How System Sunday Leveraged beehiiv to Secure a Major Book Deal

I’m all in when it comes to boosting my growth and development—both in my career and personal life. If you feel the same way, you’ve probably tried various apps, tools, and countless books aimed at improving different areas of your life.

The sheer volume of “how to be a better you” guides out there is enough to make your head spin. Finding trustworthy sources can feel like hunting for a needle in a haystack.

What if I told you there’s a simpler way to find those tools?

Enter the System Sunday newsletter by Ben Meer.

The Sunday System newsletter is a game-changing solution that addresses this common challenge. It has become a remarkable phenomenon, with 300,000 subscribers.

In this case study, we’ll learn how Sunday System was conceived and how it has grown to help thousands of subscribers with beehiiv.

Humble Beginnings Start with Mom

Ben Meer began his journey with his newsletter, System Sunday, in 2022. This modest start led to significant growth and a vibrant community.

It all starts with a signup list for an email newsletter.

“I started sending the email signup form to my family and about 200 contacts on my phone. I think my mom was among my first three subscribers,” Meer reflected on his early days.

Recognizing the potential of social media, Meer began publishing educational threads on X (formerly Twitter), strategically including calls-to-action for his newsletter at the end of each post. This method proved effective, as he quickly gained traction. “It took about three weeks to get my first 1,000 subscribers,” Meer noted. "Admittedly, it was less competitive to grow a newsletter via social media back in 2022." 

Fast forward three years and System Sunday has expanded its reach significantly, now boasting 300,000 subscribers. Meer attributed this success to a combination of organic growth on platforms like X, Instagram, and LinkedIn, along with targeted Facebook ads. “I started using the paid ads when we reached 150,000 subscribers, as the newsletter idea was already pre-validated,” he explained. 

Meer’s approach illustrates how a commitment to valuable content and strategic engagement can transform a simple newsletter into a major success.

Enter beehiiv, the Platform Behind Optimal Growth

When it came time to choose a newsletter platform, Meer found beehiiv to be the perfect fit for his needs, describing it as "an email management software that makes it easy to send broadcasts to my most loyal fans and nurture relationships with them."

He particularly appreciated beehiiv's value, noting, "beehiiv is a great value pricing-wise compared to other competitors and has better analytics to see where newsletter traffic and subscribers are coming from. Analytics are important."

The efficiency of beehiiv’s automation sequences also stood out to Meer, as they made it "super easy to set up an automated welcome message or deliver a lead magnet," which he identified as a helpful growth tactic.

This shift to beehiiv has proven to be a game-changer for him: "Thousands of hours saved annually, seven figures generated in revenue, and peace of mind (which you can't put a price on)."

The beehiiv Difference

Meer strongly endorses beehiiv for those considering it for their newsletter needs. He appreciates the platform’s ongoing enhancements, remarking, "beehiiv continues to ship new features and get better and better. The founder team is really committed to making this the best newsletter platform on the planet."

Meer also notes, "I've found the customer support to be a cut above the rest," highlighting the advantage of having a dedicated account manager on the enterprise plan.

Why Trust Me

Linda Hwang has extensive experience in B2B marketing and previously worked at a renowned international facilities management company. There, she played a crucial role in creating effective content and social media marketing plans. Now, Hwang is a marketing consultant who helps small businesses create compelling brand stories.

From Newsletter to Book Deal

Perhaps the most exciting result of Meer's newsletter success is the opportunity it's created.

"My newsletter helped me land a major publishing deal, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work on my debut book," he shares.

This achievement underscores the power of building a dedicated audience through a newsletter.

Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Newsletter Creators

For those considering starting a newsletter, Meer offers valuable advice: "Most creators focus on building a social following, but that's not real estate you can own. The platforms own that and can take that away at any point. Everything I do on social media is a means to grow my newsletter. It de-risks your business and is the best way to monetize (by far)."

He emphasizes the importance of doing "unscalable things" in the beginning, sharing his own experience of sending his email newsletter form to 200 contacts on his phone.

Ready to join growth and development creators like Ben Meer?

With the right strategy and tools, like beehiiv, your newsletter could be the next success story.

Don't wait—start your journey with beehiiv today!