Building Profitable Audiences – Nathan Barry

Three Conversations

I had in the last week

Dream

• I think I’ll just go on 4 or 5 big international trips each year.

• You should be able to make at least $50,000 in a day on your product launch.

• I paid off the last $100,000 on my house this year with product revenue from my side gig.

Method

• A crazy world

  Each of these statements were met with a simple head nod or a “nicely done.” No looks of surprise or shock, just simple looks of agreement that made it seem like there was nothing out of the ordinary about those statements.

  The friend planning only 4 or 5 big trips each year was toning it down from other friends who travel perpetually or have visited every country in the world.

  In my circle of business friends a huge product launch will get a “wow, nicely done!” But no one is incredulous or doubts the numbers. We’ve all seen it too often to be surprised.

  Making a couple hundred thousand dollars extra for a down payment on a house (or to pay off an existing mortgage) is relatively common as well.

  Let’s stop for a second and get one thing straight: I live in a crazy world!

• Build an audience

  This world may be a far cry from making a steady salary at a corporate gig, but it’s very possible and starts with one simple step: build an audience.

  In a conversation about business a friend asked me what I was going to do when I could no longer make so much. The way he asked the question hinted that he believed the success was temporary and revenue would quickly dry up. I don’t agree.

  I don’t expect my income to nearly double every year (as it has for the last two years)—so I save money aggressively and stay out of debt—but I do know I will be able to continue to make several hundred thousand dollars per year. Because I have one key asset: an audience.

  Once you have thousands of people following your work, you never have to start from scratch again. Even if you pivot to a different business some of that audience will follow you. Never having to start from scratch again makes it much easier to sustain revenue years into the future.

• Multiple products, one audience

  Once you have that audience, it becomes far easier to increase revenue by launching multiple products—all targeting one audience. Recently successful entrepreneurs often make the mistake of taking the skills and money made from one successful audience and creating a new product for a new audience. I think that’s a mistake.

  You should create new products, but if you really want to maximize revenue for the effort put in you should create products for one core audience. Then any effort put into promoting one product will also sell other products.

  It’s better to have one product for one audience than it is to have two products for two separate audiences. Focus is key to helping you grow your business.

  With multiple products for one audience you can master the upsell, which is the easiest way to increase revenue in your business.