Are you fighting competitors that don't exist?

“I just binge-watched the videos in your academy. Can I share some ideas with you?”

I don’t like giving unsolicited advice, so I always ask first.

“100% YES. I would love that,” Orel responded.

Orel built WriteStack, a note scheduler I discovered via Google when I started on Substack three months ago.

I looked at the website and saw that my browser needs to be open to automatically post notes (since Substack doesn’t have an API).

That was a deal-breaker for me because I had a good alternative: I could post my notes manually twice a day and engage with my community at the same time.

So I didn’t buy back then.

Two weeks ago, Orel launched the WriteStack academy. Because of this video, I found out WriteStack isn’t just a note scheduler; it’s a solution for managing social media overwhelm.

Orel found a way to filter the flood of notifications and show only the comments that need a response. He made it really easy to reply. Not with AI, but with smart keyboard shortcuts.

You can also create a custom feed so you aren’t overwhelmed by noise and never miss content from your favorite Substackers.

The notes performance page shows you which notes performed best based on likes, comments, and new subscribers. This helps you see what worked well so you can do more of that to grow faster.

It was exactly what I needed to conquer the chaos and grow faster on Substack.

But when I checked his website again after three months, it still looked like WriteStack was just a note-scheduling tool.

That’s what I told Orel when I discovered he created a unique solution for a problem every Substack creator faces.

The best features were listed further down the website, but not very clearly. As a busy person you start at the top, scan the content, and the moment you think “nah, this isn’t for me”, you just close the tab and move on.

The first thing you want your visitor to see is what problem you solve and what makes you different than everybody else. Otherwise you’re leaving money on the table.

It’s not that no one buys; Orel has already scaled WriteStack to $100k per year while positioning it as a note scheduler. But people compare him to other schedulers and may hesitate because of the browser requirement.

He could also position WriteStack as a tool to grow faster without the overwhelm. By making engagement easier, showing analytics of what works well, and scheduling your notes. Then he’s a category of one with no real competition.

People search for “note scheduler” like I initially did. So he should rank high on that term. But the conversion will be higher if he solves a much bigger problem in a unique way.

You know what people recognize you for. Maybe it’s what people find you for on Google or how you describe yourself in your bio.

But is that really the most valuable thing you do?

A designer’s most valuable skill isn’t just making things look good. It’s understanding exactly what your brand stands for and ensuring everything reflects that.

An operations consultant’s most valuable skill isn’t just building systems. It’s identifying the chaos you’ve normalized and can’t see anymore.

A leadership coach’s most valuable skill isn’t teaching management techniques. It’s helping you understand the reasons your best people keep leaving.

Message your best 5-10 clients and ask them one simple question:

If someone asked what [your product/service] solved for you, what would you say?

Listen to the words they use. It won’t sound like your own description, and your website probably conveys something different. But that’s the key.

Their version is the one that converts. That’s the language your next client has in mind.

Start using their words and watch your conversion rates improve.

Enjoy your day,

Yvette

PS1. This isn’t a sponsored article; I pay for WriteStack myself. I’m just a big fan of the tool and of Orel, who started 12 startups in 600 days before this one took off.

PS2. Click here to try WriteStack for free. And yes, you can be an affiliate and earn back your subscription by sharing the word. But I choose not to use my affiliate link in this article.