How To Get Your First 500 Newsletter Subscribers In 3 Months
Get there quickly with these dead simple steps
Passing 500 newsletter subscribers feels so good.
I was flying on Twitter (X) when an algorithm change removed 75% of my views. Gone overnight. A social platform is a shaky foundation to build on. You have no control. But an email list is yours. You own it. And no one can steal it from you.
Algorithms are not your friend. They limit the reach of your content. A tiny % of followers see it. Links get suppressed. And without early engagement, your writing goes nowhere.
I love having guaranteed readers for my content. Newsletters are reliable. The same % open it every week within 24 hours.
And if you want to make money in the future. An email list is key. Creators who are massive on social media can’t sell stuff there. They sell to their email list.
Newsletters:
- protect you and give you control
- guarantee readers for your stuff
- help you sell products & services
So I’m going to show you everything you need to know to build up to 500 subscribers.
And the first lesson is to avoid this mistake I made.
When to start a newsletter
Some people say you should start immediately.
I launched a substack newsletter in 2022. But within 6 months it had failed. For 2 reasons:
- my topic was too broad to attract subscribers (‘improve your life’)
- when I found my niche (helping new writers) — it was irrelevant to this small email list
Don’t start until you fulfill these 4 conditions:
Know your what
Get clear on your niche.
Experiment on social platforms first. Your newsletter needs a narrow focus. And to solve a specific problem. Find the sweet spot between what you want to write and what people want to read.
Know your who
It’s foolish to think you can appeal to everyone.
Let’s assume your topic is running. Helping someone who has run 25 marathons is different from someone aiming for their first 5k. Helping a single parent with a busy job find time to run is different to the single professional.
Who you are writing for shapes your content and the problems you address.
Have enough content
A newsletter is a long-term commitment.
You need a lot of content. Test your ability to create on a social platform. Then reuse this in your newsletter.
Have enough time
You have to be consistent with a newsletter. Whilst you can miss a few days on social media. Miss a few newsletters and your audience will lose trust.
Once you’ve ticked these 4 boxes you are ready.
Which email provider?
This is an easy question to answer.
It doesn’t matter. Once you get going you’ll realise what features you need. But don’t waste time analysing all the options. Just start. You own your list so can take it with you. I switched from Beehiiv to Convertkit. When I wanted to launch an email course and Convertkit was a lot cheaper. It’s easy to switch.
Choose your style
You need to add value to every newsletter.
When your reader sees your name in their inbox. Their reaction must be ‘oh good’. There are two ways to add value:
Unique insights
You’ve made progress and so have stuff to share. You don’t need to be a genius. Two steps ahead of your readers is enough. This is better than being a top performer. It makes you more relatable.
If you want to start running. You don’t need insights from the marathon world record holder. You want someone who has gone from 0 to 10K and defeated the problems you face.
Helpful resources
If you don’t have insights share those who do.
You can be a curator of other’s content. You save reader’s time by researching and putting together links and stories.
You can share your insights or be a curator. Or do both. But your newsletters must be similar each time. Similar length. Similar feel. Don’t send 10 links one week then a 1000-word essay the next. You’ll struggle with open rates and retention.
Make your email short with a captivating subject line. Email interrupts people’s day. So it needs to feel easy and attractive.
The goal of a newsletter is to move readers from followers to fans. This is how you get them to buy stuff in the future. But this demands you offer more than value.
You need to show your personality.
Show personality
People connect to people.
The more they see of you the deeper the connection. Share your story and what you’ve learned. But a newsletter gives you the chance to take this further.
Two ideas I use to strengthen the personal connection:
Start with a personal reveal
Share a few sentences about you before you dive into your main content.
This works best if it’s related to your niche. I’m enjoying the sunny weather and have been on holiday to Greece is self-indulgent. No one’s interested!
Here’s how I began a recent newsletter:
Hey everyone,
I had an exciting day yesterday looking at the proof for a magazine article I’ve written. To see a glossy version of my work with beautiful photographs was very satisfying. It’s crazy to think I started on Medium 11 months ago with 3 people reading my first article.
So if I can make money writing anyone can.
Then I dive into my topic for the week. This intro says a little about me but stays within my niche. It gives a peak behind the curtains look at my life.
Keep it short. Stick to your niche.
End with a flourish
You can use a PS to show more of yourself.
I copied an idea from Kieran Drew. He includes a photo of himself with a message on card. Related to the newsletter content. It’s different every week. And adds a nice personal touch.
So I include a photo of a book I’m reading. It’s taken in a different part of my house. I post it after my main content so it doesn’t distract.
Don’t overdo the ‘get to know me’ stuff. Keep value central.
All the above helps you keep subscribers.
But how do you get them in the first place? Glad you asked.
How to get sign-ups
Constantly share your newsletter.
Post links as comments on your social media posts. I use Hyperfury to automate this. Include a link at the bottom of all your Medium/blog posts.
When you share a link explain how a reader will gain from your content. Focus on outcomes not what you cover. Use social proof — ‘join 575 writers’ or a quote.
Social media tease
Each week I post a tease about what my subscribers will gain and others to sign up:
Milestone posts
Humbly share milestones (100 subs, 250 subs, etc).
Be humble and thank everyone for their support. This showcases your success and people will want to follow.
Giveaway
Offering something free will accelerate your signups.
You’ve got plenty you can use for this:
- use a blog post as a pdf download.
- turn your best 5 posts into an email course (learn more here)
- offer something you use (a template or 100 best headlines you’ve collected)
To avoid people signing up for the freebie then unsubscribing. Make sure your giveaway is related to your newsletter content. I’ve found email courses get people into the habit of receiving emails. And so they stick around.
You can create a viral post on Twitter/X with this. I explain how I did that here.
Once you have a giveaway it will serve you for years. Every time you post about it you’ll get new subscribers. I created a Twitter course 6 months ago. But posted about it again this week and got 25 new subs.
Build a solid foundation by being clear on who you are helping and what you offer. Consistently add value every week. Then promote the hell out of it.
Then sit back happy with your 500 subscribers.
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