Submitting Bids

Bidding allows you to negotiate pricing with newsletter owners. Instead of paying the listed price, you can propose a lower amount. This guide explains how the bidding process works.

Understanding Bids

What is a Bid?

A bid is your offer to book an ad slot at a price you propose. The newsletter owner can:

• Accept — Agree to your price

• Counter-offer — Propose a different price

• Reject — Decline your bid

When to Bid vs. Book Directly

Situation	Recommendation
Price is right	Book directly
Want a discount	Submit a bid
Budget is limited	Submit a bid
Time-sensitive	Book directly
Flexible timing	Submit a bid

Submitting a Bid

Finding Bid Options

1. Navigate to Browse Newsletters

2. Click on a newsletter

3. Find an ad slot with bidding available

4. Look for Make a Bid or similar option

Bid Information

When submitting a bid, provide:

Field	Description
Bid Amount	Your proposed price
Proposed Date	When you want the ad to run
Campaign Brief	Description of your campaign

Writing a Strong Campaign Brief

Your campaign brief helps newsletter owners understand your business:

Include:

• What your company does

• What you're promoting

• Why their audience would be interested

• Your campaign goals

Example:

"We're launching a new project management tool designed for remote teams. We believe your audience of tech professionals would find our productivity features valuable. Looking to drive free trial signups."

Submitting Your Bid

1. Enter your bid amount

2. Select your preferred date

3. Write your campaign brief

4. Click Submit Bid

Bid Pricing Strategy

How Low Should You Bid?

Consider these factors:

Factor	Impact
Listed price	Starting reference point
Minimum bid	Some slots have a floor
Market rates	What similar newsletters charge
Your budget	What you can afford

Bidding Tips

• Don't lowball too much — Very low bids are often rejected

• Stay reasonable — 10-30% below asking is often considered

• Know the minimum — Don't bid below stated minimums

• Consider value — Sometimes paying more is worth it

Tracking Your Bids

View Your Bids

1. Navigate to My Bids in the sidebar

2. See all your submitted bids

Bid Information Displayed

Each bid shows:

Information	Description
Ad Slot	Which slot you bid on
Newsletter	The publication
Your Bid	Amount you offered
Asking Price	The listed price
Status	Current bid status
Date	Your proposed date

Filtering Bids

Use filter tabs to view:

• All — All your bids

• Pending — Awaiting newsletter owner response

• Accepted — Ready to complete booking

• Counter-offers — Needs your response

• Rejected — Declined bids

Bid Statuses

Status	Meaning	Your Action
Pending	Awaiting response	Wait
Accepted	Owner accepted your bid	Complete booking within 48 hours
Counter-offered	Owner proposed different price	Accept or decline
Rejected	Bid was declined	Consider a new bid or different newsletter
Expired	Didn't complete in time	Date no longer reserved

Responding to Bid Outcomes

When Your Bid is Accepted

Congratulations! Now you need to complete the booking:

1. Go to My Bids

2. Find your accepted bid

3. Note the countdown — you have 48 hours

4. Click Complete Booking

5. Provide creative assets and payment

Important: If you don't complete within 48 hours, the bid expires and the date becomes available again.

When You Receive a Counter-offer

The newsletter owner wants a different price:

1. Go to My Bids

2. Find the bid with "Counter-offered" status

3. Review the counter-offer amount

4. Choose your response:

To Accept:

1. Click Accept Counter-offer

2. Confirm the new price

3. Complete your booking within 48 hours

To Decline:

1. Click Decline

2. The bid is closed

3. Consider a new bid or different newsletter

When Your Bid is Rejected

Your bid wasn't accepted:

• The newsletter owner chose not to proceed

• Consider why it might have been rejected:

  • Bid too low

  • Business not a good fit

  • Date not available

Next steps:

• Submit a higher bid

• Try a different ad slot

• Look for other newsletters

The 48-Hour Window

How It Works

When a bid is accepted (by either party):

1. Clock starts — 48 hours to complete booking

2. Date reserved — Held for you during this window

3. Action required — Provide creative and payment

4. Outcome — Booking confirmed or bid expires

Why This Matters

• Newsletter owners need certainty for their schedule

• Prevents dates being held indefinitely

• Ensures serious intent

Tips for the 48-Hour Window

• Have creative assets ready before bidding

• Be prepared to complete payment quickly

• Set a reminder after bid acceptance

• Don't let accepted bids expire

Expired Bids

What Causes Expiration

Bids expire when:

• You don't complete booking within 48 hours of acceptance

• Counter-offer isn't responded to (may expire after a period)

Impact of Expired Bids

• The date becomes available again

• You'd need to submit a new bid

• The newsletter owner may be less likely to accept future bids

Best Practices

Before Bidding

• Research the newsletter thoroughly

• Have your budget determined

• Prepare your campaign brief

• Have creative assets ready

When Bidding

• Be professional in your campaign brief

• Bid a reasonable amount

• Choose a realistic date

• Be honest about your business

After Bid Acceptance

• Complete booking promptly

• Don't wait until the last minute

• Have payment method ready

• Communicate if issues arise

Multiple Bids

Bidding on Multiple Newsletters

You can submit bids to multiple newsletters simultaneously:

• Track all bids in My Bids

• Be prepared to complete multiple bookings if accepted

• Manage your budget across bids

Bidding on the Same Newsletter Multiple Times

If a bid is rejected:

• You can submit a new bid

• Consider adjusting your offer

• Improve your campaign brief

Common Questions

How long until I hear back on my bid?

Response times vary by newsletter owner. Some respond within hours, others may take days. There's no guarantee of a response timeline.

Can I withdraw a bid?

Contact platform support if you need to withdraw a pending bid before it's accepted.

What if I can't complete a booking after acceptance?

Try to avoid this situation. If unavoidable, the bid will expire after 48 hours. This may affect your standing for future bids.

Can I negotiate after accepting a counter-offer?

No, accepting a counter-offer locks in that price. Complete the booking at the agreed amount.

Is there a limit to how many bids I can submit?

You can submit multiple bids across different newsletters. Be mindful of your budget if multiple are accepted.

Next Steps

• View all your bids in My Bids

• Complete accepted bids with Booking Ad Slots

• Consider Creating Campaigns for a different approach