I have been blogging in some capacity for nearly a decade.
I’d like to say that when I started blogging I did so just for fun or for the love of writing. But that would be a lie.
I first started blogging for the newspaper at which I was working at the time because I thought it would help me make a name for myself at the paper and in the city. I wanted to be Louisville’s top features reporter!
Then I soon started a blog of my own because I had always dreamt of starting a magazine and this was my way of doing so — kinda, sorta — without the overhead.
My point is from the day I published my very first blog post I did so with a business mindset. But it wasn’t until last year that I started making real money with my blog. LAST YEAR!
So what was my mistake? Failure to launch.
And I bet this is the same mistake you’re making, too.
Allow me to explain.
I was sitting around waiting to be picked. I believed that if I just kept plugging away on my blog someone, somewhere would discover me and just start showering me with money and opportunities. And don’t get me wrong. Blogging had done plenty for me. It had helped me land freelance writing gigs and even win awards. And best of all, it helped me grow See Jane Write. But I still didn’t feel legit.
It wasn’t until 2014 that I learned the best way for most bloggers to make money is to produce products or offer services related to the focus of their blogs. With an e-course, for example, you’re essentially taking content that’s already on your blog, beefing it up to increase the value, and then selling it.
So at the end of 2014 I created an e-course on time management. In January of 2015 I opened enrollment and started daydreaming of selling hundreds of courses.
I sold less than 10.
Once again my mistake was failure to launch. Simply creating a program and opening enrollment IS NOT LAUNCHING.
Launching includes weeks of build up to get your audience excited about what you have to offer.
Launching includes carefully crafted and strategic blog posts, email blasts and social media updates that promote your offering. It includes a properly planned and well-promoted kickoff event and partnerships with others in your niche.
The summer of 2015 I came up with another idea for an e-course and planned to launch — for real this time — in the fall. My goal was to earn $1,000. But that summer I also attended a conference in New York for online entrepreneurs. At this conference one of the speakers said that if you want to make at least $1,000 you must have at least 1,000 people on your email list, which I did not have at the time.
Needless to say, I was discouraged. But I decided to press on.
I got back to town and got to work. The month leading up to the day I would open enrollment I published promotional blog posts, sent promotional emails, and shared promotional content on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Periscope. I guest posted on blogs frequently read by other women writers. I hosted a special kickoff event.
The result? I made over $2,000 during the one-week enrollment period. I’d finally made real money with my blog content.
My secret weapon during the process was a launch guide developed by Farideh Ceaser of Farideh.com. Farideh’s Launch Playbook is one of the products included in the Solopreneur Success Bundle that I’m helping One Woman Shop promote this week. This digital guide will lead you through all the elements of a launch in an easy step-by-step manner, with checklists, budgets, calendars and more. The retail value of the guide is $98, but for essentially that same price you can get Farideh’s guide and all of the other products included in the bundle.
Launching. Creating passive income. Pricing your products and services. Running Facebook Ads. Streamlining your email marketing. Managing your finances. Mastering Google Analytics. The Solopreneur Success Bundle can help you with all this and more and is available through September 16 for only $99.
Click here for a complete list of offerings and to purchase the Solopreneur Success Bundle today for only $99. Remember, this offer expires at 11:59 ET on Friday, Sept. 16.
Disclaimer: Purchasing the Solopreneur Success Bundle through the links in this post will result in my business receiving compensation. I appreciate you trusting my opinion on the products that will help you better your business!