A follower comes back for free. A one-off buyer does not. That is the whole argument, and it is why followers matter more than viewers.
1. Sell well, then be followable
The strongest one by a distance. A buyer who opens a parcel and finds what they hoped is one tap from following you — and that tap happens at that moment or not at all.
So the lever is not asking; it is the parcel being right, with a note in it. Should I put a note in the parcel?
2. End every show with the next one scheduled
A show that ends with a date gives people something to follow for. One that ends with "see you soon" gives them nothing. How to schedule a show
3. Say it once, in the show
Not repeatedly. Once, at a natural moment: "if you want to know when I am on, follow the store." Rooms respond to being asked once and resent being asked five times.
4. Answer everybody by name
The cheapest thing that turns a viewer into a regular. A person whose question you read aloud is a person who comes back. Handling questions while you sell
5. Keep a slot
People cannot follow a schedule that does not exist. Once a fortnight, kept, beats weekly and missed. Do I have to go live on a schedule?
6. Be findable for the thing you actually sell
Titles written the way buyers search, not the way you would describe it to a friend. Most of your first followers arrive looking for an item, not for you. How to write a good description
What does not work
Buying attention before you are worth following. A boost multiplies whatever your show already is — more people leaving a show where nothing is happening. Do sellers pay to appear higher?
Messaging people who have not dealt with you. You cannot, and it is right that you cannot. Can I message a buyer directly?
Chasing a number. A hundred followers who turn up beats a thousand who do not.
What to watch
New followers per show, in your analytics. It is the one growth number that compounds — unlike viewers, which reset every time. Where do I see how my show did?
The honest timescale
Slow, then faster. The first twenty are hard, the next eighty follow from them, and nothing about it happens in a week. What does a realistic first month look like?
More: turning a buyer into a regular, promoting a show without spending money, what is sell-through.