Thoughts on launching your first paid version

Hey all ~

I started my first newsletter on substack, Policy People, in August this year and now just under 2,000 subscribers with around a 50% open rate. (Check it out at https://policypeople.substack.com/). According to most of what I've read, it seems this is usually when people start introducing a paid version.

FYI, my newsletter's main content is jobs listings for think tanks, (although in the future I will add on podcasts and other more creative content targeted for this niche.)

I've been struggling with planning how to 'launch' this paid version. Full disclosure, my first and only other online biz was a Teachable side-hustle selling classic info products (ESL courses)built around one-time special countdown sales which required lots of energy and preparation. I realize I'm probably applying a set of online course seller's assumptions to my subscription newsletter biz, but still feel a real need to properly 'launch' this paid version of my newsletter by either writing up a warm-up sequence or even a soft-sale webinar (another course seller friend's suggestion). Does anyone else here have any experience with what would be the best way to transition to a paid version ? Is some kind of launch with CTA like a 20% discount for the first week or something the normal way to go or do most people just quietly introduce the paid version with little fanfare and just let it gradually grow ?

Would love any feedback or thoughts anyone has on this!