Rippling sent me a free t-shirt (and it worked)

Rippling currently has 4 different newsletters.

"I'm Telling HR" - focused on HR professionals

"The IT Factor" - focused on IT professionals

"Spendsetters" - focused on finance professionals

"First Principles" - focused on startup founders and early teams

Now, having different newsletters focused on various segments of your audience is not unique.

What is unique about Rippling's newsletters is how they built customer loyalty.

I was one of the early subscribers of the "I'm Telling HR" newsletter.

I think I was in the first 500-1000 subs.

Because I was part of that early group, Rippling sent me a free branded t-shirt featuring the newsletter name "I'm Telling HR."

I assume they have done the same for the other three newsletters.

While most companies send only digital freebies, which the reader cannot touch or feel, Rippling takes it a step further by sending free merchandise.

A PDF sits in a folder somewhere.

A t-shirt gets worn.

Every time someone puts on that shirt, they think about Rippling.

Every time someone sees that shirt, they ask about it.

It turns subscribers into walking billboards.

Rippling is using its newsletters exactly as intended - to build relationships with its audience at scale.

Most companies think of newsletters as a distribution channel.

Send content. Hope people read it. Repeat.

Rippling thinks of newsletters as relationship builders.

Segment your audience by role.

Create content specifically for each segment.

Reward early adopters with something tangible.

Turn subscribers into fans.

You do not need Rippling's budget to apply this principle.

Start with segmentation. Different audiences need different content.

Then think about how you can make your subscribers feel like insiders.

Early access to something new.

A physical gift for your most engaged readers.

Recognition for being part of the early group.

The goal is the same.

Make people feel like they belong to something.

Keep dominating,

Tanyo