The 30-Second Substack Habit That Can Turn a Subscriber Into a Real Connection

The first message I send to new subscribers, and why I think more Substack writers should start doing this.

Getting a new subscriber is exciting. But what happens after that?

Most writers leave it there, but that’s actually a very important opportunity to turn this into a meaningful connection.

How?

By writing a welcome message.

Not a Welcome email. That’s a whole different thing and you should have that personalized too. But now, I’m talking about opening that new subscriber’s profile, checking them out, and then sending them a direct message.

What happens next is not under your control.

They might reply with a thank you.

They might not respond at all (it happens a lot, don’t take it personally).

And sometimes, a conversation begins.

The one that leads to a real connection, to learning more about your audience than your analytics dashboard can even teach you, and even to making a new friend.

I posted a Note about it:

And it led to some interesting comments.

Some of you said you’ve never thought of that and will now give it a try.

Some shared you haven’t done it because you don’t want to be spammy.

Others realized they aren’t doing it enough, and some of you had further questions.

So I decided to write about it.

To me, this is a weekly practice now and the most normal thing (that I invest a lot of time in). But not nearly enough writers do it. Hopefully this will inspire you to message your new subscribers, welcome them to your community, and open the door to something more.

Before we begin, keep this in mind:

• If you don’t feel good about writing a welcome message, there’s a deeper reason behind that. This is not cold outreach. These people already chose to trust you with their email address and be part of the community you’re building here, so a message from you shouldn’t bother them. Plus, they always have the option not to respond.

• This practice works best if you actually have the right people on your email list. That might not be the case if you had a few Notes go viral and they weren’t on the main topic you write about but more general ones. Or if you just subscribe to anyone who would subscribe back. This is not something I recommend, and it doesn’t lead to building the right kind of audience. We need the people we can help the most, the ones we actually write for, the ones our paid tier is designed for. That’s why we are here after all. Especially if you’re teaching something with your content, like I do.

• Don’t try to sell them anything or push them into taking an action with this message. Just say hi, thank them for being here, and be helpful in any way you can (in my case, I share a bit about the publication, ask them a question and say the DMs are always open for more questions).

• Write the message from your heart. Don’t copy anyone else’s. You don’t need a template either.

Write the kind of welcome message you’d like to receive from a writer you subscribe to.

And now, let’s see why this matters and what it can lead to.

Why I Started Welcoming to New Subscribers

Because we live in a disconnected world, and we all crave real human connection.

Because I see subscribers as more than just numbers.

Because I want to have real conversations, and that means I might need to be the one starting them.

Because I want to hear how I can help people, what topics they are interested in the most, and use that to decide what content to create next.

Because I care and I approach Substack differently than I have any other platform.

Because it’s something AI can’t do and it’s not automated, and that makes it special.

Because this is a personal brand, not just a writing business.

Because I’ve been lonely in my business for the last decade, and am finally opening myself to connections.

Your why might be different. Find it and remind yourself of it so you can keep starting conversations with new subscribers.

What Happens When You Start Saying Hello

I’ve written hundreds of Welcome messages. And it led to things I never expected.

It made people’s day a couple of times. They were genuinely happy I reached out, told me no one else did so far and that showed them there’s a real person behind the publication and they actually felt welcomed in my community.

People opened up. We found things in common, we shared our stories, we connected over subjects I didn’t expect. Since then, these subscribers feel like friends on Substack.

I help, and I learn. People share with me about their Substack journey because I invite them to. They ask a question, and I either give my honest take (in a long or short answer), or link to a post I wrote that covers exactly that. Lately it’s been the second because I’m short on time.

Over time, I see recurring themes, struggles, questions. That’s what my next posts and Notes can be about.

It leads to trust. With some people I open up, with others I write super long and valuable answers. With some I set strong boundaries, with others I say No to collaborations. With all this, I stay true to myself. Who I am in the comments and in my writing, is who I am in the DMs too. Keeping it real.

It can lead to paid subscribers. That happens too, but it’s never the initial intention. If the conversation gets in that direction and I’ve already provided value, for example, but they want more personalized support, I naturally share the Substack Growth Audit I offer for Founding members.

You learn how people find you. That’s another benefit I’ve experienced from saying Hello to people in my community. When I open their Subscriber profile, I see the Acquisition source. It’s usually Notes which is a much-needed reminder of how important they are.

The Honest Downsides

I can think of two downsides that I’ve seen so far.

The first one is that you might end up being bombarded with questions by people who just want quick results and didn’t even read your work first. Or people who start sharing their new posts every time they have something new and end up being spammy.

It’s then time to set boundaries.

The second one is that it gets harder as we grow our newsletters.

Writing to every subscriber is easy when you have a few new people joining each week. It becomes harder when it’s 150 a week.

And I can’t imagine what the next stages look like, where I might not be able to keep up.

For now, I do it at least once a week, but usually try twice. I message almost every subscriber, and naturally, most never respond. Some do with a short message. And a small percentage ask questions and start conversations.

So it’s doable.

But when it’s not, I might need to let go of the desire to be able to welcome every single subscriber, and just do it when I can. Welcoming some people is better than nothing.

Want to go deeper?

I share practical strategies for growing a Substack, from getting discovered and building an audience to turning readers into paying subscribers.

If you’re serious about growing your publication, join the paid tier for more in-depth strategies, behind-the-scenes lessons, and everything I’m learning along the way. Here’s what you unlock as a member.

Try It With Your Next Subscriber

It’s your turn now.

If that practice feels like something you’d like to try, if you’ve been thinking about it, if you’ve felt seen when someone else welcomed you with a message, it’s time to give it a try.

Start small.

The next time someone subscribes, say Hello. Be yourself, be kind, and don’t just bombard them with questions and use them for feedback and research.

Instead, lead with value.

Don’t follow up. This is not email marketing. This is personal.

And whenever you’re ready for more, open the Subscribers tab in your dashboard, and message the last 50 people who joined.

You can improve your Welcome message over time. Be messy. Be human.

Let me know how that goes :)