So…for those of you who don’t have a business idea yet, I see this pattern over and over and over. People get STUCK in what they can sell, where they should focus, etc.
I notice there are THREE stages in many online business journeys. And in all three stages, you can make money.
STAGE ONE – SKILL + SERVICE
Skill growth is the easiest place to start for 2 reasons. One, you don’t need a following, and two, you learn skills and then turn around and sell those skills. Digital Marketing, VA, FB AD Agencies, Copywriting, etc.
STAGE TWO – COMMUNITY + BRAND
The second stage I call Community Growth, and this is what happens after you’ve really mastered a skill. Usually you start to build more than a network of clients, you start to build a following around your expertise and passions. You can make money here with coaching, consulting, affiliate marketing, blogging, etc.
STAGE THREE – MOVEMENT
The third stage is movement growth. This is the stage with products, courses, SaaS and things like this start to develop, and where scaling REALLY happens.
So many people want to skip the first two phases but almost every successful person in Internet Marketing you see today, followed this path in some shape or form.
Now…you can skip Stage One and go RIGHT to Stage Two when you begin, but it means you need CAPITAL. Because if you don’t know the skills, you’ll have to pay someone to do the things you need done. This is very common if you show up on the Internet scene and decide you want to be a coach, consultant, course creator, etc.
By the way, Stages One and Two do blur together at some point once you’re established.
So knowing this, if you identify what stage you’re starting (1 or 2) then you can start to see what sort of business you should focus on depending on your stage.
Trying to jump into phase 3 before either 1 or 2 is really really really really hard.
Finally, one of the biggest differences between Stage 1 and Stage 2 is HOW you get money.
In Stage One, it’s a lot of “door to door” marketing. This means referral, networking, events, Facebook groups, LinkedIn, etc. Joining the CYLL Network is a MUST for anyone in either Stage One or Stage Two.
If you are in Stage Two + Three, your primary method of selling happens through list building and funnels.
In The Digital Gangsta, I teach you how to do Stage Two + Three for your clients, and in the bonus materials, I teach you how find clients as a business owner in Stage One.
I find that if you decide to start with Stage One, it’s best to not worry so much about niche, and instead – just look for anyone with a problem you can solve. Then, start to hone in on who those people are.
Here are a few posts that discuss online business and niches more in depth…
When you become a Digital Marketer, you need to understand this general pattern, as well as the different ways that online business grow, so you can charge a LOT of money to build other businesses!
You also need to recognize that the way to get business as a Digital Marketer in Stage One is often more referral and network based than the methods you’re using to build non-marketing businesses.
Connie Bhimireddy says
Major 💡💡💡💡just went on Julie! Seriously, I Re-read that 3 times to get it to sink in, and digest/apply it. THANK you!!
Specifically Julie, (or those curious to read this but be warned it’s probably gonna be long 😆 ) ur your insight about StageOners not needing to niche just yet and just solving “SOLVE PROBLEMS” …Yes, I’m there!! 👍🏼
And for me, it’s RE Agents’ and lenders’ problems, cuz I speak their language and know their Pain Pts:
A) getting out of the stone-age & getting a BIZ presence on FB started from scratch (page setup, graphics, copy, Likes, engaging content) — I guess I’d call that role just FB Admin.
B) All the FREE ways to market their expertise online (FB Live OpenHouses? FB Live Q&As? FB Live Lender Interviews?) — I’d call that service a: “FB Strategy Session” to figure out what 3 they like to do on a daily basis…
C) All the PAID/Targeted methods to market their brand (a VA watching/replying to FB live Opens? Or Messenger Bots? Or maybe Lead Ads, or Paid Ads to Landing Page Email Lists?) — I’d call that role “FB LeadGen Specialist”
D) All the ways to Target Marketing their LISTINGS (basically Paid Ads! — which it sounds like FB is going to start to do “for them” with Dynamic Ads…) – I’d call that FB LISTINGS Marketer
Currently I can start to solve A, B & learning C myself currently…but D… 🤔🤔 Solving the last one seems difficult for ME — as it’s probably a mindset issue. I was STRONGLY feel the pressure to be a “Top-Producer” MYSELF in order to prove I’m a good “StageOner” to future Agent-clients in our new city….but I think you just proved me wrong….That was the lightbulb💡💡💡 that I don’t have to be the test-case/1st client, I can find ANYONE in my market and make THEM a top-producer since they plan on staying here long-term. Duh!!! 😂😂
Then, with even 1 single agent who can speak to my skills, BOOM! I have a SOLID skillset, a Story & Results to speak of! Now I really can’t wait for the NoStory Webinar…to learn how to land my first agent/client and how to document what future clients will need to see 🙌.
THANK YOU Julie. Truly.
I’m off to finish watching your 5pt FB Ads YouTube videos today. But I’m feeling like all the pieces are falling into place to purchase TDG 👍🏼
R. Shawn McBride says
This is powerful stuff. You break down what a lot of people aren’t talking about and make it make sense. I really like the clear phases.
I knew this in my head but it’s great your brought it to clarity.
bobbie says
This is your superpower Julie. Simple yet Brilliant. You have a way of translating ALL THE THINGS to those who desperately need to understand and implement them, but are only seeing them through the higher-level view of the ‘guru’ they follow. You bridge the gap. We need more Julie’s in this world <3