Insightful Creator #14 - On Monetization

Read time: 3 minutes.

Welcome back, creators

First off, this Issue is long overdue - I'm sorry that it took so long for me to get to this one. I was preoccupied with a product that is scheduled to be released this week - it took tons of time to finish. Not even counting assignments and real life stuff.

That's why I'll be writing this issue as preferably the last one until I go through a general rebrand.

I want to care about all of you in the best way possible - and that's why after this issue I'll:

• Change up entirety of visual framing

• Systemise the topics, make each issue more noteworthy

• Add a specific free bonus to each issue

Dig it? Great. Now I'll just take 2 minutes out of your time and write a bit about how I monetized - and the lessons I took from it.

How I monetized

I started my entire Twitter account on 1st December, 2022. Since the beginning I had a clear idea.

I wanted to build a strong, viable personal brand allowing me to make an impact and a living out of it.

I knew I had to monetize. But back then I didn't quite know how. Late January rolled by, I just passed 2,000 followers.

Had one of my dear friends on Twitter reach out to me saying:

• "Are you providing ghostwriting services by any chance?"

"Yes I do" I answered. Then O (we will be calling him like such) explained his situation to me. He was preoccupied with the creation of his own AI tool, a website and SAAS business - he needed help with leading his account.

Simple engaging, writing tweets, threads and keeping up the stats on the baseline. Nothing fancy just yet. I agreed,

That's how I closed my first client... But afterwards I couldn't find any.

The problem by itself came from the sole idea of how I was getting my clients - the singular one I had was a close, warm inbound lead. But cold leads? Forget it.

I missed a sales funnel... So I've made one.

First iterations

I understood the value of harnessing your gathered emails and pitching your services to them - however I didn't want to do so on the newsletter.

So I've decided to host a giveaway - and give enormous value to my followers and readers in exchange for their emails. (Spoiler: Haven't even used these yet)

So I've created an entire growth playbook in a form of an ebook, a Notion template and shipped it off on Gumroad.

Gained several leads, closed one. Much better. But it wasn't enough for me.

So I've made a second giveaway - this time started asking questions in the DMs.

More leads, 2 clients. Started seeing massive progress.

But I still felt that something was off - just a little piece of glue, connecting it all together.

Something to systemise all of my products and services. 

A landing page.

I was good friends with Alessio on Twitter - and he DMed me one day.

"Hey man, would you like to give a test drive to my project? It's a website builder, you might like it"

I decided to give it a go. It was called Livelogue - and it quickly became my main website builder that I'm using to date. Yes it's free - and the payment fees from each purchase are at around 3-5% - much better than Gumroad's 10%

Here is my landing page as of now

Using a good contrast of yellow, black and white I managed to create an eyecatching landing page.

What more of it? Well - I'm still reiterating.

I noticed that I need to match this rebrand to both my newsletter and Twitter profile - something that I'll be progressing towards this very week.

Simple gameplan I use

• Create Twitter account

• Get 1,000 followers, focus on networking and growth

• Slap several valuable giveaways, ask questions in AutoDMs

• Optimize your profile from the getgo

• Build your email list step by step

• Sell those digitial products you gave away with time

• Use emails to pitch

• Create sales funnels through your landing page with irresistible clickables

• Hop on Spaces, generate inbound leads through fans

• Compound, repeat

It can't get easier than that.

Tools? Canva, Livelogue/Typedream/Carrd, Gumroad, Notion.

You don't need much.

As I said, this issue will be much shorter because it's the last one before a proper rebranding and actually improving this newsletter.

I want to take it to the next level - and it shall be done.

Be on the lookout my friend.

Hoping to see you soon.

• Seb, out