36 Comments
Feb 27Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

Thank you for sharing the behind the scenes of what you did. I’m glad it felt aligned. I think you hit on a good point. Do what feels right for you, even if others are doing things differently. 😊

Expand full comment
author

That’s right Mika! And some of these things felt “at the edge” because my body is still getting used to how “sales” feels. ✨✨

Expand full comment
founding
Feb 27Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

Thank you for squeezing me in before the end of your first season! Looking forward to listening to this one x

Expand full comment
author

You're super welcome - loved catching up with you Gabrielle! ✨

Expand full comment
founding
Feb 27Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

Just listened over lunch, you're so generous in sharing what you do and how it goes. I'm curious, if someone goes over the 100 paid subscribers and gets the checkmark, and then their lose a few subscribers and so drop down under it, does the checkmark stay?

Expand full comment
author

It goes... that's why it's really important to be using coupons until you're way clear of the 100... I think just because of the social proof it brings...

Expand full comment
founding

Interesting, thanks!

Expand full comment
founding
Feb 26Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

Super interesting - so I’m just sending paid things with a paywall and expecting people to hop over… I’m not sure how else I’d do it

Expand full comment
author

So what I do IF I have enough time is make the post for everyone on the topic then put a second post out just to paid and edit to add the replay…

Expand full comment
founding
Feb 26Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

It’s a really interesting way of thinking about it though…

And my way of doing it isn’t working at all… but then how often can you directly ask people to pay for your work?

Expand full comment
author

Just gentle reminders of the value is enough… conversion is only ever 1-10% with 3-10% considered high… so just keep playing around with the tools - what you are doing is GREAT! ✨🤓✨

Expand full comment
Feb 26Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

Thanks for sharing all this valuable info Claire, interesting to hear about your strategy and glad it’s working! 💛

Expand full comment
author

You’re super welcome. I really think different things will attract different folks at different times and that’s why it suits my experimental nature so well. ✨ have you got some ideas?! ✨

Expand full comment
Feb 26Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

I am converting some of my subscribers to paid now which is great. I have a lower annual than monthly so am considering increasing it at some point and letting my most engaged know first to convert a few more! 💛

Expand full comment
author

Interesting… do you offer free trials?

Expand full comment

Thanks Claire! So useful and really enjoyed listening! Xxx

Expand full comment
author

✨💫 you’re super welcome!!

Expand full comment

Enjoyed listening. Thank you Claire 🙏

Expand full comment
author

You’re super welcome! Has it sparked any ideas for you Tommy? ✨

Expand full comment

Yes. Just keeping more stuff free and not worry too much about the paywalling of stuff. Also love the gift to a friend idea x

Expand full comment
author

It was just such a lovely launch moment to focus on... logistically a bit of an admin challenge...

Expand full comment

But you can gift via referral to a paying subscriber right? Just not long term?

Expand full comment
author

I just issued a coupon via email.

Expand full comment
Feb 29Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

Hi Claire! So I decided to purchase the Resource Suite. It’s so wonderful you are offering a free month of Sparkle…I was really interested in upgrading anyway. So I can take a peek inside now. Your content is so helpful! Just wondering how accessing the Sparkle month will work?

Expand full comment
author

Hi Mary Beth! Oh how lovely! Welcome!!

There’s a coupon inside the portal when you’re logged in to your course platform - if you can’t find it let me know. I’ve set it to come out on an email on day 3 too. Claire@creativelyconscious.co.uk

Expand full comment
Feb 29Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

Ok thank you! I will check it out.

Expand full comment
Feb 28Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

Thank you for the wealth of information you've provided. I just opened a membership community on one of my Substack blogs that has prerecorded videos and monthly live online hangouts for the paid subscribers.

I've been taken by surprise at the number of people who joined that don't understand that this is a blog where they can access all the exclusive content when they want to. I've spent way more time trying to explain how to use substack to my community than I imagined I would. I don't find the Substack FAQs for readers very helpful for some of the most basic information.

Is there a resource that I can point my community to when they need it? Or possibly a template I can use to set up a post or page with some "how to" info?

Expand full comment
author

So what I’d do is make sure that at the top of each email/ post you say “here’s a link to your membership”

I had a membership tab here and it works so well for beginners and for folks navigating Substack.

It’s set up as a “section” but a tag would work just as well.

I also have a canva graphic for readers I’ll send you the template when I’m on my laptop! Thanks so much for listening Crystal! ✨🫖

Expand full comment

This was such a fascinating listen Claire! Although I’ve technically turned paid on I haven’t really created an invitation for bringing people in, but that’s on my to-do as we head into Spring. I love what you said about there being lots of room to experiment within the subscription model. That definitely helps me feel encouraged that I don’t have to “get it perfect” from the start. Which has been holding me back. Appreciate you 💛

Expand full comment
Feb 28Liked by Claire Venus (she/her) ✨

Just listened to this whilst on a drizzly walk and it brightened me up, no end! Thank you for sharing Claire, a lot of useful advice to consider, especially use of coupons and putting less behind a paywall.

Expand full comment

Hey Claire, listened to this episode yesterday while power walking to kindergarten with my baby. I could so relate. Listened to you 1.75x.

I soft launched my "Online Writing School" two weeks ago. I used to offer $$$-$$$$ courses in the past but my husband and I wanted to give memberships a shot this year because there are so many questions, updates etc.

As you shared I also always had to prerecord my whole Medium classes because the platform changes every three months.

Here it's the same^^

I think as moms it's better to make the (pre)launch runway longer :) 3 months is fine.

How are you faring with multiple publications?

In my interview (to be published in 1-2 weeks) with Sarah Fay, she said that you are ill-advised if you have several newsletters. How do you see this?

Talk soon,

Kristina

Expand full comment
author

Will listen to it when I'll pick up my toddler tomorrow

Expand full comment
author

Let me know what speed works 😉

Expand full comment
author

Hey Kristina! Ah thanks for listening! Congrats on your school - sounds so fun! I ADORE running memberships, let me know if you want any tips or anything. So Sarah Fay and I also spoke about this in our podcast here - have you listened to that one? I adore it but I’ve always been multi hyphen and self employed since 2008 so I’ve transferred what I’ve learnt there. It’s really important to me to make space for my own passion and creativity outside of Substack education AND I am working on my memoir so this is all a great fit for me. ✨✨❤️⭕️🌱

Expand full comment

Love all the detail in here Claire, another generous share and so very useful 🙌💫

Expand full comment