How we Achieved 828% Subscriber Increase in One Month

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Three months ago, I embarked on an exciting journey by launching The Nerd Marketer, a newsletter where I share the growth tactics and strategies that have fueled my 12-year adventure in the marketing world.

Big milestone alert: we've surpassed 3,270 subscribers! 🤯 Last month alone, we experienced a staggering 122% growth in subscribers. It's been a whirlwind, and I couldn't be more thrilled.

The goal of this adventure? To have fun, of course! This project has blossomed into a passion where I get to geek out over all things growth—testing ads, content marketing, and exploring viral loops. But beyond the fun, it's about sharing valuable insights and learning.

So, what’s been working so far?

🧠 Strategy: Laying the Groundwork

Too often, we jump into launching ads, creating content, and acquiring customers without a clear growth strategy. Having your Growth Base Model locked in is key, as is understanding your Growth Constraints and Horizon. But what does that mean?

• Growth Base Model: This is essentially your blueprint for how your product or service grows. It outlines the mechanisms through which you acquire users, how they engage with your product, and how they become paying customers.

• Growth Constraints: These are the limitations or bottlenecks that could hinder your growth, such as budget constraints, market saturation, or technological limitations.

• Growth Horizon: This refers to the timeline over which you expect your growth strategies to yield results.

It doesn’t have to be perfect, but you need to understand how users will experience your Product Value Proposition (PVP)—the unique value your product offers—and how your company will benefit from it.

For example, before launching The Nerd Marketer, I spent time mapping out how new subscribers would find the newsletter (through social media shares, referrals, or search), what value they would gain (exclusive insights, practical tips), and how I could engage them further (through personalized emails or community events). This strategic groundwork helped ensure that every growth tactic aligned with a bigger picture.

🎯 Quality over Quantity: Focusing on Value

Sure, subscriber numbers are important, but quality matters more. Many companies obsess over Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) but lose sight of the bigger picture, like Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV) and Payback Period.

• CAC: The cost of acquiring a new customer.

• CLTV: The total revenue expected from a customer over the entire duration of their relationship with a company.

• Payback Period: The time it takes to recoup the cost of acquiring a customer.

In my case, rather than just aiming for more subscribers, I focused on attracting readers who are genuinely interested in growth marketing. This means creating content that resonates with a specific audience, leading to higher engagement rates and a more active community.

For instance, I noticed that posts diving deep into case studies received more engagement than generic advice pieces. By prioritizing this content, I attracted readers who value in-depth analysis, leading to higher retention and more word-of-mouth referrals.

🚀 Fail Fast, Learn Fast: Embracing Experimentation

This is the growth hacker's mantra. A solid experimentation methodology allows you to test different Growth Loops quickly, learn from your wins (and fails), and scale what works.

• Growth Loops: These are repeatable processes that drive compounding growth, such as referral programs where existing users bring in new users.

An example from my journey: I experimented with a referral incentive where existing subscribers could access exclusive content by inviting friends to join the newsletter. The first iteration didn't gain much traction—only a handful participated. Instead of scrapping the idea, I tweaked the incentive to offer a free e-book on growth strategies. This time, participation increased significantly, leading to a spike in new subscribers.

The key takeaway? Don't be afraid to pivot and iterate. Each failure is a learning opportunity that brings you closer to what resonates with your audience.

📊 North-Star Metric: Keeping Focused

Stay focused on one guiding light. For most companies (mine included!), that’s monetization. The relationship with your users is a psychological one—if you wait too long to monetize, they might get too used to free content and services.

For The Nerd Marketer, my North-Star Metric is subscriber engagement leading to premium memberships. I monitor open rates, click-through rates, and the number of subscribers opting for paid content. This focus ensures that I'm not just growing in numbers but also in value.

For example, I introduced a premium section in the newsletter offering in-depth guides and one-on-one consultations. By promoting this early on, subscribers understood that while valuable free content is available, there's even more to gain from becoming a premium member.

⚡ Innovation is Key: Standing Out from the Crowd

If you're doing what everyone else is doing, expect average results. Running Meta & Google Ads initially gave me decent results, but growth didn’t really take off until I started experimenting with alternative ad channels and content distribution strategies.

Here's what I tried:

• Alternative Ad Channels: I explored platforms like Reddit and Quora Ads, targeting specific communities interested in marketing and growth hacking. This approach led to higher engagement rates compared to traditional channels.

• Content Distribution: Instead of just posting on my blog and social media, I began guest posting on industry websites and participating in podcasts. This not only increased visibility but also established credibility within the community.

• Interactive Webinars: Hosting live sessions where subscribers could ask questions in real-time boosted engagement and attracted new subscribers through word-of-mouth.

Don’t fear failure—embrace the learning. Each innovative tactic provided insights into what works and what doesn't for my specific audience.

There’s still a long road ahead, but I’m super excited about where this journey is going! Next milestone: 10,000 subscribers! 🎉

I want to hear from you: What growth strategies have worked for you? Have you tried any unconventional tactics that paid off? Let's share and learn together!

Stay tuned, because I have some exciting projects in the pipeline to bring even more value to all of you. Together, we'll navigate the ever-evolving landscape of growth marketing.

Thank you for being part of this journey. Your support means the world to me, and I can't wait to see where we go next!

Other newsletters that I am reading

• B2B Growth: Every Friday, they study a successful content creator... then share what we learn with B2B content marketers.

• Better Letter: The behind-the-scenes playbook for how to launch, operate and grow a profitable newsletter with paid ads 📈

• Scalable: 🚀 Practical know-how for founders to build winning startups