Stop Writing Notes. Start Writing Positioning Statements.

Exact formulas you can use for Substack Notes that bring in more subscribers

I’ve been serious about Substack for about 6.5 months, and during this time I’ve been actively studying notes that get serious traction — not from the biggest accounts, but from writers who consistently get engagement from the right people. The goal is to learn what works on Substack, because every platform has different things that make it tick.

And with the best posts, there’s a pattern.

These aren’t random shower thoughts. They’re positioning statements disguised as observations. Each one draws a line: here’s what I believe, here’s what I reject.

The right readers see themselves in it. The wrong ones scroll past. That’s the point.

Here are the 5 formulas I keep seeing:

1. The Reframe

“It’s not X, it’s actually Y.”

This is the myth-buster. You take something people assume about your approach — or your industry — and flip it to reveal a deeper truth.

The key is finding the thing everyone thinks they know. The “obvious” best practice. The advice that gets repeated so often nobody questions it anymore. Then you show them what’s actually true underneath.

You’re not arguing. You’re not being contrarian for attention. You’re reframing the entire conversation — and in doing so, you’re positioning yourself as someone who sees what others miss.

The best reframes make people stop mid-scroll and think, “Wait... that’s right. Why did I never see it that way?”

(and before you RUN to the comments and say “THIS IS AN AI CRINGE POST!” THINK FOR A SECOND. You’re not going to just copy-paste “it’s not X it’s Y” in today’s world or it will look like a copy-paste job. But comparisons existed before ChatGPT entered the room. You can still compare things and make it your own without making a “cringe AI post” 😂

2. The Arrival Story

“I used to believe... then I realized...”

This is your evolution on display. Past struggle → false belief you held → moment of insight → where you stand now.

What makes this powerful is the admission that you once thought the wrong thing. That you bought into the same stuff your readers are currently stuck in. You’re not talking down to them — you’re saying, “I was exactly where you are.”

The shift doesn’t have to be dramatic. Sometimes the most compelling arrival stories are quiet realizations, not rock-bottom moments. What matters is that something changed in how you see things — and that change led somewhere better.

This formula builds trust fast because it shows your thinking has evolved. You’re not someone who arrived with all the answers. You figured it out. Which means they can too.

3. The Observation

“The [people who have what you want] don’t...”

This one’s sneaky effective. You’re not giving advice directly — you’re pointing to people who are already living the result your readers want, and describing what they actually do.

The trick is that what they do is usually simpler than expected. Less chaotic. Less “more.”

Your readers have been told success requires a massive audience, a complex funnel, a content calendar with 47 touchpoints. Then you show them that the people actually winning are doing... less. But differently.

You’re not prescribing anything. You’re just making an observation. But that observation does all the heavy lifting — it gives people permission to stop overcomplicating things.

4. The Versus

“Old way vs. my way.”

This one draws a clear line in the sand.

Name the dominant approach in your space — the thing everyone teaches, the “industry standard,” the advice that sounds smart but quietly burns people out. Show its flaw. Not by ranting, but by revealing the cost that nobody talks about.

Then offer your alternative frame. Present it not necessarily as “the right way,” but as your way. The thing you’ve chosen instead, and why.

This formula works because it gives language to the discomfort people already feel. They’ve been following the old way and wondering why it feels awful. You’re validating that instinct and showing them there’s another option.

Just make sure your “versus” isn’t a straw man. The best ones take on approaches that are genuinely popular — and genuinely flawed.

5. The World-Is-Shifting Declaration

“Here’s what’s changing — and what it means for you.”

This is the big-picture note. You’re zooming out from tactics and naming a macro trend — something happening in the culture, the economy, the platforms, the way people buy or connect or work.

Then you bring it back down to earth: here’s what this shift means for people like us.

The goal isn’t to sound like a thought leader gazing at the horizon. It’s to help people make sense of something they’re already sensing but can’t articulate. You’re giving them the words — and in doing so, you’re positioning yourself as someone who sees around corners.

The best ones reframe disruption as opportunity. Not doom and gloom in the style of “everything is falling apart,” but “everything is reorganizing — and here’s where the advantage is now.”

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Why these work

None of these say “hire me” or “buy from me”. They say “here’s how I see the world” — and let the right people self-select.

That’s what builds an audience that actually buys. Resonance.

Every note you write is a tiny act of positioning. You’re not just “staying visible.” You’re showing people how you think, what you value, and who you’re for.

Do that consistently, and selling becomes almost unnecessary. The right people already know they want to work with you before you ever make an offer.

Photo by Nik on Unsplash