- Joined
- Apr 11, 2011
- Messages
- 33
Rep Bank
$230
$230
User Power: 115%
I got this actionable advice from AppSumo's Business Blueprint course (google it, I didn't want to be confused for spam).
If you're a newbie and/or a "wantrepreneur" like me (guilty on all accounts) and if you can't decide on a business idea or you think you don't have enough money to get started, read on!
Rather than this:
"Is this a fastlane idea?"
or
"I have a great idea, but I need $X,XXXX,XXXX just to get the ball rolling."
Do this:
1. Take your idea and do a google adwords search with relevant terms. Only choose ideas with high search volume and low competition for that term. That's evidence that there's a market with room for some competitors to enter it.
2. Reduce your idea to it's absolute most basic, and cheapest (preferably free) form. For instance, I had an idea for an site for independent musicians that would have interviews and news from other indie artists that had reached a certain modicum of success. I would host premium content, exclusive live sessions, etc. BUT instead I reduced it to a newsletter that was basically a business news aggregate for indie musicians with an emphasis on interviews with artists from other news sites.
3. Set up a MailCheat(Chimp) account and create a list based on your idea (free).
4. Set up an account for a landing page on instapage.com ($5), design a quick landing page, and insert a MailCheat(Chimp) form from you list in step 2. You can use their domain for now to host your landing page for free for now.
5. Go on facebook, twitter, forums, pinterest...wherever your prospective market is and start connecting (non spammy, mind you). Message people, mention them, retweet them, be nice to them and form a genuine connection from the get-go.
6. Try to get 100 subscribers in 30 days.
7. If you don't, either your idea sucked and you should move on or you didn't work hard enough to get subscribers.
8. Keep building your list and then start building a business around your idea.
In the business blueprint course, they said you can test multiple ideas at once, but I'm doing just one for now (so as not to violate the "monogamy rule" AND to get this all figured out because it's my first time).
If you noticed in MJs book, when he started his site, he had people emailing him like crazy before he even monetized his idea. Essentially, he validated the idea before going completely balls out on it, even if inadvertently (correct me if I'm wrong on this, MJ).
You can even do this with physical products: build a list to let people know when something is released. Hell, even sell things BEFORE you make them...now that's validation. Don't worry about how you'll manage all the logistics just yet. You'll figure it out when you have to.
I'd recommend the course to any newbies/wantrepreneurs out there. It explains all the steps in details and there are some solid extras on copy writing, etc. I got it at a discount ($59, I think). I'm not sure if it's worth the full $199, but there is a money back guarantee (and I'm a cheap a$$!).
What do some of you more experience web marketers have to add?
Oh, and check out my newsletter and send me feedback if you want: indieStraps.com [my instapage lander is still up as well: http://www.indiestraps.simplelander.com]
If you're a newbie and/or a "wantrepreneur" like me (guilty on all accounts) and if you can't decide on a business idea or you think you don't have enough money to get started, read on!
Rather than this:
"Is this a fastlane idea?"
or
"I have a great idea, but I need $X,XXXX,XXXX just to get the ball rolling."
Do this:
1. Take your idea and do a google adwords search with relevant terms. Only choose ideas with high search volume and low competition for that term. That's evidence that there's a market with room for some competitors to enter it.
2. Reduce your idea to it's absolute most basic, and cheapest (preferably free) form. For instance, I had an idea for an site for independent musicians that would have interviews and news from other indie artists that had reached a certain modicum of success. I would host premium content, exclusive live sessions, etc. BUT instead I reduced it to a newsletter that was basically a business news aggregate for indie musicians with an emphasis on interviews with artists from other news sites.
3. Set up a MailCheat(Chimp) account and create a list based on your idea (free).
4. Set up an account for a landing page on instapage.com ($5), design a quick landing page, and insert a MailCheat(Chimp) form from you list in step 2. You can use their domain for now to host your landing page for free for now.
5. Go on facebook, twitter, forums, pinterest...wherever your prospective market is and start connecting (non spammy, mind you). Message people, mention them, retweet them, be nice to them and form a genuine connection from the get-go.
6. Try to get 100 subscribers in 30 days.
7. If you don't, either your idea sucked and you should move on or you didn't work hard enough to get subscribers.
8. Keep building your list and then start building a business around your idea.
In the business blueprint course, they said you can test multiple ideas at once, but I'm doing just one for now (so as not to violate the "monogamy rule" AND to get this all figured out because it's my first time).
If you noticed in MJs book, when he started his site, he had people emailing him like crazy before he even monetized his idea. Essentially, he validated the idea before going completely balls out on it, even if inadvertently (correct me if I'm wrong on this, MJ).
You can even do this with physical products: build a list to let people know when something is released. Hell, even sell things BEFORE you make them...now that's validation. Don't worry about how you'll manage all the logistics just yet. You'll figure it out when you have to.
I'd recommend the course to any newbies/wantrepreneurs out there. It explains all the steps in details and there are some solid extras on copy writing, etc. I got it at a discount ($59, I think). I'm not sure if it's worth the full $199, but there is a money back guarantee (and I'm a cheap a$$!).
What do some of you more experience web marketers have to add?
Oh, and check out my newsletter and send me feedback if you want: indieStraps.com [my instapage lander is still up as well: http://www.indiestraps.simplelander.com]
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Membership Required: Upgrade to Expose Nearly 1,000,000 Posts
Ready to Unleash the Millionaire Entrepreneur in You?
Become a member of the Fastlane Forum, the private community founded by best-selling author and multi-millionaire entrepreneur MJ DeMarco. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has poured his heart and soul into the Fastlane Forum, helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, win their financial freedom, and live their best life.
With more than 39,000 posts packed with insights, strategies, and advice, you’re not just a member—you’re stepping into MJ’s inner-circle, a place where you’ll never be left alone.
Become a member and gain immediate access to...
- Active Community: Ever join a community only to find it DEAD? Not at Fastlane! As you can see from our home page, life-changing content is posted dozens of times daily.
- Exclusive Insights: Direct access to MJ DeMarco’s daily contributions and wisdom.
- Powerful Networking Opportunities: Connect with a diverse group of successful entrepreneurs who can offer mentorship, collaboration, and opportunities.
- Proven Strategies: Learn from the best in the business, with actionable advice and strategies that can accelerate your success.
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most..."
Who are you surrounding yourself with? Surround yourself with millionaire success. Join Fastlane today!
Join Today
