sales-refind

What this skill does

# Refind Platform Help

## Step 1 — Gather context

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

Ask the user:

1. **What are you trying to do with Refind?**
   - A) Grow my newsletter subscriber list using Refind Ads
   - B) Earn money by promoting other newsletters on Refind
   - C) Set up free cross-promotion with other newsletters
   - D) Compare Refind to alternatives (SparkLoop, Paved, Beehiiv Boosts)

2. **Newsletter metrics** (helps calibrate advice):
   - Subscriber count (approximate)
   - Niche / topic
   - 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... |
|---|---|
| General audience growth strategy | `/sales-audience-growth [question]` |
| Newsletter monetization / sponsorships | `/sales-newsletter [question]` |
| SparkLoop referral or paid recommendations | `/sales-sparkloop [question]` |
| Beehiiv Boosts or Beehiiv Ad Network | `/sales-beehiiv [question]` |
| Email deliverability after adding subscribers | `/sales-deliverability [question]` |
| Finding swap partners via a directory | `/sales-lettergrowth [question]` |

When routing to another skill, provide the exact command.

## Step 3 — Refind platform reference

**Read `references/platform-guide.md`** for the full platform reference — how Refind Ads work, CPA optimization, cross-promotion setup, earning as a publisher, and comparison with alternatives.

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

## Step 4 — Actionable guidance

Refind success depends on niche fit, CPA calibration, and subscriber quality tracking.

1. **Niche fit**: Refind's 488K audience skews tech, data science, and B2C curiosity. If your newsletter is B2B enterprise or hyper-niche, expect lower conversion.
2. **CPA calibration**: Start at the minimum bid ($1.50) and increase gradually. Track 30-day open rates of Refind-sourced subscribers before scaling budget.
3. **Quality tracking**: Tag Refind subscribers with UTM parameters. Compare their 30-day and 60-day retention to your organic subscribers.
4. **Earning side**: If you have an engaged audience in tech/knowledge topics, the publisher side ($1.91/click avg) can offset your growth costs.

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

## Gotchas

> *Best-effort from research — review these, especially items about pricing and engagement quality.*

1. **No subscriber quality screening** — unlike SparkLoop, Refind doesn't filter by engagement history before sending subscribers. You only pay for ~41% (those who open), but the other 59% still hit your list and inflate ESP costs.
2. **High eCPAs for non-tech niches** — one experiment reported $20/subscriber. Refind works best for B2C tech/data/knowledge newsletters. Lifestyle, finance, or B2B niches may see poor ROI.
3. **Low daily volume** — expect "a few subscribers a day," not hundreds. Refind is a slow-drip channel, not a scale tool.
4. **No API or automation** — no public API (developers page 404), no webhooks, no Zapier/Make. Only integration is Beehiiv API sync for engagement tracking.
5. **Cross-promotion is visitor-based, not subscriber-based** — Refind matches unique visitors, not verified subscribers. Conversion from visit to subscribe depends on your landing page.

## Related skills

- `/sales-audience-growth` — Growing your email list (lead magnets, cross-promotion strategy, referral programs, paid acquisition)
- `/sales-newsletter` — Newsletter monetization (sponsorships, paid subscriptions, ad sales, paid recommendations)
- `/sales-sparkloop` — SparkLoop platform help (referral programs, paid recommendations, partner programs)
- `/sales-beehiiv` — Beehiiv platform help (Boosts for paid cross-promotion, Ad Network)
- `/sales-lettergrowth` — Lettergrowth platform help (free cross-promotion directory, partner discovery)
- `/sales-paved` — Paved platform help (newsletter sponsorship marketplace, Ad Network)
- `/sales-email-marketing` — Email marketing strategy (what to send once you have subscribers)
- `/sales-deliverability` — Email deliverability (keeping Refind-sourced subscribers out of spam)
- `/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: High eCPA troubleshooting
**User says**: "I'm spending $15 per subscriber on Refind Ads and it doesn't seem worth it"
**Skill does**: Reads platform-guide.md, checks niche fit (Refind audience is tech/curiosity), recommends lowering CPA bid to minimum ($1.50), checking 30-day retention, and comparing to SparkLoop paid recommendations which offer better targeting
**Result**: User either optimizes their Refind campaign or switches to a better-fit channel

### Example 2: Setting up cross-promotion
**User says**: "How does Refind cross-promotion work? Is it free?"
**Skill does**: Explains the reciprocal visitor exchange model, walks through setup, notes that visits aren't guaranteed subscribers, recommends pairing with a strong landing page
**Result**: User understands how to use Refind cross-promotion alongside their existing growth channels

### Example 3: Earning as a publisher
**User says**: "Can I make money promoting other newsletters through Refind?"
**Skill does**: Explains the publisher earning model ($1.91/click avg), recommends it for tech-adjacent newsletters with engaged audiences, notes it works on autopilot once set up
**Result**: User knows expected earnings and whether their audience is a fit

## Troubleshooting

### Refind subscribers aren't opening emails
**Symptom**: Open rate of Refind-sourced subscribers is well below list average
**Cause**: Refind only charges for ~41% who open, but the rest still join your list. Your ESP may count all of them, dragging down open rate.
**Solution**: Tag all Refind subscribers with a UTM source tag. Create a segment for Refind-sourced subscribers and monitor separately. Sunset non-openers after 30 days to keep list healthy.

### eCPA much higher than expected
**Symptom**: Paying $10-20+ per subscriber when you expected $2-5
**Cause**: Newsletter niche doesn't match Refind's tech/curiosity audience, or CPA bid is too high
**Solution**: Check niche alignment — Refind works best for tech, data science, and general knowledge newsletters. Lower your CPA bid to minimum ($1.50) and test for 2 weeks. If eCPA stays above $5 with good niche fit, consider SparkLoop or Beehiiv Boosts instead.

### Cross-promotion sending visitors but no subscribers
**Symptom**: Refind cross-promotion shows visits but your subscriber count barely moves
**Cause**: Refind sends visitors to your signup page, but conversion depends on your landing page quality
**Solution**: Optimize your landing page — clear value prop, single CTA, social proof. Test the landing page URL Refind is sending traffic to. Consider offering a lead magnet to boost conversion.