Coaches, Here's What It Takes to Succeed on Substack and Sell Your (High-Ticket) Services

The benefits and challenges I've learned about being a coach on Substack, plus takeaways from other successful coaches’ experiences

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Oct 22, 2024

As a coach and healer, I know that people heal best in community. I wanted to create a healing community for my coaching clients, a space where people could connect, share their experiences, and support one another.

I considered many options and Substack seemed like the perfect fit for my practice.

It offers:

A built-in audience of thoughtful creatives, intellectuals, and entrepreneurs
An easy way of growing my community and mailing list
Flexible subscription tiers to make my group coaching accessible
An seamless blog-to-newsletter process that eased my tech worries
An ad free experience for my clients

In January 2024, I launched my Substack, Intellect & Intuition.

In the intervening months, I’ve found that while those benefits remain, Substack presents its own unique challenges. I reached out to other coaches who’ve shared their own experiences on Substack. The lessons I’ve learned and gathered provide insights on what it takes to succeed on Substack as a coach and how the platform can enhance our coaching practices.

✅The Benefits of Using Substack for Coaching

Substack’s simplicity allows me to focus on what truly matters

I’m easily distracted by design and technology, thinking these are essential to how I present myself to my potential clients and community.

The overall simplicity of Substack allows me to focus on what truly matters: providing quality content and support. Since the vast majority of subscribers receive my newsletter in their email instead of the app, having a beautifully designed Substack site matters less than we might think.

The simplicity of Substack is a great benefit to other coaches.

Matthew Ferrara

notes:

“We use Substack because it's honestly the easiest 'membership' site tool we could find. I didn't want to learn new software and deal with systems that have their own rules... So the super simplicity of the site functions work fine for us.”

Katie Sadler

’s experience mirrors my own:

“It is much easier for me to use,” she says, “which encourages me to write more often. I started sending weekly instead of fortnightly emails.”

Substack simplifies expanding my mailing list

Substack is designed for writers and readers, making it easier for me to attract a diverse audience eager for meaningful content, in more depth than what I can offer on social media.

Sarah Fay

puts it,

“Substack is amazing for coaches. It is an email list generator that's organic and free. It works best when you use it to grow your email list outside of social media.”

With audio, video, lives - I have flexibility in my content creation

With Substack, I can share various types of content – articles, quick notes, audio, videos, and live videos – which cater to different consumption and learning preferences. This keeps my audience engaged and expanding and allows me to deliver valuable content in ways that resonate with them.

Like me,

Tarek Taha

is using audio in his posts, which not only gives our audiences another way to consume our writing, but also increases the readers’ “know, like, and trust” of us, making it more likely that they will turn to us for coaching.

Managing subscriptions and payments on Substack is simple and easy

Subscriptions and payments are handled by Substack and Stripe.

Subscribers can pay in their own currency, instead of having to convert to US dollars, a boon to those of us outside the US.

Another significant advantage is the flexibility in paywalling.

Matthew Ferrara

told me:

“We can designate some content FREE and some PAID ONLY… and that helps us convert more subscribers” while nourishing our community.

Additionally, as a mother, former caregiver, and person with a chronic illness, I appreciate that coaches can easily take a break by switching a toggle and not worry about suspending individual payments.

Substack encourages the sort of meaningful interactions that are crucial for coaching - building trust and connection

Astrid Bracke

explains:

“I see the paid portion of my Substack newsletter Female Owned as the cheapest way that people can get my personalised support, which is why I introduced the mini-mastermind. Once every quarter, paid subscribers can submit questions about all things business and I answer them in a post. The format doesn’t only mean that I can offer them my support, but readers also often chip in with their ideas too.”

This community interaction is exactly why I started my community on Substack – to provide an easy and accessible way to experience my work within a supportive community..

Substack integrates with various platforms

Coaches can expand their reach and enhance content delivery on Substack.

Matthew Ferrara likes that Substack automatically distributes content to major platforms like Apple and Spotify, providing members with flexible options.

Tarek Taha echoes this sentiment, noting that embedding audio directly into his posts enables him to publish on multiple platforms effortlessly. This streamlined process not only simplifies content sharing but also allows coaches to focus on creating valuable resources without getting bogged down in technical hurdles.

By leveraging these integrations, we coaches can effectively extend our influence and connect with a broader audience, all while keeping our content organized in one accessible location.

Substack is ad-free and free to use

Substack’s payment model is to take a percentage (10%) of all paid subscriptions, regardless of your subscriber numbers. There are no other fees. This makes it ideal for coaches just building their practice and mailing list.

Katie Sandler says:

“I use Substack as a newsletter primarily, but I have found that it has really helped to grow my community far faster than having a traditional email does.”

Coaches and subscribers both are attracted to Substack’s lack of ads.

❌Challenges Coaches Face on Substack

New clients come as readers and writers

People don’t come to Substack looking for coaching. They come, primarily, as readers and writers.

It’s a little like going to a car dealership and seeing bicycles. You have to meet your audience where they are, which means prioritizing writing. This has been a significant mindset shift for me.

Katie Sadler agrees:

“Having public emails means they are often shared, leading to new subscribers… Having a paid element has also really focused my mind on creating content that my core audience of authors will find useful... but it can also be a con, in that I sometimes feel restricted in what I can write about.”

It’s important to understand the subscription model

Substack creates warm leads, but coaches should not become overly reliant on the subscription model on the platform for their income.

As Sarah Fay says, “The problem is when coaches look to the subscription model” as a means of generating revenue. “That’s not how it would work best for them.” She advises using Substack as a component of your marketing.

Katie Sadler agrees, “I really like getting some income - even if it's only small - for something I consider to be a marketing time investment (writing and sharing articles online).”

Balancing authenticity and authority isn’t easy

While it's crucial for coaches to present ourselves genuinely, especially when sharing personal stories or insights, we must also maintain an authoritative voice that instills confidence in our specific expertise.

This balancing act often requires vulnerability; sharing personal experiences can resonate deeply with readers, creating a sense of connection.

Coaches must navigate this tension carefully, ensuring that our authentic voices still convey expertise, making it clear that we can provide valuable support while inviting readers to invest in our offerings.

Ultimately, the key lies in weaving together personal narratives with professional insights, allowing us to connect meaningfully with our audience while promoting our services effectively.

📩6 Recommendations for Coaches to Succeed on Substack

Bases on my lessons learned and from talking with multiple coaches, here are some suggestions:

#1 Prioritize community building

Create a sense of belonging within your Substack.

Encourage discussions, share stories, and cultivate an environment of support.

Thoughtful prompts, community challenges, and Q&A sessions all invite participation and foster community.

#2 Embrace your writer identity

Commit to a regular writing and publishing schedule. Discover your unique writing voice – in Substack this is just as important as your coaching. Share your thoughts on topics that matter to you and your community, helping you connect on a deeper level.

Kristina God

says:

“Write a newsletter 52 weeks in a row and watch it change your life.”

#3 Use Substack as a funnel

Think of Substack as a tool to attract potential clients for your higher ticker services. Offer free and low cost content to draw people in and create warm leads for your coaching practice.

Sarah Fay suggests that you sell 1:1 coaching off the platform, and that you link directly to a single 1:1 service on your Substack page that directs your clients to your website.

Astrid Bracke agrees, saying “I don’t use Substack for my more expensive products... I like having as much as possible in one place...”

Remember that Substack is part of your funnel, but not the entirety of it.

#4 Streamline your offerings

Avoid overwhelming potential clients with too many options. Focus on a single, compelling service that resonates with your audience.

This clarity will not only attract subscribers, but also facilitate smoother decision making for your audience.

#5 Leverage paid content wisely

If you choose a paid subscription model, ensure that the content you provide aligns with your audience’s interests and with your business goals.

Offer practical tools, insights, and exclusive content to build trust and encourage subscriber engagement.

#6 Foster interaction and feedback

Encourage your subscribers to interact with your content, in comments and in discussion posts. Create opportunities for them to share their thoughts, ask questions, and provide feedback.

Engaging with your audience this way will help you understand their needs and tailor your content accordingly.

🚀How Substack Could Improve the Experience for Coaches

Closer integration with other platforms

Integrating Substack with client management systems, email management software, and scheduling platforms would streamline business processes for coaches.

Improved analytics, insights, and email options

At this point, coaches who want more information about their subscribers and want to use email funnels, must also use an email management service.

If Substack had the ability to segment and tag subscribers, as well as better analytics tools, coaches could stay on the platform exclusively.

More flexible pricing structures

Substack offers 2 tiers of paid subscribers.

Expanding those tiers, or allowing a monthly option at the upper tier (“Founder’s Level”) could cater to a wider audience.

Using Substack in Your Coaching Practice Can be a Transformative Approach

With Substack you can connect authentically with your audience while building a robust email list.

It offers a user-friendly platform that streamlines content creation and community engagement, allowing coaches to share valuable insights without the distractions of social media.

By embracing both your writer identity and your coaching expertise, you can foster deeper connections with clients, ultimately guiding them toward their goals.

While challenges exist, the potential for meaningful interaction and growth makes Substack a valuable tool for coaches.

Thanks to 🙏🏻

Kristina God, Kristina God’s Online Writing Club

Astrid Bracke, Female Owned

Sarah Fay, Substack Writers at Work

Matthew Ferrara, The Leadership Club

Katie Sadler, Plotting

Tarek Taha, Grow Yourself First

Celia Cain is a mindset coach, healer, mentor & songcatcher who runs Intellect & Intuition.

She’s a certified life coach and a certified Heart Metta™ and SWEET™ practitioner. Everything she learned along the way, in her training and earlier in her 20+ years of research and fieldwork, informs her work.

🎉Become a Substack Rockstar!

Celia is part of my tribe and a future Substack rockstar.

All premium subscribers get a bit deeper and have access to my “Online Writing School” membership with the Substack School.

Be a part of it and join a lovely and vibrant community of more than 310 writers, coaches, creatives, parents, artists, authors, you name it.

Find an A to your Q, chat with me, watch exclusive tutorial videos with insider tips, grow and make money writing on Substack with clarity, fun, and by doing what you love, writing.

Let me join the Club!

Inside Substack School, I’ll show you the EXACT (baby) steps to use Substack and go from zero to Substack hero.

I’ve grown my email list to over 9,100 subscribers within 23 months. Became a Substack bestseller with hundreds of paid subscribers and earn “$$$$$$” with my newsletter - part-time with two kids in the house.

I want to become a member!

🔥I’m handing my tactic over to you so you can start putting structure behind your 2024 list-building goals.
✨If I can make your newsletter transformation a little easier, I’m 100% here for it with LIVE workshops, coachings, bootcamps, networking events.
🏆As a member, I’ll recommend your Substack to my audience. You can connect with other tribe members (in your niche) and find collab partners. Also, you can write a guest post for my newsletter.