Grow Your Subscription Past the Plateau

Stuck at the same subscriber count? Use these 4 proven strategies to push past the plateau and grow your subscription box business.

Let’s talk about four things you can do to grow your subscription past the plateau. 

I dreamed about launching a subscription box for a long time—18 months, to be exact. I spent that time curating boxes in my head, picturing the unboxing experience, and imagining how much my customers would love it.

I also ran the numbers. I figured out I’d need 100 subscribers to cover my overhead and start building recurring revenue I could count on.

When I finally launched, I started with 44 subscribers. Three months later? I hit 100. Nine months in, I was at 300 subscribers.

I felt unstoppable.

But then… I hit a plateau.

My subscriber count stalled at 300. And then it started shrinking. Little by little, one cancellation at a time.

I worried that my subscription box had grown as much as it was going to grow. I wondered if that was as good as it was going to get. Then I got scrappy. I refused to believe I couldn’t continue to grow my subscription box business and gain subscribers. 

I broke through that plateau—and today, I’ve grown my subscription to thousands of loyal, excited subscribers. You can, too.

Nearly every subscription box owner will hit a plateau at some point. Plateaus are part of the journey. They’re not a sign that your subscription has peaked. They’re a signal it’s time to shift gears.

Listen to episode 69 of the Launch Your Box podcast to hear how Launch Your Box member Traci broke through a plateau in her subscription box business. 

Now, let’s talk about four ways you can push past the plateau and keep growing.

1. Shake things up!  

Our audience gets used to seeing the same things from us all the time. When that happens, our posts no longer stop their scroll. 

The good news? You can fix that. 

Your audience wants to see something new, fresh, and fun from you! When you hit a plateau, you simply can’t keep doing the same things and expect to get results.

Scroll through your own feed and notice what gets your attention. What is it that makes you stop your scroll? Get inspired!

Don’t be afraid to try some things and see how they work. Shaking things up is all about getting your audience’s attention. Have some fun!  

• Try short-form video. Reels and TikToks are still favored by algorithms and loved by your audience.
• Go LIVE! Long-form video builds trust fast—especially when your audience can interact with you in real time.
• Switch up your visuals. Test new photo styles, colors, props, or backdrops.
• Give paid ads a try—especially if you never have. Even a small spend can make a big impact.

It’s all about getting visible again. Stop the scroll. Earn the click.

2. Focus on Retention—It’s Just as Important as Growth  

Gaining new subscribers is exciting. But holding onto your current ones? That’s where real growth happens.

Start by knowing your numbers.

• Churn Rate: the percentage of people who cancel each month.

• Retention Rate: the percentage who remain subscribers.

Make tracking your numbers easy and grab my retention rate calculator here!

A healthy retention rate is 90% or higher. If yours is lower, it’s time to investigate. Ask why people are canceling. 

• Are they not seeing the value? 
• Is the product not meeting expectations? 
• Are payment issues slipping through the cracks?

Even if you’re above 90%, aim to improve by just 1-2%. That small shift can lead to BIG results over time.

One simple place to start? Reduce involuntary churn—those failed or expired payments.

You should have automated processes in place to recover bounced payments. However, adding a personal touch can make a HUGE difference, the kind of difference that results in an increased retention rate. 

• Send a personal email or text message offering to help a subscriber update their credit card. 
• Place a personal phone call to a subscriber asking if you can help them update their payment method so they don’t miss out on the amazing box you planned for them that month. 

Retention is about more than numbers—it’s about connection. When subscribers feel seen, they stay.

Check out our blog post for more on retention strategies.

3. Up the Exclusivity Factor of Your Subscription Box

If someone can buy what’s in your box without being a subscriber… Why should they subscribe?

FOMO is a powerful thing. So lean into it.

One way to push past a plateau is to up the exclusivity factor of your subscription box. This means reducing the availability of the items that are in your box. 

• Reserve items only for subscribers.
• Limit extras or leftover inventory for later sales.
• Communicate clearly that what’s inside the box is exclusive—not available anywhere else.

By removing access to those items, you incentivize people to subscribe. Let your audience know ONLY subscribers have access to the items in the boxes.

I understand that sometimes you have excess items and want to sell them to free up cash flow. But in the short term, while you’re working hard to break through that plateau, you might need to sit on those items. It’s worth it in the long run. Exclusivity adds value.

Create urgency and FOMO with your messaging. “You don’t want to miss this!” drives action more than “It’ll be available later.”

4. Get in front of new audiences. 

A woman at my Mastermind once said something that really hit me. “If you’re not growing, you’re dying.” Meaning if your business is not growing, it’s dying. 

That may seem dramatic but think about it. Your business needs to continue to grow to survive. We all know the statistics about small businesses. Don’t let yours be one of the many that don’t survive. 

If you’ve been talking to the same audience for months—or years—you’re likely hitting the limits of that group.

Growth requires new eyeballs. Get in front of new audiences by: 

• Getting on a new platform. If you haven’t tried Pinterest or TikTok or YouTube yet, give one of them a try. 
• Partnering with someone and getting in front of their audiences. 
• Targeting new audiences with Facebook Ads. 

You don’t need thousands of new people—you just need the right new people.

Every subscription box business hits a plateau. It’s part of the business. Those subscription box owners who are willing to shake things up, get to know their numbers, and get creative about getting in front of new audiences are the ones who break through the plateaus and continue to grow. 

Ready to break through your plateau? Start with just one of these strategies this week. Then keep going.

Because you’re just getting started.