About two weeks ago, we had a meeting with a client. We had submitted a bid a month before, and there was interest.
As part of the pitch, we usually give some business and personal background on each stakeholder. When it was my turn, the client listened and then said he was a huge fan of my pub.
I was like, WTF. I had no idea.
I’ve been trying to find a promise for my newsletter beyond the community I build, especially given that my conversion rate relative to the time I spend on it is low. I guess my promise is that people already know what kind of human I am, even before they get on the call.
A 500K contract to start? I’m good with that, Kim.
Every newsletter should be optimized for conversion 100%, but that conversion will manifest differently depending on the circumstances.
It’s a shared contract, but an entry into more if this one is done well lol
So here is the thing. When someone pays for a subscription, I usually reach out to send a thank-you message and see who this person is. I saw no footprint. Just another reader using a vague Gmail. I was taken aback a bit by that. I stopped writing on LinkedIn for this reason. Too many stalkers, but I guess I need to pay attention to Substack as well.
This article is perfectly timed. For me, the writing is the thing, but even my AI said I need to stop, "behaving like a writer with a newsletter." This framework makes more sense to me than a traditional business plan. I love that you turn your decisions into visuals. That's exactly what I need to make information stay in my brain!
The idea that a newsletter needs a promise sounds obvious once someone says it, but it’s also the thing a lot of us avoid stating.
I also liked the distinction between build posts and reflection posts. That makes so much sense. Not every post has to do the same job, and it’s easy to judge the quieter pieces by the wrong metric.
The “identity beat” piece is what I keep thinking about. A good newsletter doesn’t just give people information. It helps them recognize themselves a little more clearly. That’s the part that makes them come back.
I think I’d lose my mind if every post had to do the same job, lol (or at least get super bored).
And I totally agree that it sounds obvious once you hear it (The Promise)… super grateful Karo shared her framework.
I love your point about helping people recognize themselves a little more clearly. There’s something about seeing ourselves in someone else’s writing that, even though it’s indirectly, we feel seen.
Kim this is brilliant - I have to go run through this and Karo's suggestions! I love the phrasing on your promise statement; I feel it resonate in me like YES! I agree!!
I've been playing with three pillars of Substack to do the same gut check on content (1) momentum over maps, zero shoulds, follow your energy & ideas (2) build *useful* things - not toys, tools (3) building to find your identity, we're out with lanterns looking for ourselves
But obviously that's loose, messy, not a promise; I think I can use this to go deeper. Especially now that I'm approaching month six, ~30 something articles, feels like the right time. ❤️
Love this Kim. I turn what I learn into skills and tools too!
Today I built an AEO and SEO skill for the CLAG articles after reading a post by Elena.
Last week I built a CTA skill after reading one of Mack's stories.
I am still working through your 70 questions, but now have an inventory of 13 threads and 71 stories saved that it stores in a spreadsheet. And it is helping me build the paid Her Edge column nicely by helping me organize my thoughts and stories.
Now clearly I am going to have to read this post by Karo.....
I read Kara's suggestions, and it stuck in the back of my mind. When I read this from you, it was a great "what am I going to do next?" realization. And I think between the two of you, this is the missing piece in my process that's going to help me refine it.
Oh wow! I love this! Thank you so much this piece!!!
You’re welcome - thank YOU! 😊
Kim! I linked to your post from mine 🤗
Thanks so much, Karo,
*which reminds me to log in to LinkSwap, lol!
😂
You’re so welcome, Karo!
Thank YOU!!! Your framework was one of those pieces that grabbed a hold of me and I knew I needed to implement it!
Much appreciated!
About two weeks ago, we had a meeting with a client. We had submitted a bid a month before, and there was interest.
As part of the pitch, we usually give some business and personal background on each stakeholder. When it was my turn, the client listened and then said he was a huge fan of my pub.
I was like, WTF. I had no idea.
I’ve been trying to find a promise for my newsletter beyond the community I build, especially given that my conversion rate relative to the time I spend on it is low. I guess my promise is that people already know what kind of human I am, even before they get on the call.
A 500K contract to start? I’m good with that, Kim.
Every newsletter should be optimized for conversion 100%, but that conversion will manifest differently depending on the circumstances.
Thank you for always making me think.
OMG! Did you land that contract? Congratulations!!!
That is so fantastic that your client was a fan of the pub. It certainly speaks to the power of publishing.
I had Claude basically interview me for a while to get clarity. I’m happy with the first pass, but think it will evolve.
I LOVE your point about optimization and how the conversion will manifest.
And my pleasure on the thinking part… right back at you!
It’s a shared contract, but an entry into more if this one is done well lol
So here is the thing. When someone pays for a subscription, I usually reach out to send a thank-you message and see who this person is. I saw no footprint. Just another reader using a vague Gmail. I was taken aback a bit by that. I stopped writing on LinkedIn for this reason. Too many stalkers, but I guess I need to pay attention to Substack as well.
Still… even as a shared contract, not too shabby, lol.
Yea, I push to LinkedIn only (but seriously, why do I even do that? lol) - and there has to be better ways to figure this stuff out. 🤔
And what the what?! Why didn’t I realize you had a paid subscription?!?!
How do I upgrade? Why does Substack make the most basic stuff a scavenger hunt 🤣
You started paying about 6 months ago, but you are also my friend, and another reason why Susbtack will never make me rich hahahaha
I just can’t have my friends pay for stuff - I know, I know.
I comped you, Kim.
This shit is difficult.
It’s nice having friends around.
Aww, thank you!
Well, then I will continue to buy you coffee and look forward to the day I can do it in person. 😊
It absolutely is nice having friends around.
This article is perfectly timed. For me, the writing is the thing, but even my AI said I need to stop, "behaving like a writer with a newsletter." This framework makes more sense to me than a traditional business plan. I love that you turn your decisions into visuals. That's exactly what I need to make information stay in my brain!
Thanks so much, Mariam,
I’m so glad it was helpful! @Karo (Product with Attitude)’s article triggered that for me as well!
Let me know how it goes for you.
Best article I've read this week. Bravo!!!
Thank you so much, Mike!
The idea that a newsletter needs a promise sounds obvious once someone says it, but it’s also the thing a lot of us avoid stating.
I also liked the distinction between build posts and reflection posts. That makes so much sense. Not every post has to do the same job, and it’s easy to judge the quieter pieces by the wrong metric.
The “identity beat” piece is what I keep thinking about. A good newsletter doesn’t just give people information. It helps them recognize themselves a little more clearly. That’s the part that makes them come back.
Thank you so much, Kay,
I think I’d lose my mind if every post had to do the same job, lol (or at least get super bored).
And I totally agree that it sounds obvious once you hear it (The Promise)… super grateful Karo shared her framework.
I love your point about helping people recognize themselves a little more clearly. There’s something about seeing ourselves in someone else’s writing that, even though it’s indirectly, we feel seen.
It not only applies to newsletters but after you comment, I think about the authors I enjoy most, because I see myself in their writing and them.
Kim this is brilliant - I have to go run through this and Karo's suggestions! I love the phrasing on your promise statement; I feel it resonate in me like YES! I agree!!
I've been playing with three pillars of Substack to do the same gut check on content (1) momentum over maps, zero shoulds, follow your energy & ideas (2) build *useful* things - not toys, tools (3) building to find your identity, we're out with lanterns looking for ourselves
But obviously that's loose, messy, not a promise; I think I can use this to go deeper. Especially now that I'm approaching month six, ~30 something articles, feels like the right time. ❤️
Thanks so much, Rebeccca,
It was all @Karo (Product with Attitude) 😊 - the idea of ‘The Promise’ was simply something I had not considered with my newsletter.
This is the clearest I’ve felt with Substack since I started here.
I love your pillars! And great analogy - “out with lanterns looking for ourselves.”
I’d love to hear how you get on with it!
Love this Kim. I turn what I learn into skills and tools too!
Today I built an AEO and SEO skill for the CLAG articles after reading a post by Elena.
Last week I built a CTA skill after reading one of Mack's stories.
I am still working through your 70 questions, but now have an inventory of 13 threads and 71 stories saved that it stores in a spreadsheet. And it is helping me build the paid Her Edge column nicely by helping me organize my thoughts and stories.
Now clearly I am going to have to read this post by Karo.....
So many great things in here for me to think about with my own newsletter. Thanks for putting this together, Kim!
I read Kara's suggestions, and it stuck in the back of my mind. When I read this from you, it was a great "what am I going to do next?" realization. And I think between the two of you, this is the missing piece in my process that's going to help me refine it.