Day 20: The Community Signal Boost
How Lex Roman turned private communities into a newsletter growth engine.
Welcome to Day 20 of the 30 Days of Growth. This is a pop-up newsletter put together by Chenell from Growth In Reverse. I've pulled 30 creators together to help give one short, actionable way you can either grow or improve your email list.
Lex Roman doesn’t rely on constant content blasts across social.
Instead, Lex shares their most valuable work inside a few select private communities – and it’s become a favorite growth strategy by far.
🔍 What Lex Does
Lex is active in 4 communities:
A membership alumni group
A space for journalist creators
A community for design creators
A local Atlanta entrepreneur group
Roughly once a month per group, Lex will share a high-value issue of the newsletter – only when it’s deeply relevant to the people in that space.
It might go in a self-promo or “share your work” channel, but it’s never spammy. Lex adds thoughtful context on why it’s helpful and what the takeaway is for that audience.
The results? These posts consistently:
Spark long-term visibility as members share their work elsewhere
Drive new subscribers
Convert readers into paid members
Lead to referrals and cross-promo invites
📊 Results
Estimated 30% of their list (~360 of 1,200 subscribers) came from private community posts
170+ paid subscribers, nearly all attributed to this strategyCommunity members often go on to:
Promote Lex's newsletter
Become cross-promo partners
Plug this work in their own projects
🧠 Why It Works
Audience alignment: Lex only posts what fits each group’s vibe and values
Scarcity keeps trust: 1–2 posts per month max = zero fatigue. Don't overdo this.
High-trust environment: Recommendations in private groups carry more weight
Cascade effect: Members often reshare or reference Lex's work elsewhere
Turns readers into advocates: Paid subs become long-term referrers
💡 How You Can Implement It
Identify 3-5 communities where your ideal audience hangs out. Think Slack groups, alumni circles, niche forums, or private memberships.
Only post your highest-value content. Save this channel for your best work – case studies, deep dives, or timely insights.
Match the post to the community. Add a personal note or summary explaining why the content fits.
Limit your posting frequency. Once a month per group is enough to stay helpful without overdoing it.
Make your newsletter easy to discover. Keep your link in your community profile/bio. Add subtle CTAs if allowed.
💡 If you’re enjoying this series, would you mind taking a second to let me know? 🙂
🛠️ Tools
Your best email issues or guides for sharing
Communities where your peers & ideal readers hang out
You don’t need to shout louder – you need to show up in the right rooms.
Lex’s strategy proves that when you post the right content in the right place, your audience finds you, and brings others with them.
See you tomorrow,
Chenell
P.S. Lex is one of the smartest content folks I know, you can check out their work here.
Want to Win Some Prizes?
In case you didn’t know, this is what’s up for grabs in the giveaway:
5 annual licenses to Senja
5 annual licenses to RightMessage
5 annual licenses to Tella
Justin Moore’s Brand Deal Wizard course has been added for 2 lucky winners
Custom newsletter audits
And more to be announced soon! 👀
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