So, here are 7 actionable ways to achieve that goal to produce that outcome 👇🏼
1/ Create without expectation
People can sense your intentions. And if your intention is to “build an audience” to quickly extract ($$$) value, you will repel more than you attract.
Give generously. Expect little in return.
2/ Keep your promises
If you say you’re going to write something new every day, do it. Show up. Let your actions speak louder than your words/promises/public announcements.
3/ Be hyper-specific
Don’t just say “I’m here to help you do better, live happier, be healthier,” etc.
How, exactly? What makes you different, specifically?
Give details. Break things down. Get into the weeds. Tell vulnerable stories.
Hold nothing back.
4/ Share what DIDN’T work
Success stories are easy to share. Everyone loves appearing to have all the answers.
Cautionary tales are harder, which is why people love hearing them. They require you to admit you messed up. You made a mistake. And you made it out the other side.
5/ Meet people where they are
“Building an audience” often implies:
- I’m up here
- You’re down there
In reality, the people with the most engaged audiences remove this barrier. They get in the town circle with their people.
They make people feel like they’re friends.
6/ Create based on other people’s needs, not your wants
Creators are in the service business. We like to think they’re in the “fame” business (“What I want”), but they’re not.
The best creators answer people’s questions at scale, and create what they see people NEED.
7/ Give away your secrets. Spread your gospel
Finally, the creators with the widest (or most engaged) reach keep very little behind closed doors.
They don’t monetize 99% of what they do or know.
Just the last 1%
If you want to make a meaningful impact, share with everyone
And if you want to practice these 7 strategies with the goal of building an audience, I encourage you to start here:
1. Write Atomic Essay 2. Post image on Twitter 3. (Bonus) Copy/paste text as thread 4. Find relevant Question on Quora. Copy/paste Atomic Essay + image. 5. Copy/paste again on Medium. 6. Again on LinkedIn 7. Win
Guide below ✍️🚢👇
Step 1: Write Atomic Essay
I really enjoy writing right inside the Figma template. It helps give me a good sense of exactly how much "real estate" I have/have left before my time us up and I'm out of space.
Once finished, I export the image and send to my phone on Slack.
Step 2: Post image on Twitter
Before I publish my Atomic Essay on Twitter, I use the Edit/Photo Markup function on the iPhone to highlight standout sentences.
These are usually power-phrases: things the reader skims and thinks, "That's interesting," prompting them to read more.
💸 The 5 Revenue Streams Every Writer Should Build For Themselves 💸
Today I have ~9 different revenue streams for myself, but these 5 are the big ones that have fueled my career for the past 5 years (and allowed me to quit my 9-5 & go all-in on writing) 👇🧵
1/ Writing as a service
This is without question the easiest revenue stream to build, and where most writers start.
The first big jump in my income as a writer came from ghostwriting. Once you learn how to provide writing as a service (and get paid $$), you're off to the races
2/ Write books/guides/etc.
My 2nd paid product online was a $30 "How To Become A Top Writer On Quora" course. My 1st was a eBook series called "Skinny to Shredded."
Create assets that can be sold infinitely at scale. Small numbers ($$$) add up over time.
[THREAD] How To Successfully Launch A Startup, Inverted
1/ Mention the incumbent in all of your marketing materials. That way, everyone knows you’re 2nd best.
2/ Pick a category someone else already owns. It’s best to use marketing dollars trying to convince people to stop liking something they already like.
3/ Spend top dollar on branding. When customers (or investors) are judging your product, utility & clarity of the problem it solves is irrelevant. Humans are monkeys. If it’s shiny, people will want it.
[THREAD] How To Find A Mentor (No Matter What Industry You're In)
I have attracted dozens of mentors since I was a teenager. As I've gotten older, I've realized these relationships were the secret to my growth.
Here's how to find mentors of your own 👇👇👇
1/ Don't obsess over finding The Expert.
This is the BIG mistake anyone looking for someone to "mentor them" makes.
All you need is to find someone who knows the very-next-thing you want to learn. Technically, anyone "a little bit further along" can be your mentor.
2/ Start to see everyone around you as A Mentor
- Your co-worker with 1-2 yrs more experience is a mentor
- Your family friend who is always telling "war stories" is a mentor
- Your neighbor, cousin, aunt, uncle who has done what you're trying to do, can all be mentors