The day the whole internet arrived at my front door...
A Substack goals check in thread for the NEW SEASON
Hi all
How are you? It’s Spring here in the Northern hemisphere and as we emerge out of winter I’m also checking in on the goals I set for Substack!
Just for fun, I wanted to kick start a new intro and goals thread in the comments here.
I’ve actually shy-ed away from super long comment threads after feeling a few months ago like I couldn’t keep up with comments without jeopardising work/ life balance.
I LOVE conversation online but it felt like the whole internet arrived at my front door all at once one day. It was a Saturday, they were in every online portal; instagram dms, both emails, whatsapp, here on Substack in multiple comment threads, on Notes, in post mentions, on Linked IN too. Is this what it’s like when you build an online presence and business? OH!
Nobody said… 🫠
Of course, it’s not like that in reality every single day but I had to learn to manage the work load and the feelings whilst honouring that I love and WANT connection here with you like minded souls. I enjoy reading and connecting and hosting memberships here.
I adjusted my posting schedule, made lots of things clearer, thought about Subscriber flow then taught a workshop on it.
One thing I know about Substack is certain things work for growth like they always have (like recommendations and round up posts) and others stop working and you HAVE to zoom out.
Engagement on your posts is great (and top tip) Substack shows your posts to lots of people if your engagement is high but I’m only one person and I like the way my publication grows steadily. I’m not looking to go viral. I don’t need to win any awards.
What would happen if I hit the next milestone of 7k subs, 10k, more…. would I just burn out? Stop being able to reply, miss people’s emails?
I’m creating consciously in an act of service and growing my business and knowledge too. There’s a balancing act and a test and adjust approach that feels exciting and possible. I don’t need every post to drive new subs or members…
My daughter got 30 hours of childcare in January and it’s only now I realise I’ve filled all of that time… that’s what we do with time with have…
On that note…
Where IS your current focus here on Substack?
I keep hearing folks feeling overwhelmed and struggling to create through the noise here. I get it and I think when you get purposeful and hone your focus it’s surprisingly clear and there’s a beautiful bright path for you here.
I value the depth of connection I’ve built with my members and 1-2-1 clients and I don’t need to win “the popularity contest” . Knowing that in my bones means I can show up multiple times a month and be discerning about where I invite comments and chat.
I want to support my members to realise their dreams and grow exposure for their work without comparison and distraction… I also want to spend time off line with my family and build my Substack and my business too. I can and I do. Does it get out of balance sometimes? Sure, not often but sometimes! I want my work to grow and to reach people all over the world; to better understand why three states in the middle of America don’t subscribe to me haha maybe
knows?!
What do you want here on Substack, what’s your one goal? How do you want to feel when you open your laptop to write and share your truth?
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I learnt so much listening to bestselling author
talk about managing her boundaries online in our podcast and in my recent podcast with (Slow lived) Content Creator too (out soon). I sought out these conversations because they support my way of thinking… if we set up an echo chamber of like minded subscriptions it can actually be incredibly affirming…you’ll know when the balance tips; it’s when you start to worry you’re saying the same thing as everyone else…Substack Reflections…
January - March 2024
As we close on the first chapter (quarter) of the year and head into Easter hols, I’d love to hear your goals for Substack in the next chapter. How has it all felt so far this year? What are you tightening up, where have the suprises been?
Let us know in the comments - what are you proud of. What have your realised about your work here?
My goal was to grow my memberships, free subs and get consistent 25k view monthly views on my posts here and I have smashed it! 🎉 I don’t have numerical goals on subs but I can tell you this post will push me past 3500 free subs here… I know that to be true.
Perhaps you are honing in on increasing views, your open rate?
Perhaps you want to do more collabs, get a spot on the leaderboard? Perhaps you want to get into the swing of a publishing cadence? Perhaps you want to grow your audience or your paid subscribers/ members/ figure out what to do with founding memberships?
Perhaps your keen to mingle a little more on Notes, perhaps you’d like to better understand some of the features and be more discerning about your time.
Let us all know what your goals are in the comments and let’s celebrate each other there! You are all doing brilliantly!! Substack is a long game, sustaining your energy and enthusiasm is the real test.
What are you proud of and where are you headed next here on Substack?
Sending sparkles as we head into Spring or you head into Autumn - perhaps you’re glad of the seasonal shift like me?
Claire
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PS - If you are feeling stuck and looking for Substack support, I have a range of options. Go check them out here or join the Sparkle ON Substack membership by clicking below where you immediately access over 20 hours of teaching, community calls and workshops.
My members and clients are celebrating wonderful wins aligned with what feels good to them. The shared accountability and community helps massively - I’m very lucky that I feel 100% of the time that we are all on the same page here - I’ve curated it to be that way and it’s an honour to support you and invite you in. ✨ 🚪✨ 🌀
Claire Venus is an Engagement Consultant and Mentor with over twenty years experience. Her clients include Action for Children, Andersen Press (Pengiun Random House), National Trust, Tate Modern. With a background in festivals and events for children and young people, she has mentored over 500 artists over the course of her career. She lives under dark skies on the Northumberland Coast with her husband, two children and 5 pet chickens.
Claire is passionate about joyful, sustainable growth here on Substack and how it fits within a balanced business and content eco system for creatives who also like to write. She writes three Substack publications;
, and and is currently writing her first memoir.✨
Hi Claire, as you know, I’m still very new here and lapping up the warmth of both your communities here on Substack!
I write about softening into life as a deeply feeling person and parent over at Tether & Tend (https://tetherandtend.substack.com/).
What matters to me most is developing a consistent caring voice that people turn to. I’ve already had feedback that what I write is grounding and comforting and that’s exactly what I want it to be. A kind of anchor point of regulation and reassurance in a life that can feel like an overwhelmed news feed of noise (like the internet arriving at your door!)
So my goal is to post what feels alive and interesting to me, but in a way that feels like an old friend to my readers. I realising from being around some great writers here that it takes a lifetime’s skill to do this. My rather more parochial goal is to just keep going and publish one post a week!
My goal at the moment is to relax and have fun. I set up quite a structured posting schedule when I started on Substack, so that I knew what type of writing to do each week. I enjoyed it but realised recently that I find it a little restrictive. I loved doing something different for the IWD post and am leaning more into that for March & April: posting what I want to rather than what the schedule dictates. I’ve found much more of a creative flow doing this, and want to feel that more and more 🥰