sales-hecto

What this skill does

# Hecto Platform Help

## Step 1 — Gather context

If `references/learnings.md` exists, read it first for accumulated platform knowledge.

1. **What are you trying to do?**
   - A) List my newsletter on Hecto to attract sponsors
   - B) Buy ad placements in newsletters as an advertiser
   - C) Manage my ad inventory (pricing, dates, availability)
   - D) Compare Hecto to other newsletter sponsorship platforms
   - E) Run campaigns across multiple newsletters

2. **Which side of the marketplace are you on?**
   - A) Publisher (I have a newsletter and want sponsors)
   - B) Advertiser (I want to buy newsletter ad placements)

3. **Newsletter size** (if publisher): subscriber count and open rate

Skip-ahead rule: if the user's prompt already contains enough context, skip to Step 2.

## Step 2 — Route or answer directly

| If the question is about... | Route to... |
|---|---|
| Newsletter monetization strategy (subscriptions, pricing, ad revenue models) | `/sales-newsletter [question]` |
| Programmatic ad network or large publisher marketplace | `/sales-paved [question]` |
| Sponsor intelligence with API, competitor monitoring, spend trends | `/sales-sponsorgap [question]` |
| Sponsor intelligence with ad creative screenshots | `/sales-whosponsorsstuff [question]` |
| Curated sponsor lead list with weekly updates | `/sales-sponsorleads [question]` |
| Managing sponsor operations (invoices, CRM, reporting) | `/sales-sponsy [question]` |
| Growing your subscriber list | `/sales-audience-growth [question]` |

If the question is Hecto-specific, continue to Step 3.

## Step 3 — Hecto platform reference

**Read `references/platform-guide.md`** for the full platform reference — capabilities, comparison with alternatives, workflows for publishers and advertisers.

Answer the user's question using only the relevant section. Don't dump the full reference.

## Step 4 — Actionable guidance

Focus on the user's specific situation:

- **Publisher getting started**: Set up your Hecto page, configure ad slots with clear pricing, write descriptions that highlight your audience demographics and engagement rates. The transparent pricing model means sponsors can self-serve without back-and-forth negotiations.
- **Advertiser finding newsletters**: Browse by niche, check audience metrics before committing, message creators directly on-platform. Start with small test placements before committing to packages.
- **Choosing Hecto vs alternatives**: Hecto is best for indie publishers wanting a simple self-serve marketplace. For larger operations, Paved (programmatic + marketplace) or Sponsy (operations management) may be better fits. For prospecting sponsor contacts without a marketplace, use SponsorGap or Who Sponsors Stuff instead.

If you discover a gotcha, workaround, or tip not covered in `references/learnings.md`, append it there.

## Gotchas

> *Best-effort from research — review these, especially items about plan-gated features and integration gotchas that may be outdated.*

1. **No API, no webhooks, no Zapier/Make**: All operations are through the web interface only. No programmatic access to listings, campaigns, or data.
2. **Small marketplace**: ~40 newsletters listed on InboxReads — significantly smaller than Paved (3,000+ publishers). Inventory quality and audience size vary significantly between listings.
3. **Commission-based pricing not publicly disclosed**: Hecto takes a cut of transactions but the exact percentage is not stated on the website. Ask before listing.
4. **Built on Bubble.io**: The platform is built with no-code tools. There is no developer ecosystem, no SDKs, and no way to extend functionality.
5. **Stripe-only payments**: Payment processing goes through Stripe. No alternative payment methods.
6. **Best for smaller/indie publishers**: The platform targets independent businesses, freelancers, startups, and side projects. Larger publishers with established audiences may find Paved or direct sales more effective.

## Related skills

- `/sales-newsletter` — Newsletter monetization strategy (paid subscriptions, sponsorships, ad sales, pricing)
- `/sales-paved` — Paved newsletter sponsorship marketplace, Ad Network, Booker, Radar
- `/sales-sponsorgap` — SponsorGap sponsor intelligence (38K+ brands, verified contacts, competitor monitoring, spend trends, API)
- `/sales-whosponsorsstuff` — Who Sponsors Stuff sponsor intelligence (8,000+ sponsors, ad creative screenshots, email alerts)
- `/sales-sponsorleads` — SponsorLeads sponsor lead lists (4,318+ companies, decision-maker contacts, Airtable database)
- `/sales-openrates` — Open Rates sponsor prospecting database (10,000+ active sponsors, decision-maker contacts)
- `/sales-sponsy` — Sponsy sponsorship operations (ad inventory calendar, sponsor CRM, customer portals, reporting)
- `/sales-ohmynewst` — OhMyNewst newsletter sponsorship marketplace (Spain & LATAM, 400+ newsletters)
- `/sales-reletter` — Reletter newsletter search engine (7M+ publications, subscriber data, creator contacts, API)
- `/sales-do` — Not sure which skill to use? The router matches any sales objective to the right skill. Install: `npx skills add sales-skills/sales --skill sales-do`

## Examples

### Example 1: Publisher listing their newsletter
**User says**: "I have a 5,000-subscriber marketing newsletter with 42% open rate. How do I get sponsors through Hecto?"
**Skill does**: Walks through setting up a Hecto page, configuring ad slot types (primary sponsor, classified, dedicated), pricing based on CPM benchmarks, writing compelling audience descriptions
**Result**: User has a live Hecto listing attracting self-serve sponsor bookings

### Example 2: Comparing Hecto to alternatives
**User says**: "Should I use Hecto or Paved to sell newsletter sponsorships?"
**Skill does**: Compares marketplace size (Hecto ~40 newsletters vs Paved 3,000+), features (Hecto is simpler self-serve vs Paved has programmatic Ad Network + Booker + Radar), pricing model (Hecto commission vs Paved 30% commission), best fit by publisher size
**Result**: User picks the right platform — Hecto for indie simplicity, Paved for scale and programmatic revenue

### Example 3: Advertiser buying newsletter placements
**User says**: "I want to advertise my SaaS product in tech newsletters. Can I use Hecto?"
**Skill does**: Explains how to browse newsletters by niche, check engagement metrics, compare pricing across listings, use direct messaging to negotiate, and manage campaigns across multiple newsletters
**Result**: User has a workflow for discovering, evaluating, and booking newsletter ad placements

## Troubleshooting

### Not enough newsletters in my niche
**Symptom**: Browsing Hecto shows few or no relevant newsletters
**Cause**: The marketplace is smaller than Paved or beehiiv's Ad Network
**Solution**: Try Paved (3,000+ publishers) or use Reletter to search 7M+ newsletters and reach out directly. For sponsor intelligence without a marketplace, use SponsorGap or Who Sponsors Stuff.

### Unsure about pricing as a publisher
**Symptom**: Don't know what to charge for ad placements
**Cause**: Hecto shows transparent pricing but you need to set your own rates
**Solution**: Calculate using CPM: subscribers x open rate x CPM / 1000. Start at $25-$50 CPM for general interest, $50-$100+ for B2B/finance niches. See `/sales-newsletter` for detailed pricing guidance.

### No way to automate sponsor workflows
**Symptom**: Want to sync sponsor data to CRM or automate reporting
**Cause**: Hecto has no API, webhooks, or integration support
**Solution**: For automated sponsor operations, use Sponsy (Zapier integration, sponsor CRM, automated reporting). For API-accessible sponsor data, use SponsorGap.