# Substack Publication Setup

**PUBLICATION NAME:**
The Strategy Snack

**TOPIC/NICHE:**
Marketing strategy for startup founders

**TARGET AUDIENCE:**
Early-stage startup founders (seed to Series A) who need marketing guidance but cannot afford a CMO

**YOUR BACKGROUND:**
Former startup CMO, 15 years in B2B marketing, helped 3 startups from $0 to $10M ARR

**PUBLISHING FREQUENCY:**
Weekly (every Tuesday)

**PRICING:**
Free tier + $15/month paid

---

## ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION

This appears everywhere: search results, recommendations, social shares.

**Character Limit:** ~60-80 characters ideal

### Version 1: Benefit-Focused
```
Bite-sized marketing strategy for startup founders. No fluff, just what works.
```
**Characters:** 76

### Version 2: Outcome-Focused
```
Helping early-stage founders build marketing that actually drives growth.
```
**Characters:** 70

### Version 3: Curiosity-Driven
```
The marketing playbook your startup can't afford to ignore.
```
**Characters:** 57

### Version 4: Personal + Topic
```
A former CMO shares the marketing strategies that built 3 startups.
```
**Characters:** 67

**Best Choice:** Version 1 or 4 (clear value + credibility)

---

## ABOUT PAGE

### Short Version (Above the Fold)

```
Hey, I'm Sarah.

I spent 15 years as a marketing leader at B2B startups, including CMO roles at three companies that grew from zero to $10M+ ARR. I learned what actually works—and what's a waste of your limited time and money.

Now I write The Strategy Snack: weekly, actionable marketing advice for startup founders who are too busy building to wade through marketing fluff.

Every Tuesday, you get one strategy you can implement that week. No theory. No 47-step frameworks. Just practical tactics from someone who's been in the trenches.
```
**Word Count:** 89

---

### Full About Page

```
Hey, I'm Sarah.

I spent 15 years as a marketing leader at B2B startups. I was the first marketing hire at two companies and CMO at three others. I helped build marketing engines that took startups from zero to $10M+ ARR.

Along the way, I learned what actually works in startup marketing—and more importantly, what doesn't.

Here's the thing: most marketing advice is written for big companies with big budgets and big teams. It doesn't work when you're a founder wearing 12 hats with $0 in marketing spend and no idea where to start.

That's why I created The Strategy Snack.

**What You'll Get**

Every Tuesday morning, you'll receive one marketing strategy delivered in under 5 minutes:

→ **Actionable** - Something you can actually implement this week
→ **Tested** - Tactics I've personally used at real startups
→ **Honest** - What works, what doesn't, and why
→ **Efficient** - No fluff, no 47-step frameworks, no BS

I write for founders at seed to Series A stage—the ones doing marketing themselves because they can't afford not to, but also can't afford a marketing team yet.

**Why Subscribe?**

🆓 **Free subscribers** get the weekly strategy email every Tuesday.

💰 **Paid subscribers** ($15/month) also get:
• Monthly deep-dive posts with full playbooks
• Access to my startup marketing templates
• Monthly AMA where you can ask me anything
• Archive of all premium content

**About Me**

I've been the marketer at companies you've probably heard of and some you haven't. I've made every mistake in the book and learned from most of them. I've built demand gen programs, brand strategies, and marketing teams from scratch.

Now I want to share what I learned so you don't have to figure it all out the hard way.

You can find me on Twitter/X at @sarahmarketer or connect on LinkedIn.

**Subscribe now and get smarter about marketing every Tuesday.**
```

**Word Count:** 338

**Why This About Page Works:**
- Opens with personal connection (Hey, I'm Sarah)
- Establishes credibility quickly (15 years, CMO, $10M ARR)
- Identifies reader pain point (advice for big companies)
- Clear promise of what they get
- Specific format (Tuesday, under 5 minutes)
- Free vs Paid clearly explained
- Personal background adds trust
- Multiple CTAs throughout
- Social links for verification

---

## WELCOME EMAIL

This sends automatically when someone subscribes. Highest open rate you will ever get (70%+).

### Welcome Email - Free Subscriber

**Subject Line Options:**
```
1. Welcome to The Strategy Snack 🎉
2. You're in! Here's what happens next
3. Hey [first name], let's get you growing
```

**Email Body:**

```
Hey!

Welcome to The Strategy Snack. I'm Sarah, and I'm genuinely excited you're here.

Here's what you just signed up for:

📧 **Every Tuesday morning**, you'll get one marketing strategy in your inbox. It'll take you less than 5 minutes to read and give you something you can actually implement that week.

No fluff. No theory. Just stuff that works.

**A few things to get you started:**

1. **Add me to your contacts** - Search for sarah@thestrategysnack.com and add it to your address book. This keeps me out of spam and promotions.

2. **Check out these popular posts** to see what The Strategy Snack is all about:
   → [The only 3 marketing channels early startups should focus on]
   → [How I'd spend $1,000/month on startup marketing]
   → [The landing page framework that converts]

3. **Reply to this email** and tell me about your startup. What do you sell? What's your biggest marketing challenge? I read every reply and it helps me write content that actually helps you.

**One more thing:**

If you want to go deeper, paid subscribers get monthly deep-dives, my personal template library, and monthly AMAs where you can pick my brain directly. 

[Learn more about paid →]

But no pressure. The free weekly email has plenty of value, and I want you to stick around whether you upgrade or not.

Talk Tuesday,
Sarah

P.S. If someone forwarded this to you and you want your own subscription, [sign up here].
```

**Word Count:** 258

**Why This Welcome Email Works:**
- Personal, warm tone
- Clear expectations set (Tuesday, 5 minutes)
- Practical ask (add to contacts)
- Value immediately (links to popular posts)
- Engagement prompt (reply with your startup)
- Soft paid upsell (no pressure)
- P.S. for forwarded emails

---

### Welcome Email - Paid Subscriber

**Subject Line:**
```
You just made my day (+ what you unlocked)
```

**Email Body:**

```
Hey!

Wow—thank you for becoming a paid subscriber. Seriously. It means more than you know.

Running The Strategy Snack is a labor of love, and supporters like you are what make it possible for me to keep creating valuable content. So thank you.

**Here's what you just unlocked:**

💎 **Monthly Deep-Dives** - Once a month, I publish a comprehensive playbook on one marketing topic. These are 2,000-3,000 word guides with templates, examples, and step-by-step instructions. [Check out the archive →]

📁 **Template Library** - All my marketing templates, frameworks, and swipe files. Google Docs you can copy and customize. [Access them here →]

🎤 **Monthly AMA** - On the last Friday of each month, I do a live Ask Me Anything for paid subscribers. Bring your marketing questions and I'll answer them in real-time. [Next AMA details →]

💬 **Paid Chat** - Connect with other startup founders in our private chat. Share wins, ask questions, and learn from others in the trenches. [Join the chat →]

**What to expect:**

→ Weekly email every Tuesday (same as before)
→ Monthly deep-dive (usually mid-month)
→ Monthly AMA (last Friday of the month)

**One ask:**

Reply to this email and tell me what you're hoping to learn. What marketing challenges keep you up at night? Your answer helps me create content that actually helps.

You took a chance on me, and I don't take that lightly. I'm going to work hard to make sure this subscription is worth every penny.

Gratefully,
Sarah
```

**Word Count:** 272

**Why This Works:**
- Genuine gratitude (not form-letter)
- Clear list of what they get
- Links to access everything
- Sets expectations on timing
- Personal ask for engagement
- Promise of value

---

## SUBSCRIPTION PAGE COPY

### Why Subscribe Section

```
**What You Get**

🆓 **Free**
• Weekly marketing strategy email (every Tuesday)
• Actionable advice you can implement immediately
• No spam, no fluff, unsubscribe anytime

💰 **Paid ($15/month)**
Everything in Free, plus:
• Monthly deep-dive playbooks (2,000+ words)
• Marketing template library
• Monthly live AMA sessions
• Private community chat
• Full archive access
```

---

### Why Go Paid Section

```
**Why Paid?**

The free newsletter gives you weekly strategies. Paid takes you deeper.

For $15/month—less than a mediocre lunch—you get:

📚 **Deep-dive playbooks** that would cost $500+ from a consultant
📁 **Templates** I built over 15 years that you can use today
🎤 **Direct access** to ask me your specific questions
👥 **Community** of founders facing the same challenges

If one strategy helps you avoid a $1,000 mistake or find a $10,000 opportunity, the subscription pays for itself 100x over.

No contracts. Cancel anytime. Try it for a month and see if it's worth it.

[Subscribe now →]
```

---

## PUBLICATION SETTINGS CHECKLIST

### Essential Setup:
- [ ] Publication name finalized
- [ ] One-line description written
- [ ] About page complete
- [ ] Welcome email (free) configured
- [ ] Welcome email (paid) configured
- [ ] Profile photo uploaded
- [ ] Logo/header image uploaded
- [ ] Social links added
- [ ] Email "from" name set

### Recommended:
- [ ] Custom domain connected (optional but professional)
- [ ] Stripe connected for payments
- [ ] Pricing set (monthly + annual)
- [ ] Sample posts published
- [ ] Recommendations enabled
- [ ] Comments enabled
- [ ] Chat enabled (paid subscribers)

### Before Promoting:
- [ ] At least 3-5 posts published
- [ ] About page looks complete
- [ ] Welcome emails tested (subscribe to yourself)
- [ ] Unsubscribe tested
- [ ] Mobile view checked

---

## ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION FORMULAS

| Formula | Example |
|---------|--------|
| [Benefit] for [Audience] | Bite-sized marketing strategy for startup founders |
| Helping [Audience] [Outcome] | Helping early-stage founders build marketing that drives growth |
| The [Thing] your [Audience] needs | The marketing playbook your startup can't afford to ignore |
| [Credibility] shares [Topic] | A former CMO shares strategies that built 3 startups |
| [Adjective] [Content type] about [Topic] | Honest, practical marketing advice for founders |

---

## ABOUT PAGE STRUCTURE

```
1. Personal greeting (Hey, I'm [Name])
2. Credibility statement (experience, achievements)
3. Problem you solve (why reader needs this)
4. What they get (format, frequency, style)
5. Free vs Paid breakdown
6. Brief personal bio
7. Social links
8. Final CTA
```

---

## WELCOME EMAIL BEST PRACTICES

| Do | Why |
|----|-----|
| Send immediately | Highest engagement moment |
| Set expectations | What, when, how often |
| Ask to whitelist | Prevents spam folder |
| Link to best content | Immediate value |
| Invite reply | Builds relationship |
| Soft upsell to paid | Best conversion moment |
| Include P.S. | For forwarded emails |

| Don't | Why |
|--------|-----|
| Be too long | They haven't committed yet |
| Hard sell immediately | Turns people off |
| Skip the welcome email | Missed opportunity |
| Be generic | Feels impersonal |

---

## COMMON PUBLICATION SETUP MISTAKES

| Mistake | Impact | Fix |
|---------|--------|-----|
| Vague description | Nobody knows what to expect | Be specific about topic and format |
| Empty About page | Looks abandoned | Write compelling About page |
| No welcome email | Missed connection | Set up immediately |
| No popular posts linked | Hard to prove value | Write 3-5 posts first |
| Unclear free vs paid | Confusion, lower conversions | Explain benefits clearly |
| No personal photo | Less trust | Add real photo |
| Generic "from" name | Looks spammy | Use your actual name |