Strategizing Substack Gift Subscriptions
And if your Substack is an acquired taste—in the best way—I highly recommend using them
Using up one of my weekly posts to strategize Substack gift subscriptions seemed utterly dull—at first.
But gift subscriptions (inviting people to buy a subscription for someone else) are less boring than you think.
3 reasons gift subscriptions should be part of your Substack paid strategy
You are (I hope) creating a newsletter that’s wholly original and wholly you, which, by the way, is the only way to earn an income on Substack.
In which case, you’re likely fostering devoted paid subscribers—and maybe not easily converting new paid subscribers.
You’re an acquired taste in the best way.
Gift subscriptions give your paid subscribers a chance to speak on your behalf, i.e., convert for you.
1. They’ve worked very well for some of my clients
One example is Emily Kirkpatrick. Why do people like to give gift subscriptions of I <3 Mess? Because it’s an amazing Substack. What do I mean? It’s like nothing else in the world. Yes, Emily is a seasoned fashion writer who’s written for Vanity Fair, The New York Times, et al. but the main thing is that she’s different—I call her the Roland Barthes of fashion with a dash of Steven Wright and a dollop of Tig Notaro.
I <3 Mess isn’t the kind of Substack you necessarily appreciate the enormous value of until you’ve been a subscriber for a couple of issues—and then you’re obsessed with it. (I’ll be gifting a paid subscription to I <3 Mess to my dear friend,Mary Hickman, this holiday season, and yes, I just ruined the surprise.)
2. They will help you create a Substack worth paying for and gifting
When you take Substack advice and just “try it,” it has a 99% chance of failing.
Plunking down a Give a gift subscription button will not miraculously bring you revenue. I promise you it will not.
3. They’ll force you to focus on what your Substack is worth
You have to know why someone would want a gift subscription and you have to believe it’s worth it.
To make gift subscriptions into a revenue source, the way Emily and others have, you have to know your Substack DNA. It also helps to know which of the three types of Substacks you are—project, topic, lens.
(Premier Members, we went over both on this month’s call—go here for a 7-minute highlight reel of this month’s call. Paid subscribers and Premier members, if you haven’t received your Substack Strategy Handbook, A-Z, go here to learn more about buttons and the three paid strategies on Substack.)
Even if you don’t know your Substack DNA or type, do this now:
→ Using just the gift subscription button is a bit like putting a price tag out without the hat, golf clubs, or whatever gift.
We have to say why a paid subscription is a great gift for someone.
The why is your CTA (call to action) that accompanies the button.
Paid subscribers and Premier members, let’s do it now so you’re ready for the holiday season. (It takes about 3 minutes.)
