Convince me to pay you

Last night, I was at dinner when my longtime friend Gina sheepishly revealed she subscribed to more than 5 indie newsletters.

That’s a lot.

So I asked her why she subscribes to them. What makes her want to pay?

The articles. One specific article to be exact.

Each publication had a different article that triggered Gina to start paying the writer. We’re in London right now and one of the articles was a travel journal about London so she started subscribing to that publication while planning this trip.

This is just one type of reader motivation. Your readers will each have a different driver.

That’s why you want to mix up your messaging about your subscriptions. You gotta work the angles!

We’re heading into end of year giving and gifting season, so if you’re planning a promotion (highly recommended!), use the 10 templates below to write your posts.

10 motivation messages that get your readers opening their hearts and their wallets

Use these for email campaigns, social media or article appeals.

If you’re doing a big promotion (meaning you want a lot of upgrades), I recommend sending 5-7 messages out (at least) wherever readers are most likely to see them.

Usually that’s email, but it’s worth hitting them on social too because some of your readers might be web archive people. Plus, sometimes you get a cool word of mouth effect where your fans will quote tweet, repost or comment support off your posts.

Does it matter what order they go in?

Sort of—I’d start with the one likely to work with most of your readers and keep adding other messages in to scoop up as many subscribers as you can.

Isn’t that too many emails?

No. How many emails do you get a day? Did you notice this is the 5th one I’ve sent you this week alone?

Exactly.

1️⃣ You + Me = The Mission

Motivates readers who: Care about your mission, do work related to your mission, or benefit from your mission directly.

Purpose: Share the origin story of the publication, who is behind it, and why the work you’re doing matters to you and to them. Write it like you’re sitting next to your reader at a bar. Not too grandiose. A relatable as you can make it.

Consider including:

• Photos of you or the team

• Why the publication exists

• Who writes the publication

• Why the mission you have matters (to you and to the reader)

2️⃣ The World Without Us

Motivates readers who: Love your reporting but don’t get why they’d pay to keep it going, especially if it’s free.

Purpose: Remind your reader of what the world looked like before your publication existed OR play forward what happens without you. Either a societal lens like: these stories would never have seen the light of day or a reader lens like: you’d be wasting so much time with xyz.

Consider including:

• A story about something that’s changed due to your reporting

• Before/after publication scenarios (remember the times before us?!)

• Comparisons with other publications (cut throat I know! But effective.)

• What improves for your reader when your work exists

• Why it’s exciting to be a paying contributor to that vision (particularly if there’s any perks only they get!)

3️⃣ Where We’re Headed

Motivates readers who: Are your most avid readers, consider themselves ride or die supporters or who are particularly excited about your future endeavors.

Purpose: Offer your reader into a peek of your vision. This is especially useful if you need funding for a specific project or hire. Share upcoming stories, new columns you’re planning, people you want to hire and the bigger change your publication is part of making.

Consider including:

• Detailed plans (specific names or topics)

• Milestones (or when to expect these things to come to fruition)

• How this vision benefits your reader directly (as an individual)

4️⃣ I Know You, I Get You

Motivates readers who: Need a sense of belonging or love telling people they are a subscriber of your publication (think: New Yorker tote bag/NPR sticker people but your version).

Purpose: Cement your relationship with your reader. Offer specific bits of value and personality that remind them you really know who they are and that they belong here. Don’t they want to fund the place they belong? Of course they do!

Consider including:

• A reader testimonial or two (best if they’re paying readers!)

• A story about meeting one of your readers that would be relatable to others

• Common plights or complaints your readers have about the zone of your work (for example: I miss the old internet when blah blah blah)

• Ways you are just like them (a personal story works here too!)

Get The Paid Sub Playbook to read the rest.