sales-paved

What this skill does

# Paved Platform Help

## Step 1 — Gather context

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

1. **Are you an advertiser or publisher?**
   - A) Advertiser — I want to sponsor newsletters
   - B) Publisher — I want to monetize my newsletter with sponsors
   - C) ESP partner — I want to integrate Paved monetization into my platform
   - D) Not sure yet — exploring options

2. **What's your situation?**
   - A) New to Paved — haven't signed up yet
   - B) Signed up but haven't launched a campaign / listed my newsletter
   - C) Active — have campaigns running or sponsors booked
   - D) Troubleshooting — something isn't working

3. **What specifically do you need help with?**
   - A) Finding and booking newsletters to sponsor (advertiser)
   - B) Getting listed and attracting sponsors (publisher)
   - C) Setting up the Ad Network (programmatic ads)
   - D) Using Booker for direct sponsorship deals
   - E) Radar for lead enrichment
   - F) Pricing and rate optimization
   - G) ESP integration setup
   - H) Campaign performance / analytics
   - I) Payment or billing issue

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

## Step 2 — Route or answer directly

| Problem domain | Route to |
|---|---|
| Newsletter monetization strategy (models, pricing tiers, paid subs vs ads) | Run: `/sales-newsletter {user's question}` |
| Email marketing campaigns, automation, segmentation | Run: `/sales-email-marketing {user's question}` |
| Growing newsletter subscriber list | Run: `/sales-audience-growth {user's question}` |
| Email deliverability, SPF/DKIM/DMARC | Run: `/sales-deliverability {user's question}` |
| B2B account-based advertising | Run: `/sales-b2b-advertising {user's question}` |

When routing to another skill, provide the exact command.

## Step 3 — Paved platform reference

**Read `references/platform-guide.md`** for the full platform reference — Marketplace, Ad Network, Booker, Radar, pricing, ESP integrations, publisher requirements, and advertiser workflows.

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

## Step 4 — Actionable guidance

You no longer need the platform guide — focus on the user's specific situation.

**For publishers**: Focus on getting verified (connect ESP), optimizing your media kit (audience demographics, engagement rates, past sponsor results), and choosing between Marketplace (curated, higher CPM) vs Ad Network (automated, lower effort).

**For advertisers**: Start with 2-3 test placements across different newsletter niches. Track CPC and CPA, not just impressions. Use the Marketplace for premium placements and Ad Network for scale.

**For both**: Check campaign analytics regularly. Respond to booking requests within 24 hours — slow response hurts your marketplace ranking.

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. **Publishers need 5,000+ subscribers to list on the Marketplace** — below that, you won't be accepted. Grow your list first with `/sales-audience-growth`.
2. **30% commission on Marketplace sponsorships** — factor this into your rate card. Direct deals via Booker may have different terms.
3. **Ad Network pays per click, not per impression** — $1.45 avg CPC reported. Low-engagement newsletters may earn very little.
4. **Payment threshold is $25** — you won't receive a payout until your balance reaches $25.
5. **ESP integration only syncs subscriber counts and deliverability metrics** — personal subscriber data (names, emails) is never shared with Paved.
6. **Campaign dates aren't always respected** — some advertisers report placements not running on scheduled dates. Confirm placement dates directly with the publisher or Paved support.
7. **Billing can continue on "inactive" campaigns** — check your campaign status regularly and contact support immediately if charges appear unexpectedly.

## Related skills

- `/sales-newsletter` — Newsletter monetization strategy (paid subscriptions, sponsorships, pricing, premium tiers)
- `/sales-audience-growth` — Growing your subscriber list to qualify for Paved (5K minimum)
- `/sales-email-marketing` — Email marketing strategy (campaigns, automation, segmentation)
- `/sales-b2b-advertising` — Account-based B2B advertising (if you're an advertiser targeting business audiences via newsletters)
- `/sales-deliverability` — Email deliverability (SPF, DKIM, DMARC — affects your newsletter engagement metrics that sponsors see)
- `/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 getting started
**User says**: "I have a 12,000-subscriber tech newsletter and want to start making money through Paved"
**Skill does**: Walks through publisher onboarding — connect ESP for verified badge, optimize media kit, set initial CPM rates based on niche and engagement, choose Marketplace listing vs Ad Network vs both
**Result**: User has a complete Paved setup plan with pricing strategy

### Example 2: Advertiser finding newsletters
**User says**: "I want to reach DevOps engineers through newsletter sponsorships on Paved"
**Skill does**: Guides through Marketplace search filters, recommends starting with 2-3 test placements at different price points, explains CPC bidding for Ad Network, provides metrics to track for ROI
**Result**: User has a newsletter advertising plan with test budget and success criteria

### Example 3: Low ad revenue
**User says**: "I'm on Paved's Ad Network but only earning $30/month on 8,000 subscribers"
**Skill does**: Diagnoses low CPC/engagement — checks open rates, click rates, audience demographics. Recommends Marketplace listing for higher CPM, ESP verification for credibility, and media kit optimization to attract direct sponsors via Booker
**Result**: User has a revenue optimization plan combining multiple Paved channels

## Troubleshooting

### Publisher not receiving payments
**Symptom**: Campaigns completed but no payment received
**Cause**: Balance may be below $25 threshold, or payment method not configured correctly
**Solution**: Check your balance in the dashboard. Verify PayPal or bank account details. If balance is above $25 and payment hasn't arrived, email [email protected] with your publisher ID and campaign details. Payments are processed monthly.

### Ad Network revenue is very low
**Symptom**: Earning pennies despite decent subscriber count
**Cause**: Low open rates or click rates reduce CPC bids; audience may not match advertiser targeting
**Solution**: Focus on engagement first — improve open rates (better subject lines, send time optimization). Connect your ESP for verified metrics. Consider switching to Marketplace for higher CPM on curated placements.

### Campaign not running on scheduled date
**Symptom**: Advertiser booked a placement for a specific date but it didn't appear
**Cause**: Scheduling conflicts or publisher missed the insertion
**Solution**: Contact Paved support at [email protected]. For future campaigns, confirm placement dates directly with the publisher 48 hours before the scheduled date.