This issue is focused on the importance of deciding whether you build your audience first, while you're at a 9-5 job, or focus on building a product first and then the audience.
This should only take about 7 mins to read.
This issue is focused on the importance of deciding whether you build your audience first, while you're at a 9-5 job, or focus on building a product first and then the audience.
If you’re working a 9-5 job and you are looking for a side hustle, you have an advantage: you’re already making money. Instead of worrying about building a product and selling it to make more money, start building an audience on Twitter and LinkedIn.
It's the best way to create long-term value for yourself and your future business(es). When you build an audience, you build a marketing channel that costs you nothing but your time.
Remember, it’s better to build a strong, engaged following of 1,000 people than build a low-engagement audience of 100,000.
Your product can come second.
Don’t be thirsty for sales; focus on building leverage, and that’s how you sell without selling.
There are 100’s of millions of people on Twitter; there is a community of people that are passionate about the same thing you are. Whatever that topic is, there is someone ready to consume your content.
1. “Who else is going to care about this topic.”
Trust me; there are 100’s of people that will resonate with whatever topic you are talking about. No matter how niche it is. You have to keep bringing that fire.
2. “There are already so many people talking about this topic.”
Remember that you have a unique view on this topic. Your perspective is going to be different in one way or another. Don’t stop before you start. Instead, start and keep going.
Get that out of your head and get down to business.
The only thing holding you back is you.
You can write a blog daily, and the chances of someone reading it are extremely low. The better route to take is to write on Twitter and LinkedIn. GO where the people are. Build your presence, and put your flag in the ground.
You’re not going to become the best writer out of the gates. It takes time. Look at me, I started in April 2022 - I hated writing in school, never thought about sharing my experiences through writing. Here I am, doing the damn thing.
As I always say, get the reps in. You don’t go to the gym once to gain muscle; you go consistently every day. The same framework applies to writing, E V E R Y D A Y.
Every time you put something out, you’re getting better. The best content is the content that you think is the worst. Some of my best tweets are the ones I least expected to get likes and RTs. Put it out there.
If something flops or doesn’t resonate, rewrite it and post it.
Most of your content will never be seen or read when you start.
As you keep building and growing 1 follower at a time, you are slowly building a content library.
When people start following you on Twitter or LinkedIn and decide to look at your previous content, they will see that you have been talking about this topic for a long time. That’s how you build trust. You don’t build trust with one post; you build that over time.
There is no doubt that you will:
Get over that. Stay consistent, it only gets easier.
There is no such thing as overnight success. Focus on showing up every day, staying consistent, and delivering value. You don’t build trust with your audience with one post. You build trust by giving people a reason to care about your content. Give them value that they can actually use in their day-to-day. Be genuine and be willing to help people at no cost.
I am rooting for you! ❤️
Tweet 1: One of my own about my journey, what I am working on, and building a stronger audience on Twitter.
Tweet 2: John Franklin and Rob Lennon did a spaces on Oct 12th (today if you're reading this) that had a lot of great insights into audience building and how Rob grew his account.
Go listen to the recording.
During the latest episode of What is my brain, I had the pleasure of talking with the amazing Pia Mailhot-Leichter, an award-winning creative, certified coach, change agent, and writer.
The episode with Pia was really interesting, and I would definitely recommend checking it out if you want to hear more. We talked about how important it is to be comfortable with being uncomfortable, how every success story has its failures, how even those that seem to have made it sometimes feel like they don’t know what they are doing, and other very interesting topics.
Tool of the week: DropVoice
URL: https://apps.shopify.com/drop-voice
Why DropVoice is so awesome:
Well first and foremost, my team at 920Four built the app. It's a Shopify app that allows merchants to add a voice note to their products and create a better shopping experience for their customers. The app kicks in when the customer is done with their purchase.
Our goal is to create a better experience and build a stronger relationship with the brand.
That's a wrap for issue #21
Email me at z@zlatkobijelic.com if you are building something. I'd love to know what you're working on and if there is anything I can do to help you.
Random question:
What's holding you back from building something online?
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