My clients have done hundreds of millions of dollars in launches for their online products and services… but it all goes back to this very first launch. This is how it happened, and the one critical strategy that I got right…
Next up… Day 7: Drinking the Abundance Juice
Bill
Delightful and inspiring, as usual. I immediately saw how I could apply your long-ago accidental discovery to my business today. Thanks, Jeff!
Pastor Leshy
As always, a master with compassion, heart and action. I have followed you for years and I know you mean what you say and say what you mean. Jesff Walker you are awesome and my mentor. Thanks.
Anders Dakin
Great Paul I have for a long time given Free value and Im about to launch My first product:) thanks for your advice and honesty 🙂
Nick Howard
Great stuff, Jeff! So glad you were desperate! 🙂 Keep up the good work as you grow in being good!
Catherine
thumbs up Jeff, as always I appreciate your generosity!
Mattie
Hey Jeff,
Okay, what do you think about the fact that you were dipping your big toe, then two toes, then your foot, etc. into a seriously UNflooded market? It was barely even a marketplace. That ended up being a monumental advantage, and I’m not talking about getting to your level in success, but just the idea that … I dunno … the car I want to sell you is purple and you should ignore all the other purple cars out there because mine is better … Do you see what I mean? MY marketplace IS flooded.
Thanks for the videos, once again. They’re enlightening, valuable, and it’s generous of you. One thing I hear from you repeatedly is build your list. On it.
Jeff Walker
@Mattie: starting that early with little competition was certainly an advantage for me. And there were also huge disadvantages… here are just a few of them:
– the number of people online was literally 1/100 of what it is today (36 million vs 3.6 billion)
– people didn’t trust online commerce… they were scared to buy online
– all tech was REALLY hard… I couldn’t process online payments when I started. My customers had to send me a check
Gordon
The market for stock advice was flooded too. I can tell you as a sales manager and then company owner in the investment industry that whole companies existed that produced market newsletters for us that reps subscribed customers to. They were sent out by snail mail in those days.
I kick my butt in that the whole time I used them I never thought of them as a lead gen tool. It was just treated as a customer perk. Duhhh!
Rob Lawson
When I started, a very successful publisher told me – think about any town. There will be 10 restaurants (just to pick a number for this example) going at any given time. Someone will always be coming in and doing a better job than someone else and someone will always be dropping off.
When he put it to me like that – even though I was in publishing – I knew I could defintely be good enough to be “one of the 10” and even move up in the ranks.
And other big successful publishers have shared that they always PREFER a market with many entrants – that proves that the market exists and people can make a living in it!
So the more the merrier!
That said, you do have to have something that helps you stand out from the rest. If you aren’t better, what’s the point?
Laura
There is a sense of the Gold Rush in the Internet field. In the Gold Rush, the people who made a fortune were those who got there first — and those who sold shovels. That being said, there are things you can do to increase your chance for success, even later in the game. Niche down for your avatar. For example, instead of teaching how to give great presentations, cater to introverts who need to give presentations. Instead of job hunting as your topic, focus on those job hunters over 40. If you don’t have the expertise, partner with someone who does; always be building relationships. Survey your tribe, and find out their pain points. Also, brand yourself: what makes you different?
Oludami
Nice stuff, Laura!
Doug
Jeff, great testimony. Build value and segment. Key ideas! Thanks for all the dedicated effort.
chris
Awesome Jeff. The concept of the sub-list is so simple but it so effective. Great to here you origins of how small things build to become big.
Thank you.
Douglas Shoaff
JEFF,
Thanks so much for this series. I feel like I’m taking the journey with you through the 20 years. I am just starting out on this on-line business arena at age 68 and I am hopeful of transforming a very select group of seekers.
Doug
Tri
Great story sharing, Jeff. Great efforts, great mindset, and success. Thanks for sharing.
Ndifreke Atauyo
Hey Jeff Walker, a big plus to your generosity and the ability to teach with clearity. For several years I have followed you both as a student and as a client and I am proud of you, your online courses and your courses have changed my life and the lives of my high paying coaching students and web design clients in Nigeria. I look forward to traveling to your live events soonest.
Oludami
Nice testimonial, Ndifreke. What part of Nigeria are you in? I’m Ibadan-based. Wouldn’t mind connecting with you! I’m @theoludami on twitter.
Tanya
Good Morning – I would like to hear what you have to say regarding developing content to sell. I’m finding that this holds people back as they don’t feel they are creative and draw a blank when it comes to development. I’ve noticed that those in the biz don’t discuss this much. We are educated on getting to the point where would sell, but not content development. How do you go about developing something to sell as you obvious don’t do it alone. Thank you
mark
Like Doug, I’m just starting on my own journey. Jeff this series is a real inspiration. Thanks so much.
Mark from the UK
Adriana
Thnaks for these videos. I am learning plenty. Just curious. How much did you charge for your first product?
Tyler Hayden
Accidental genius
Aaron Koral
Fantastic video, Jeff. This was a great two-fer learning about sublisting your prospects and devlivering value before selling anything to your potential clients. You’re awesome, Jeff! Thanks so much for sharing your hard earned wisdom!
Anthony Beckman
Really, really enjoying these videos, Jeff. Thank you for the content. You’re a very good story teller.
Stan Grafski
Thanks a lot, Jeff,
It’s really inspiring. Now, it’s my turn as to how to apply to my particular situation.
Many thanks, once again,
Stan
Derek Russell
You mentioned good sense to have high prices back then, did you do this to establish yourself as someone that gives massive value? What was your drive for a higher priced item? Thx!
Yenalem
Appreciate your ‘video a day’ to assist others. I am a chicken having difficulty justifying my value to prospective clients. This problem lies with me, they barely get pitched 🙂 Blessings.
Stephen Shearsby
thanks Jeff a few key things here and its great to hear the same key things are still true: warm list to sublist to target a specific segment of interested folk, value before the ask for a sale and making the idea turn the first dollar before investing too much in the idea. That’s where I’m at. thanks for going back to the start and digging up the detail of the past. I’m gonna send you an email too as I think this kind of stuff is where people could benefit even more inside PLF as beginners.
Kathryn Costa
I think pricing is the hardest part for me.
Doug Jones
Jeff. I can never hear that story too many times! I should have it auto-play every day when I wake up. Now as we are getting ready for our first seed launch, it’s important to hear our ancestor’s stories as we are sitting around the blog “campfire”. Thanks for sharing.
Cindy
Took a Sabbath yesterday: No internet, no email, no work. Just family time and relaxing–it’s been waaaay too long since I did that! Anyway, wanted to catch up today on the videos and had to hunt for day 6. It went to Spam (damn you Google) but I did find it. Boy, am I glad! Your memories of what you felt like when you created your first product is a perfect description of what I feel. Would people really pay me for something I know? Loving this series and looking forward to the rest. I’m seeing the real possibilities now by taking this journey with you. Thank you for sharing!
Sharnee
That is absolutely unbelievable, I can’t wait to hear the rest of this story. That guy from Switzerland, it would have really opened your eyes to the possibility knowing that he, a random stranger from so far away was willing to invest in you. What a turning point. I wish I could go back to 1987. I would have been 6 years old back then! lol!! Thanks Jeff for sharing, Sharnee
Patricia Kennett
Hi Jeff,
I am taking Lisa Saseviche’s course right now and today she spoke of some of some things she learned from you that changed her game and it is so funny how we all can sit on the shoulders of giants to make our changes. So thanks for being real and showing how starting out your first launch is the most powerful because it gave you the proof that you and I can create something for people feel value to pay for. Their is a market for us all.
George Betts
Thanks Jeff!! Great lesson!!