How To Land Your First 100 Substack Subscribers in 7 Easy Steps
Even if you don't know what to write about
If there’s anything I want you to take away from this article, it’s this…
Don’t let Substack intimidate you.
Treat it like any other social media platform because that’s all it is. Substack is a place to share… You. Your art, your ideas, your absurd, beautiful thoughts that some people will read in exchange for their email address.
But hey, no one wants a newsletter without an audience. Where’s the fun in that?
So let’s talk about how to build momentum and easily get your first 100 email subscribers.
What is Substack?
My Substack journey started at the bottom in 2020.
I had zero subscribers
Zero experience with newsletters.
Only a few months experience writing on LinkedIn and Medium
I told an entrepreneurial friend that I was interested in writing and he sent me literature about this new company called Substack. I’ve been hooked ever since. I’m now close to 500 subscribers, and my newsletter has seen 30% growth since May 2023.
Substack is a newsletter platform. You write content, give it a time and date to publish, and Substack sends the content to your email list.
But Cal. Can’t I do that on my own?
Do you actually want to manage your own subscriber lists using Excel documents and design your own landing page? I mean, I guess you could, but I certainly don’t have the time.
Alright, now that you’re up to speed, let’s talk about how to get your first 100 subscribers.
Step 1.) Name Your Newsletter and Pick a Logo
When you sign up, Substack will ask you to name your newsletter. Big shocker right?
Don’t overthink it. Unless you already have a catchy name you’ve been dreaming about for months, call it this:
(Insert your name here) Newsletter.
Two reasons you should just call it your name:
1.) Most people spend way too much time coming with a name when it doesn’t really matter—especially if it’s your first newsletter.
2.) Your friends and family can immediately recognize that it’s your newsletter which will make it easier for them to sign up.
Here are some examples of top newsletters that simply use their name.
I recommend that you get a logo because it’s really the branding item that makes your Substack legitimate and recognizable.
Here are your options.
1.) Pay for one
2.) Use a free logo generator.
3.) Use a cool photo of yourself.
For example, I paid a few bucks for Yo Pro Library logo because it perfectly fit the theme. My friend Niharikaa just uses a photo of herself. Either will work!
Step 2.) Write your first 3 posts
Most Substack tutorials will tell you to pick a niche category.
Topics like personal finance, video games, or Star Wars canon.
I’m guessing many of you don’t know what you want to write about. Totally cool, I didn’t either. If that’s the case, you’re probably going to spend too much time thinking about your topic instead of actually writing something.
First things first. Write content.
I love this story Billy Oppenheimer, who is Ryan Holiday’s intern. He wanted to start a newsletter but didn’t know what to write.
“Just write something,” Ryan said. “You’re thinking about the 9th inning, and you haven’t even tossed the first pitch.”
Create, write, record, and photograph three short pieces of content. I know Substack is a writing platform, but you can really put anything you want in there.
Talk about a book you’re reading.
What’s a story that taught you a lesson?
Talk about your opinion about something in the news.
What did you learn during your last trip?
Done? Good. Now you’ve got your content batch so let’s move on.
Step 3.) Set a deadline
Now that we have some content set a weekly publishing date.
You can set your publishing date to whenever and at whatever frequency you’d like, but I suggest you start with a weekly newsletter.
Why? Because It’s easy to procrastinate with a monthly newsletter (and people will forget about it), and daily newsletters are too much work—you need a team for that.
My newsletter, for example, comes out each Friday at 7:30 a.m.
Step 4.) Send a text to 25 of your family and friends
This will feel awkward at first because you’re basically soliciting your friends and family, but this is actually to key to getting 100 subscribers.
Your friends and family love you, right?
They want to help you, right?
then make them aware of what you’re doing and I promise you 98% of them will sign up.
I did this when I built my newsletter. You can take the text I used. Copy and paste it and send it out to 25 close friends and family members.
“Hey (insert name). I’m starting an email newsletter called Yo Pro Library. I wanted you to be one of the first to join for free. It’s about leadership, business, and mindsets for young professionals building their careers in their twenties. Here’s the link and I hope you can help!”
Send this to 25 close friends and family members and you’ll be amazed by how fast your Substack will grow.
Step 5.) Write 3 more posts
Take a break from sales and write your next 3 posts.
By now, you should get a better picture of what you want to write about. Welcome to the journey. As you continue to write, your niche will become more clear.
Like paving your way through a dense forest, each post will gradually pave the way to your destination.
Step 6.) Share with your social media feeds
Substack offers a new feature that makes sharing your articles on all social media feeds very simple.
Click on the “social media asset tool” that will create beautiful images of your content to share on Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and Facebook. Do this with each of your posts and remind your followers to check out your Substack to read more.
This should pick up a few new subscribers each time you share an article.
Step 7.) Send a text to 50 people in your network.
You’ve sent texts to your closest friends and family. Now let’s expand that to your “fringe network.”
People like your coworkers, distant cousins, high school buddies, and colleagues you might find on LinkedIn. You wouldn’t invite them to your wedding or anything, but you still expect a congratulations or something.
Use this template:
“Hey (insert name). I’m sending this to you because I think you might find it interesting. I started a newsletter about leadership, business, and mindsets for young professionals building their careers in their twenties. Here’s the link!”
Treat your newsletter like a trust fund.
By following these steps, you should have reached at least 100 subscribers.
Don’t worry if you haven’t. Simple repeat steps 5 – 7, and you’ll get there.
One last note before you get started. Writing is a journey. An unending process. Building your newsletter will take so much more time than you think it, but that’s what makes it worthwhile.
I think of my newsletter as a trust fund. They don’t pay benefits immediately, but over time, it will expand your network and creative muscles more than you can possibly imagine.