The first time I heard about making money online, I was very skeptical. I didn’t know anything about it so I told myself I would keep an open mind. I started to listen to podcasts and my mind was blown. These Internet dudes were operating businesses from home and all over the world teaching and doing what they loved. I wanted that to be my life so I became a serious student of online business.
When I first tried to monetize something, it was a flop. I made $4.97 the first month my product was launched. I felt like all of this Internet stuff was a scam and cried myself to sleep more than a few nights that month. I was so crushed that I had invested so much time and it didn’t go anywhere. I licked my wounds and tried again several times with a bunch of different ways of making money.
After that flop, I made a mistake that I see a lot of lifestyle entrepreneurs making every day. I tried a lot of different ways of making money and offered several kinds of services that had nothing to do with my core message and the ultimate business goals and dreams I set for myself.
Don’t Be The Jack of All Trades
I started my lifestyle business in June of 2011. I didn’t make any real money until about a year later in mid-2012. I was launching my second self-published book and had lined up a bunch of guest posts on better-known blogs. I had a guest post for Michael Hyatt during the launch and ended up selling 3,346 copies of my book at $4.97 a book. When that money was deposited into my bank account from Amazon, I was crying happy tears.
After that first taste of real money, I wanted to figure out how to make more of it. So, in desperation, I started doing things strictly for money. I hired myself out as a virtual assistant, I started doing websites for $300, I pushed affiliate marketing, I signed up for freelancer websites, I created low price (and low quality) products and pushed them hard. And, I tried to work for other successful online entrepreneurs. All of these efforts got me further away from what would actually make me money.
I see lifestyle entrepreneurs doing this all the time. They try to work their core message for a period of time. When their efforts don’t produce income, they turn to what does. You can make some money for awhile at the random stuff, but it takes you farther from your goals and what will make money in your core business. The thing that gets you to income is clarity, practicality, and tangibility.
When people don’t understand how what you do will practically help their life, they will not invest their time or money. The reality is that if you can make what you do more practical, people will spend money with you. How much depends on the efforts you make to build an audience. I’ve written a TON about how to build an audience online and it’s importance. As you build your audience, your income will increase if you have multiple practical offerings and consistently sell.
The Money is Not a Mystery
There are a lot of strategies that can teach you this or that. There is a ton of information and you can easily get frustrated. If you are just trying to make a couple of bucks while you build something, that’s one thing. If you are trying to be a jack of all trades because you think that is what will make you successful–it won’t in the long run.
Create a solid foundation around a practical message. Build an audience and website traffic. Have multiple offerings and ways to make money. Scale, learn and keep growing. Pitch other opportunities. You can and will get to the money part of this with the right focus.
Where are you at in your lifestyle business-building journey?
It’s frustrating when you spend a lot of your time and energy trying to build an online/lifestyle business that doesn’t make an impact or an income that supports you. Yes, it takes time but there are definitely strategies and tactics you can use that will spend up things up and lead to tangible results.
You can get your podcast episodes, videos, and written content consistently published on the largest websites in the world. You will literally be exposed to a fresh, untapped audience of millions of people. These can be business and personal development publications.
I’m NOT talking about being interviewed or getting featured. I’m talking about getting contributor accounts and every week posting valuable content and spreading your message. You have the ability to post content about what you want and people come to you versus you chasing them.
When you provide that kind of value, they want to check out what you’re doing and a few of them buy your books, coaching, courses, and hire you for services. Companies and CEOs get value and want to hire you to consult and speak at their events. You also have the social proof to pitch yourself.
My new course, Success through Large Publications, can teach you how to do all of this and so much more. It’s one of the most practical courses you can take. The early bird price ends tomorrow at 10 pm CST. This is the last time you will see this course offered at this price. This course is live so you can get all of your questions answered and network with some amazing entrepreneurs that have already joined.
Let me show you how writing for large publications led to being booked for a speaking/consulting gig that will take me to six countries over the next two months and paid a generous fee plus all expenses covered. Details HERE.
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Photo Credit: Flickr/ Derek Bruff
I felt like I was reading my own story of online marketing reading this post. I’ve changed so much of my focus now thanks to your valuable content. I don’t chase money or influencers anymore but more so on producing content and staying focused on a strategy that will get my work featured in some awesome places. Your right Kimanzi about the financial aspects as well. It will come if you concentrate on your message and the other intangibles. Good stuff man & Enjoy!
I think all of us have been there a few times 🙂 Glad to see you focused and on track, brother!