Hey Reader,

If you could wave a magic wand and instantly get as many subscribers as you want, how many would you wish for? 🪄

1,000?

10,000?

100,000?

A million? 🙌

Well, the truth is, it doesn't matter.

You could literally buy subscribers today—though I wouldn’t recommend it.

The problem is that views, subscribers, or followers are all worthless if you are missing one thing: Fans

Or better yet: Superfans

See, subscribers might read your work.

Superfans, however, will reply, share, buy, and stick around for the long run.

Most creators chase more subscribers.

But sustainable growth isn't always tied to a bigger reach.

Instead, it can often come from deeper relationships.

When I started writing online, I made a commitment:

I didn’t want to just write to people—I wanted to write for people.

That meant being responsive, showing up honestly, and focusing on real connection instead of vanity metrics.

Here are a few things I’ve done to turn casual readers into loyal superfans over the past years:

💌 1. Personal welcome emails

When someone new signs up to my email list, they get a message from me—and when they reply, I answer.

That one reply often turns into a long-term reader or even a customer.

📷 2. Behind-the-scenes content

Sharing the messy middle of building the business always gets more response than polished wins because struggles are relatable.

People want relatable stories, not just information.

🧠 3. Ask better questions

If you want to receive more or better answers from your audience, you need to ask better questions.

Instead of saying, “Let me know what you think,” ask something specific like:

This invites real replies and opens the door to real relationships because it gives you the opportunity to follow up and share how you can support your reader.

🗣️ 4. Invite replies often

Treat your newsletter like a conversation, not a broadcast.

The more you invite interaction, the more connected your audience will feel.

💡 5. Share the stuff others hold back

I’ve written about fears, failures, and doubts that held me back on my journey, and those are usually the pieces my readers will remember months later.

Because being vulnerable builds trust.

And because your readers aren't looking for perfection.

They're looking for real insights from a real person.

Let’s wrap it up: you probably don’t need more subscribers or followers.

You need to make the right people care more.

That's one of the reasons we went all in on Substack over the past year.

We realized that beyond being a growth channel, Substack is an amazing tool for building deeper relationships with our audience—whether they’re new readers or long-time supporters.

This works in a variety of ways:

• We can stay top of mind by publishing Substack Notes (think of Notes like Tweets or short LinkedIn posts—just without the cringe.)
  ​
• We can build connection through video clips or even full-blown recordings of our workshops and coaching sessions.
  ​
• We can also go live directly on Substack and answer our audience's questions.
  ​
• We can keep our audience up-to-date and engaged in our subscriber chat.
  ​
• We can collaborate with other creators and therefore build a different connection with a wider range of readers.
  ​
• And so much more!

If you're currently looking for personalized support on your journey on Substack, hit reply and let us know.

We have a small number of VIP coaching spots available for the next three months, and would love to find out if this is a fit for you.

Big love from my screen to yours,
Sinem

💬 Have a question or idea?

Just hit reply—we read every message.