin, TX. Come hear me speak, along with 20+ newsletter experts. Use code BRAD100 for $100 off any ticket.

šŸŒ… Austin Business Review

If youā€™re looking for a model of how to put together a holiday gift guide, look no further. Author Ethan Brooks gathered suggestions from local businesses, and highlighted 60+ products in this beautifully designed PDF.

Austin Business Reviewā€™s guide is organized by gift type, including economical, functional finds like this founder-ready cold-plunge caddy, and these only-in-Texas treatsšŸ‘‡ļø ā€¦

What I ā¤ļø about it: Ethan built loyalty with local entrepreneurs whose products he included, and created a standalone product thatā€™s easy to share. (Shoutout to Emily Preble of Unpackā€™d who volunteered her design services.)

šŸ’• Platonic Love

Many gift guides make money through ads or affiliate revenue. Platonic Love doesnā€™t do either. Instead, theyā€™re giving away a big pile of gifts to two lucky subscribers.

What I ā¤ļø about it: They only pick one item each per category. And theyā€™re not just giving away gifts, theyā€™re making donations (and you increase your chances of winning by becoming a paid subscriber or founding member).

Bonus idea: Last year, one of Platonic Loveā€™s writers offered up her services as a personal shopping genie.

šŸ“ˆ Lennyā€™s Newsletter

This is Lennyā€™s 4th annual gift guide, and, like his newsletter, he indexes on useful, timeless items, including:

  • the top-recommended products from his podcast guests

  • ā€œcute shitā€ his wife suggested (including this ā€œdreamersā€™ bundleā€ from an Asheville, NC, company donating a portion of sales to disaster relief)ā€¦ (bought!)

  • this sleep mask that will ā€œchange your sleep and thus your lifeā€ā€¦ (bought x2!)

  • meaningful gift subscription recsšŸ‘‡ļøā€¦

But the most meaningful thing I read in any 2024 gift guide was Lennyā€™s remembrance of the good friend he just lost. Itā€™s a tearjerker of a story, and a reminder that, in this season of consuming, friendships are the best gift we have.

What I ā¤ļø about it: Lennyā€™s ending words: Hug your friends and family really tight this holiday season šŸ™

How you can help: If youā€™d like to make a donation to Enriqueā€™s sonā€™s education fund, you can do it here.

Hope you enjoyed this weekā€™s examples. Iā€™ll be back in 2 weeks with a new set!

ā˜®ļø -Brad

P.S. My family and I had an awesome time in the UK last week. Shoutout to reader and longtime pal Brendan Murray, who writes Bloombergā€™s Supply Lines newsletter, for the hospitality!

P.P.S. Can you guess where I took the below pic? Reply with your best guess (hint: it wasnā€™t in London). Iā€™ll share the answer in the next issueā€¦

Somewhere in the lovely UK

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