The Secret to a Wildfire Business: Do This Before Building Your List

Tempted to jump straight into building your email list? Hold up. That's like putting the cart before the horse.

Without knowing what you're selling, you might as well be shooting arrows in the dark. You’ll spend hours creating content that doesn’t connect with your ideal audience—those who are ready to buy what you offer.

A Tale of Two Entrepreneurs

Imagine two entrepreneurs, Sarah and Jane. Sarah spends months building her email list and creating content, but she's unsure of what exactly she's selling. She works incredibly hard creating a lead magnet and her first funnel to get people on her list. She shares free content consistently but has no clear call to action to an offer that will truly impact her audience. A year later, she has a list but little to no sales. And without sales, you have a hobby, not a business.

Jane, on the other hand, takes the time to define her offer before diving into content creation. She doesn't necessarily build her offer immediately but gains complete clarity on what she plans to sell. She creates content and lead magnets that naturally lead to the offer. This ensures she is building a list of people perfectly poised and ready to buy her offer when she launches it. Fast forward a year, and Jane's business is thriving, while Sarah is struggling to convert her audience into paying customers.

Take a Step Back: Get Crystal Clear on Your Offer

Time and time again, I work with aspiring entrepreneurs who planned to create a course or launch a membership, but somewhere along the way they were told they can't sell anything without a list. So they put on the brakes and switched from focusing on their offer to list building.

List building IS a crucial element of building a wildfire business because LEADS are the OXYGEN that breathes life into your business. But, your offer is the FUEL. And your marketing strategy is the HEAT. A fire won't spark or turn into a roaring flame without ALL THREE elements, and neither will your business.

I focused on all three when I launched my business, and it catapulted my journey and built the foundation that I have today.

But, How Do You Sell Something Without a List?

I used my marketing strategy to BUILD my list and led those leads directly to my offer.

First, I got clarity on the offer I was going to sell. I didn't spend 3-6 months building it. I made key decisions that I could clearly communicate to others, such as:

• The title of my course, who it helped, and the result they would experience by completing it.
• The delivery logistics and what it would include: Five modules, with one module opened each week, along with a Facebook community for questions and live Q&As. (I would record one module each week and deliver it to them the next week. This allowed me to earn revenue BEFORE it was created.)
• Pricing strategy: I knew my course would eventually be $497, but for the first launch, I offered it at an introductory, one-time-only, no-brainer price of $97. The only module they received at purchase was a welcome video. I didn't want to spend time building a course before confirming people would buy it!

Then I chose five key things I could teach in a free 5-day Banish Business Clutter Challenge that would connect me with an audience perfectly aligned to purchase this offer.

I had ZERO people on my list but invited people to this challenge everywhere I could think of: personal messages, business communities, and social media (I only had Facebook at the time, but updated my bios everywhere so I could post an invite to my challenge).

Within three weeks, I had 250 registered and on my list—mostly people who knew me from previous jobs and businesses. As they participated in the challenge, I encouraged them to invite others, and by the end of the challenge, I had 400 subscribers. Over our five days together, I personally connected with these leads, not just sharing valuable tips but also asking questions and doing polls to truly understand their struggles with physical, digital, and mental clutter.

This gave me the exact words to use on the sales page for my offer, The Digital Clutter Cure. When I opened the doors, 95 students purchased my $97 program.

After multiple live launches and many variations of this course, this one offer has helped me generate over $325K and gave me the experience and confidence to launch other offers, including courses, coaching programs, and my membership.

I'm so glad I didn't wait to launch and didn't wait to create my offer until I had at least 500 or 1000 people on my list. My offer and my launch are what BUILT my list.

Where Do I Start?

Here’s how:

1. Identify Your Audience:
- Who exactly are you serving?
- What are their biggest pain points and desires?

Start by creating detailed audience personas. Use tools like Google Analytics, social media insights, and surveys to gather data. For example, if your audience is mostly female entrepreneurs aged 40-59, delve deeper. What industries are they in? What challenges do they face daily?

2. Define Their Needs:
- What do they desperately need?
- How can your product or service solve their problems?

Conduct interviews or beta tests to validate these needs. Ask for feedback from potential leads to ensure you're always in tune with your audience’s evolving challenges.

3. Highlight Your Unique Selling Proposition:
- How are you uniquely positioned to deliver this solution?
- What sets your offer apart from the competition?

Your USP should be clear, concise, and compelling. Look at successful brands for inspiration. For instance, Apple's USP isn't just about their products; it's about the seamless user experience and innovative design. What is it about YOU and your teaching style or your framework that is unique?

When you nail down these details, everything else falls into place. Your content, your emails, and your social posts will be like a magnet, drawing your ideal clients right to you. Pour your energy into defining your offer. Get to the heart of why your offer exists and who it benefits.

Content Creation Tips

Creating content that aligns with your offer is crucial. Here are some tips:

• Consistency: Ensure your messaging is consistent across all platforms.
• Value: Focus on providing value rather than just selling. Educational content, how-tos, and tips related to your offer can be very engaging.
• Variety: Use different content formats—blog posts, videos, infographics—to reach a wider audience.

For example, if your offer is a coaching program for busy moms, create blog posts that address their pain points, such as time management tips or stress reduction techniques. Complement these with engaging videos and infographics that summarize your key points.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of creating content without a clear offer. Here are some pitfalls to avoid:

• Vagueness: Avoid being vague about what you offer. Specificity sells.
• Overloading: Don't overwhelm your audience with too many options. Keep your offer simple and straightforward.
• Ignoring Feedback: Always listen to your audience's feedback and be willing to adjust your offer accordingly.

For instance, if your audience consistently asks for more personalized advice, consider offering one-on-one sessions or tailored resources. This not only meets their needs but also enhances your offer’s appeal.

Benefits of a Clear Offer

Here's what happens when you have a clear offer:

• Increased Conversions: A clear offer makes it easier for potential customers to understand what they're buying.
• Stronger Brand Loyalty: When your audience knows exactly what you stand for, they’re more likely to become loyal customers.
• Better Marketing Efficiency: Your marketing efforts become more focused and effective when you know what you're promoting.

Reflect and Refine

So, before you dive headfirst into content creation, take a moment. Reflect and refine your offer. Know it inside and out.

By taking the time to clearly define your offer, you’ll save yourself from wandering aimlessly in the business maze. Instead, you’ll have clarity, knowing exactly who you’re helping and how.

Your Next Steps

Now that you understand the importance of a clear offer, it’s time to take action:

1. Reflect: Spend some time thinking about your audience and their needs.
2. Research: Use tools and techniques to gather data and validate your assumptions.
3. Refine: Continuously refine your offer based on feedback and market changes.

Aren't sure what offer to create first? Consider a digital course. It is something you can create once and sell again and again.

CLICK HERE to take this awesome quiz by my digital course mentor, Amy Porterfield, to see if creating a digital course is right for you!

Need help defining your offer, content plan, and launch strategy? Join Online Revenue Roadmap. It’s packed with actionable tips and strategies and 21 days of online support for just $21.

By focusing on these 3 elements... your offer, your content plan, and your launch strategy, you’ll be well on your way to building a wildfire business that not only makes sales but also makes a lasting impact.