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 I’m seeing in newsletters that you can steal for your newsletter.

This week, I’m sharing examples of 3 excellent newsletter gift guides, compiled by Austin Business Review, Platonic Love, and Lenny’s Newsletter. Reading time: 3 minutes.

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šŸ’„ Cool event alert: Don’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 you’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 Review’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 …

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

šŸ’• Platonic Love

Many gift guides make money through ads or affiliate revenue. Platonic Love doesn’t do either. Instead, they’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 they’re not just giving away gifts, they’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 Love’s writers offered up her services as a personal shopping genie.

šŸ“ˆ Lenny’s Newsletter

This is Lenny’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€œdreamers’ bundleā€ from an Asheville, NC, company donating a portion of sales to disaster relief)… (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 Lenny’s remembrance of the good friend he just lost. It’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: Lenny’s ending words: Hug your friends and family really tight this holiday season šŸ™

How you can help: If you’d like to make a donation to Enrique’s son’s education fund, you can do it here.

Hope you enjoyed this week’s examples. I’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 Bloomberg’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 wasn’t in London). I’ll share the answer in the next issue…

Somewhere in the lovely UK

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