Latest / The Newsletter Podcast with Fexingo: Substack, Beehiiv, and Email Newsletter Business / How Newsletter Writers Use Surveys to Boost Paid Conversions
Transcript
- Lucas: So let me tell you about a newsletter called Pull & Shot. It's a weekly about craft coffee — brewing techniques, bean origins, that world. Last year they had about 8,000 free subscribers and maybe 200 paid. Luna: Two hundred paid out of eight thousand? That's a 2.5 percent conversion rate, which is actually pretty typical for many newsletters. Lucas: Right. And the writer was stuck. Then she sent a two-question survey to her entire list. First question: 'What's your biggest coffee challenge right now?' Second: 'What type of content would you pay extra for?' The results were surprising. Luna: What did she learn? Lucas: Most people said they wanted product reviews — espresso machines, grinders, even coffee subscriptions. Not more brewing tutorials. So she pivoted. She started a Friday gear review column, and within three months, paid subs went from 200 to 260. That's a 30 percent increase. Luna: So a simple survey unlocked a whole new content direction. And all it took was two questions. Lucas: Exactly. That's the power of asking before you create. Many newsletter writers guess what their readers want based on hot takes or trends. But a survey cuts through that. Pull & Shot didn't need to spend money on focus groups. They just listened. Luna: But some writers worry that surveys annoy subscribers. How do you avoid that? Lucas: Keep it short. The data shows that surveys with one to three questions get response rates of 30 to 40 percent, while longer ones drop to under 15 percent. And offer an incentive — like early access to a post or a discount code for paid tiers. That can double your completion rate. Luna: What kind of questions work best? Lucas: Mix of quantitative and qualitative. A multiple-choice question like 'Which topic would you want more of?' and an open-ended 'What's one thing we could improve?' That gives you both numbers and real quotes you can use in your newsletter. Pull & Shot got a quote like 'I wish you'd test more budget espresso machines under $500' — and that became their first product review. Luna: And they probably sent that survey to free subscribers too, right? Not just paid. Lucas: Yes, and that's key. Free subscribers are your future paid base. They might not be ready to pay yet, but their feedback can shape what they'd pay for later. In Pull & Shot's case, a lot of the gear review ideas came from free subscribers who eventually upgraded. Luna: So it's not just about asking once. Did they repeat the survey? Lucas: They sent it twice a year. And each time they shared the results publicly — 'You told us you want more on sustainable roasters, so here's our new column.' That builds trust. Readers feel heard. That's a huge driver of loyalty and ultimately, conversion. Luna: I remember a stat from Conversion Lab: emails with personalization based on survey data can boost click-through rates by over 40 percent. And that's not just using a first name — it's tailoring content to interests. Lucas: That's exactly right. Now, there's a risk of survey fatigue, especially if you're sending too many. Best practice is to survey when you're considering a big change — like a paid tier launch or a new content format. And always give people an opt-out from future surveys. Luna: Let's talk about tools. What are people using? Lucas: Typeform is popular for its clean design. Google Forms works fine for a free option. Some newsletter platforms like Substack have built-in polls. For email-based surveys, you can just reply to an email — that feels personal. Pull & Shot used Typeform because it lets you embed a progress bar. Luna: And then how do you segment your list based on survey responses? Lucas: Most email service providers allow tagging. For example, if someone says they want 'business strategy' content, tag them as 'interest: strategy.' Then you can send them specific campaigns. That's how you tailor your free newsletters and paid offers. One newsletter I know used survey data to create three paid tiers: one for tutorials, one for deep dives, one for community access. Luna: That's smart. Instead of a one-size-fits-all paid option, they let subscribers choose what they value most. Did that improve conversion? Lucas: Yeah, they saw a 20 percent uplift in conversions after launching those tiers. But they also learned something else: some subscribers valued the community aspect more than the content. So they invested in a private forum. Luna: So surveys can even help you design your product. It's not just about content. Lucas: Absolutely. And that's what keeps this podcast ad-free — a handful of listeners chip in monthly at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It honestly makes this possible. Luna: Yeah, it's a small group but it adds up. If you've gotten value from episodes like this, that's how you keep them coming. Lucas: So back to surveys — one risk is that you might get data you don't know how to act on. What do you do if responses are all over the place? Luna: You look for clusters. If 30 percent say gear reviews and 30 percent say brewing science, you can rotate those. Or maybe you do one per month and see what engagement looks like. The key is not to ignore the data. Lucas: Right. And you can always follow up with a second, more specific survey to the people who chose a certain option. That's what Pull & Shot did — after the first survey, they sent a follow-up to gear review fans asking which price range they'd like to see. Luna: That's a great way to drill down. And it shows you're truly listening. Lucas: Another tip: don't just survey — also analyze behavior. If people click on certain links or open certain emails, that's also a signal. Combine survey data with behavioral data for a fuller picture. Luna: Any examples of newsletters that messed up surveys? Lucas: Yes, I've seen writers ask too many questions — like 10-plus — and then they get low response rates and skewed data. Or they ask leading questions like 'Would you pay for expert interviews?' That biases responses. Better to ask 'What topics would you pay for?' and let them fill in the blank. Luna: And timing matters. The best time to send a survey is right after a strong engagement moment, like after a popular post or a successful launch. Lucas: Exactly. Pull & Shot sent theirs right after a newsletter about coffee subscriptions went viral. People were already in an engaging mode. So response rate was 38 percent. Luna: That's a lot of data. So eventually, they had enough to create a whole new paid product: a monthly gear review digest. Lucas: Right. And that digest became their best-performing paid tier. Revenue grew by 40 percent over six months. All from a two-question survey. Luna: So to sum up: surveys help you stop guessing and start knowing. Lucas: Surveys aren't just data collection. They're a signal that you care about what your readers need. And when they see you act on that signal, they trust you enough to pay. That's the real conversion.