The Cross-Promo Playbook: Strategies That Actually Work (Without Wasting Time)

Get 30 proven strategies to grow and optimize your email list FREE >>

We're diving into one of the most underrated growth strategies out there: collaborations and cross-promotions

Whether you're building a newsletter, launching a podcast, or growing a YouTube channel, collabs are one of the most high-leverage plays you can run — and we break down exactly how to do them right.

We get into real-life examples, from simple newsletter swaps to co-created content that drives thousands of subscribers (even when you're the smaller creator). We also talk through common mistakes we’ve made, what to watch out for, and how to build a repeatable system that makes these partnerships easy and effective. If you're feeling burned out by social algorithms or just want more control over your growth, this one’s for you.

Take your newsletter to the next level with GIR Pro >>

KEY TAKEAWAYS
  • Why social platforms aren't cutting it anymore—and why we're bullish on collaborations
  • The basic newsletter swap (and why it's still effective)
  • Creative cross-promo formats beyond the typical swap—articles, email courses, and more
  • The Alex Garcia x Pat Walls YouTube/article collab that brought in thousands of subscribers
  • Why adjacent audiences are the sweet spot
  • The myth of audience size: why alignment > numbers
  • Chenell's horror story: zero subscribers from a 4K list cross-promo
  • Co-created content: The powerhouse play that helped Maja Voje go from 3K to 15K subs
  • CJ Gustafson’s “quadruple stack” strategy that gets him paid + subscribers
  • How to keep collab partners happy (especially if things don’t go as planned)
  • The no-BS guide to tracking your collab results
  • Tools, systems, and blurb templates that’ll save you time and headaches 
DEEP DIVES & LINKS MENTIONED
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
OUR NEWSLETTERS
Subscribe & Leave a Review:
If you found this episode valuable, take a second to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! It helps more newsletter creators find the show. Plus, if you submit a review, you’ll get priority for your own newsletter roast!

Thanks to Tim Forkin for editing these episodes.
The Cross-Promo Playbook: Strategies That Actually Work (Without Wasting Time)
Broadcast by