From where you’re sitting, everyone else has made it online. Are you really the only one who hasn’t figured it out? You know you want to build an online business, but you have no idea what to actually sell. You tout a long list of digital accomplishments. You can do it all – social media, content creation, email marketing … the whole kit n’ caboodle. But, it’s not just about knowing what you’re good at. It’s what you do with that knowledge.
Cue the road block. I bet you regularly ask yourself these 2 questions.
- “How can I make a difference online (without working for pennies)?”
- “Once I know what I want to do, where do I start?”
Believe it or not, monetizing your skills is (a) possible and (b) profitable. And, you can do it without forcing yourself to dredge up that list of “Things I Can Do, but Don’t Really Want to“.
Sell your obsession (and nothing else).
Between you and me, I can barely stand social media marketing. Somewhere in the last 5 years, I lost my passion for posting. I’m “just not that into” the Instagram worthy photos, cheesy captions, etc. I can do social media and do it well. I just don’t want to.
But, teaching SEO for bloggers? I live for it. I love using systems and storytelling to make ranking seem achievable for everyone online. So, SEO is my thing.
Take it from me, when you monetize your skills, that offer becomes what you’re known for. It’s the one thing you can chat about for hours on end.
It’s what builds the foundation that will become your brand.
This isn’t the time or place to offer the bare minimum. Don’t even think about being a jack of all trades. Zoom in on a one of a kind specialty. Something that won’t just act as an original hook – but also guarantee customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Once you’ve narrowed in on your obsession, peel back every single layer. Search for opportunities to improve. Don’t focus on perfection. Just build enough confidence in your offer to sell without hesitation.
First rule of thumb? Don’t be afraid of feedback.
If you already have an engaged online community, take the market temperature. You’re probably good at many things – maybe even hundreds. But you don’t have to turn all those skills into an enticing offer.
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For example, let’s say you’re a writer. You churn out blog posts, sales pages, and fan fiction. Showcase your best work. Let your community pick what they’re drawn to. And, if there’s equal interest in all 3, then by all means; you’ve found yourself 3 different offers. But, no matter what, focus on creating one at a time.
Bottom line. Don’t ever be afraid to ask the question: “How can I improve?”
Know your people better than they know themselves.
Your audience should shape your offer creation. For example, maybe your online course would fit nicely into a 12 part video series. But, if audio content really resonates with your community, then audio it is.
When you know who you’re selling to, you won’t miss these important preferences. And, if your audience still doesn’t latch onto your offer, it means one of two things.
- You need to continue molding the product.
- You need to reconsider who your target audience should be.
Bottom line. Your community can offer invaluable insight.
Use this insight to improve and further develop your product (and more importantly) your craft. Always keep yourself open to constructive feedback.
Finally, test until the results become predictable.
So, you’ve put together several offers, but want to pick the one with the most potential. How do you know which one to choose? Test, test, and test some more.
Split testing helps you tap into the perspective of the people you’re trying to reach. And since they’re the ones making a purchasing decision, their opinions matter. Release each offer to a small list of users (at a discounted rate), and collect candid and detailed feedback.
Even though your core offer is ready to go, remember, the fine-tuning never ends. The market is always changing, and your consumers will evolve. Don’t let yourself get stagnant; keep your ear to the ground and look for ways to improve.