Beyond the Paywall: How to Grow Your Newsletter Without It
Last week, a message hit my inbox that brought me back to where I started:
"I've been writing for months. Over 1000+ subscribers but only 2 paid. At $5 per month, I need thousands of paid subscribers just to make this worthwhile. I'm about ready to give up."
I told him that, if he was open to it, I could show him a better way.
The Subscription Trap
The math is brutal. At $5 per month, you need 2,000 paid subscribers to hit $10K monthly. Plus, paid subscribers expect you to turn out content at a higher rate. If they’re paying, they want more content.
With typical conversion rates hovering around 5-10%, that means building a free subscriber base of 20,000-40,000 first. Yikes.
I know because I've been there. Staring at my Substack stats, wondering if I'd ever get enough paid subscribers to make this sustainable.
Then I discovered something that transformed my entire approach: The Problem Goldmine Method.
Mining for Gold in Plain Sight
Instead of hiding my best content behind a paywall, I started paying attention to what my audience was already telling me they needed.
Every comment, every DM, every email response became a potential opportunity. People were literally telling me what they'd pay to solve.
Here's what happened next:
A few months, I noticed multiple readers asking about my LinkedIn growth system. Instead of writing another post explaining it, I spent a weekend creating a simple masterclass.
The results?
43 sales in the first two weeks
$1,591 in revenue
More than I'd make from months of subscriptions
And it continues selling while I sleep
Now listen, there’s nothing wrong with adding a paywall. However, working in digital products first allows you to start monetizing from Day 1, rather than waiting weeks (or months) to write enough content to justify charging.
The Unexpected Chain Reaction
But here's where it gets interesting. Those masterclass buyers often want more help implementing the solution. Some upgrade to my courses. Others book coaching calls.
All from solving one specific problem people were already asking about. Those digital products are Step 1 in your “offer ladder” to higher-ticket stuff.
Finding Your Golden Problems
Want to discover profitable opportunities in your own audience? Here's what to look for:
1. Repetitive Questions
These aren't just FAQs - they're product opportunities. When people keep asking the same thing in different ways, pay attention.
2. Implementation Gaps
Watch for comments like "Great post, but how exactly do you..." That's someone telling you exactly what they'd pay to learn.
3. Success Signals
Which posts get the most engagement? What topics make people say "I need this"? These are goldmines waiting to be tapped.
From Theory to Practice: A Student's Story
Sarah, one of my Substack coaching clients, was struggling with the same paid subscription dilemma. She noticed readers kept asking about her morning routine framework.
Instead of writing another post, she created a simple template and guide.
First month: $891 in sales
Third month: Over $3,800
She didn't need thousands of paid subscribers. She just needed to solve one specific problem really well.
…and my December Story
My own experience from digital products has been a good one, too. In December 2024, I created one new masterclass and sold my previous 2-3 products.
The results? When I checked my analytics on Jan 1st, I was happy to see I’d generated over $5,800+ in December alone. I didn’t even realize it was that high while I was in the thick of it. I was just enjoying creating things that were helping people grow.
It made me realize going all in on my newsletter could and make a full-time living as a writer was a reality.
The Bigger Picture
This approach isn't just about making more money. It's about:
Serving your audience at different levels
Creating sustainable income without paywalls
Building products people actually want
Escaping the subscription trap
A Simple Exercise to Start
I always want to leave you with a “quick win” you can start implementing today.
Before we wrap up, try this:
Open your last 5 Substack posts
List every question from the comments
Look for patterns - what keeps coming up?
Write down one specific solution you could create
This simple exercise might just reveal your next profitable product.
Ready to Create Your Product (the Easy Way)?
I’ve just opened up my Six-Figure Digital Product Masterclass where I’ll show you:
The complete Problem Goldmine framework
How to validate ideas before creating anything
My simple system for consistent sales
The exact tools I use (most are free)
But more importantly, you'll learn how to transform your newsletter from a subscription-dependent model into a thriving digital product business. This is the exact same simple system I’ve used to generate over $5K+ in sales last month alone.
You could start monetizing your newsletter from Day 1. I’ll show you how to validate, create, and set-up a digital product in a single weekend. Selling 2-3 products more than covers cost of the masterclass.
The door closes on this class by this weekend, so there’s still time to join (but it’s capped at 50 students max).
Want to join us? You can join us by clicking the button below and putting your information in. You’ll be added to our masterclass group and have instant access to a private community of other writers for support 👇
Remember: You don't need thousands of paid subscribers to make money from your newsletter. You just need to solve specific problems really well.
My card isn’t working for it…
Is there no way for Nigerians to pay?
This was an eye opener. Thank you for sharing, Wes. It came at the right time too because I was considering what your client wrote to, and decided I'd rather keep my Substack free, but generate incentives for people to leave money and a takeaway they can implement.