215: How to find your true newsletter niche and get paid for it (featuring Ciler Demiralp)

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Season 2, episode 15 is here!

In this episode, I chat to

Ciler from Newsletter Circle

about the realities of building a sustainable newsletter business from scratch.

Here’s a taste of what we covered:

• The surprising career pivot from corporate marketing to running a thriving newsletter business.

• How Newsletter Circle carved out a unique niche in the crowded newsletter space.

• Behind-the-scenes of analysing 75,000 Substack newsletters, and the biggest shock from the data.

• The #1 underrated secret to growing a newsletter audience (hint: it’s not fancy tools).

• Why half of newsletters die off, and how to make sure yours isn’t one of them.

• How to pick a newsletter niche people actually pay for, and why going broad can backfire.

• The real numbers: what most paid newsletters charge and what pricing traps to avoid.

• How to turn loyal readers into superfans (and annual subscribers!) through personal outreach.

• Should you build a paid community space on Substack or move to Slack, Circle, or somewhere else?

• A candid golden rule for anyone dreaming of living off their writing: treat it like a startup, not a hobby.

Make sure to subscribe to

Newsletter Circle

before you go!

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Go deeper:

• 214: How to close the recognition gap as a writer (featuring Alex Mathers)

• How to promote your paid offer without feeling like a pushy salesperson (5 steps)

• How to turn what you’ve already written into a paid product (without starting from scratch)

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What’s next?

I’m ready and waiting to support you in the next stages of your creator journey. Here’s how I can help:

1. Start Your Podcast on Substack: A complete course guiding you from concept to launch, based on everything I’ve learned so far during my own podcasting journey. Learn to plan, brand, record, edit, publish, and promote your podcast while building an audience. Perfect for creators eager to share their voice with the world.

2. The 1K Daily Writing Challenge: Build a consistent habit by writing 1,000 words daily for 30 days. Along the way, you'll get encouraging video prompts, accountability support, and plenty of inspiration to ignite your creative spark. Nail your rhythm. Find your flow. Transform your writing journey forever.

3. One-To-One Coaching: A live coaching session over Zoom plus a full video audit of your Substack publication. Ideal for those who want to grow their online presence, identify their key strengths, and develop a long-term business strategy. Upgrade to VIP Membership for full access.

4. Promote to 23,000+ readers: Get yourself in front of a highly-engaged online audience via email, podcast and social media.

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