> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://adly-news.gitbook.io/adly.news-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://adly-news.gitbook.io/adly.news-docs/02-newsletter-owners/03-managing-bids.md). # Managing Bids When businesses want to advertise on your newsletter, they submit either booking requests or offers. This guide explains how to review, respond to, and manage them effectively. ## Understanding Booking Requests vs. Offers Businesses have two ways to express interest in your ad slots: ### Booking Requests A booking request is a submission at your asking price. The business is ready to book if you accept. You can: * **Accept** — The business has 48 hours to complete the booking * **Decline** — Send an optional message explaining why ### Offers An offer is a price negotiation. The business proposes a different amount. You can: * **Accept** — Agree to their price (business has 48 hours to complete booking) * **Counter-offer** — Propose a different price * **Decline** — Send an optional message explaining why Both types include: * The proposed amount * Their preferred date * Their contact name and company website * A campaign brief explaining their business ## Viewing Incoming Requests & Offers ### Navigate to Bids 1. Click **Bids** in the sidebar 2. You'll see a list of all booking requests and offers on your ad slots ### Information Displayed Each submission shows: | Information | Description | | --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | | **Business Name** | Who submitted | | **Contact Name** | The person's name | | **Company Website** | Link to their business | | **Email** | Their contact email | | **Ad Slot** | Which ad slot they're interested in | | **Proposed Date** | When they want the ad to run | | **Amount** | How much they're offering | | **Your Asking Price** | Your listed price for the ad slot | | **Comparison** | How their amount compares to your price (% above/below) | | **Campaign Brief** | Their campaign description | | **Status** | Current status | | **Type** | "Booking Request" badge for requests at asking price | ### Filtering Use the filter tabs to view: * **All** — All requests and offers * **Pending** — Awaiting your response * **Accepted** — Submissions you've accepted * **Expired** — Accepted submissions where the business didn't complete booking * **Counter-offers** — Offers where you've made a counter-offer ## Statuses | Status | Description | | ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------ | | **Pending** | Awaiting your response | | **Accepted** | You accepted; business has 48 hours to book | | **Declined** | You declined the request/offer | | **Counter-offered** | You proposed a different price (offers only) | | **Converted to Booking** | Business completed the booking | | **Expired** | Business didn't complete booking within 48 hours | ## Responding to Requests & Offers ### Responding to Booking Requests Booking requests are at your asking price. You have two options: #### Accept the Request 1. Find the pending request (has "Booking Request" badge) 2. Click **Accept Request** 3. Review the confirmation dialog 4. Click **Accept** to confirm #### Decline the Request 1. Find the pending request 2. Click **Decline** 3. (Optional) Add a message explaining why 4. Click **Decline** to confirm **When to decline:** * The proposed date doesn't work for your schedule * The business isn't a good fit for your audience * You have conflicting bookings ### Responding to Offers Offers are price negotiations. You have three options: #### Option 1: Accept the Offer If you're happy with their price: 1. Find the pending offer 2. Click **Accept Offer** 3. Review the confirmation dialog 4. Click **Accept** to confirm **What happens next:** * The business receives a notification * They have **48 hours** to complete the booking * The date is temporarily reserved #### Option 2: Make a Counter-offer If you want a different price: 1. Find the pending offer 2. Click **Counter-offer** 3. Enter your counter-offer amount 4. (Optional) Add a note explaining your offer 5. Click **Send Counter-offer** **Counter-offer tips:** * Suggest a middle ground between their offer and your asking price * Explain any additional value you provide * Be reasonable to encourage acceptance **What happens next:** * The business receives your counter-offer * They can accept, decline, or let it expire * If they accept, they have 48 hours to complete booking #### Option 3: Decline the Offer If the offer doesn't work for you: 1. Find the pending offer 2. Click **Decline** 3. (Optional) Add a message explaining why 4. Click **Decline** to confirm **When to decline:** * Offer is significantly below your minimum * The business isn't a good fit for your audience * The proposed date doesn't work > **Note:** Consider counter-offering before declining an offer. A negotiation might still lead to a successful booking. ## The 48-Hour Booking Window When you accept a request/offer (or the business accepts your counter-offer): 1. **Clock starts** — The business has 48 hours to complete their booking 2. **Date reserved** — Other businesses can't book that date during this window 3. **Business action required** — They must provide creative assets and payment 4. **Completion or expiration** — Either they book, or the submission expires ### Tracking Accepted Submissions Accepted requests/offers show: * Time remaining in the 48-hour window * Clear indication when expired ### Expired Submissions If the business doesn't complete booking in 48 hours: * The status changes to **Expired** * The date becomes available again * No further action required from you ## Price Comparison Indicators Offers show how they compare to your asking price: | Indicator | Meaning | | ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | | **Green (% above)** | Offer is higher than your asking price | | **Yellow (\~% below)** | Offer is close to your asking price (within 10%) | | **Gray (% below)** | Offer is significantly below your asking price | Booking requests are always at your asking price, so they won't show these indicators. ## Campaign Briefs All booking requests and offers include a campaign brief — a required description of the advertiser's business and what they're promoting. Review this to: * Understand if they're a good fit for your audience * Assess the quality of the potential advertiser * Prepare for what kind of creative to expect ## Managing Multiple Submissions ### Same Date Conflicts If multiple businesses request/offer on the same date: * Only accept one submission * The first to complete booking gets the date * Other accepted submissions would expire once the date is taken ### Prioritizing Submissions Consider these factors when choosing between requests/offers: * Amount offered * Business fit for your audience (check their website) * Campaign quality based on brief * Contact information completeness * Likelihood of completion ## Best Practices ### Respond Promptly * Businesses appreciate quick responses * Pending requests/offers can discourage other bookings * Aim to respond within 24-48 hours ### Review Business Information * Check the contact name and company website * Review their campaign brief carefully * Verify the business is a good fit for your audience ### Be Strategic with Counter-offers (for Offers) * Don't counter too high — you might lose the deal * Explain your reasoning in the note * Consider the long-term relationship ### Use Decline Messages Thoughtfully When declining, a helpful message can: * Explain scheduling conflicts * Suggest alternative dates * Indicate if a higher offer would be considered * Maintain a positive relationship for future opportunities ### Consider the Full Picture A slightly lower offer might be worth accepting if: * The business is a great fit for your audience * It could lead to repeat bookings * The campaign is high-quality ### Communicate Clearly * Use the messaging system after accepting * Set clear expectations for creative assets * Be available for questions ## Notifications You'll receive notifications for: * New booking requests and offers on your ad slots * Counter-offer responses from businesses * Expired submissions * Completed bookings from accepted requests/offers Configure notification preferences in [Settings](/adly.news-docs/02-newsletter-owners/10-settings.md). ## Common Questions ### What happens if I don't respond to a request or offer? Submissions remain pending until you respond. There's no automatic expiration for pending submissions, but promptness is appreciated. ### Can I accept and then cancel? It's best to only accept submissions you intend to honor. If circumstances change, communicate with the business via messaging. ### What if a business keeps submitting low offers? You can decline offers that don't meet your minimum. Consider setting a higher minimum bid on your ad slot to filter out low offers automatically. ### Can I see the business's information? Yes! Each submission includes the contact name, company website, email, and campaign brief. Use this information to evaluate whether the business is a good fit for your audience. ### What's the difference between a booking request and an offer? **Booking requests** are at your asking price — you can only accept or decline them. **Offers** are at a price the business proposes — you can accept, counter-offer, or decline. ## Next Steps * Learn about [managing bookings](/adly.news-docs/02-newsletter-owners/04-managing-bookings.md) once submissions convert * Set up [payments](/adly.news-docs/02-newsletter-owners/09-payments-and-payouts.md) to receive earnings * Use [messages](/adly.news-docs/02-newsletter-owners/07-messages.md) to communicate with advertisers --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. 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