Matt here with your weekly Subscription Prescription 💊

My favorite brands are the ones that start out helping people. In this week’s dose, we dive deep into community again, with lessons on feedback, true personalization, and layering on more value. It’s an incredible lesson on building the intangibles into your subscription business.

This week’s dose is also a podcast interview with the founders of DYR Sports - Zachary and Savannah. Listen to me go deeper on the topic on your favorite platform:

💊 The Strength in Community Building

One of the things I love about talking with subscription operators in different niches is how often the lessons apply across the board. Chatting with the founders of My Volleybox, My Chearleading Box, and My Dancer Box (or DYR Sports) reminded me about the power of community. They started out with an Instagram profile helping student athletes get recruited or transfer. Now, they’ve got 5,000 subscribers and growing fast!

The strategies they use, however, are not unique to those sports. They are universal levers that any subscription brand can pull to improve retention and deepen customer loyalty.

Here are three big takeaways I think every subscription operator should consider.

1. The power of community feedback

When you are small, feedback often happens naturally. You know many of your customers by name, they reach out directly, and you can adjust quickly. But as you grow, that loop tends to break down. It becomes harder to hear what customers really want, and decisions get made based on assumptions instead of actual data.

The best operators make sure customer voices never get lost. Whether it is through ambassador groups, surveys, or one-on-one outreach, they build systems that capture real insights at scale. One example I love is creating chat groups where subscribers not only interact with the brand but with each other. That shared space generates authentic feedback without the brand even needing to ask. If you can find ways to replicate that kind of connection, you’ll never lose touch with what makes your product special.

2. Personalization is more than surface-level

A common mistake in subscriptions is offering generic products or messaging that feels like it could have come from anywhere. What builds loyalty is when the customer feels like the brand truly understands their world. That could be something as simple as putting the right slogan on a t-shirt, phrased in a way only insiders would know.

When products or experiences feel tailored, customers feel seen. And when they feel seen, they stick around. The same principle applies outside of physical products. Think about your emails, your portal, your loyalty program. Are you using language and offers that resonate with how your subscribers actually talk and what they really care about? The difference between “close enough” and “this feels like it was made for me” is often the difference between churn and retention.

DYR Sports hires real athletes from the different sports they have boxes for to ensure the voice of the athlete is in their product. 100% genuine, every time.

3. Beyond the box: new layers of value

At some point, every subscription brand faces the same challenge. Subscribers enjoy the product, but what else can you give them that keeps the experience fresh and sticky? Some brands add digital layers, like mentorship programs or exclusive access to role models. Others create opportunities for their community to contribute ideas or see their suggestions turned into real products.

The common thread is that these brands are not just shipping goods. They are building an identity their customers want to be part of. The subscription becomes more than a box - it becomes a platform for connection, aspiration, and belonging. That is what makes retention possible at scale.

DYR Sports is creating ways for their customers - athletes - to connect with each other and their idols. It’s an incredible way to layer on value while continuing to build up the community.

The lesson for all of us is clear. Subscription success is not just about the product inside the box. It is about the community around it, the personalization that makes it feel unique, and the extra value that turns a transaction into a relationship.

Until next Tuesday, that’s your Subscription Prescription. 💊

 - Matt Holman 🩺

The Subscription Doc