Getting started. Don’t think about the blog.

So, yesterday, I posted the link to the Daily subscriber survey again. And, one of the things that came up, once again, is HOW TO GET STARTED.

Specifically, I know that one big hurdle at the beginning is WHAT TO OFFER.

I think we get that there’s a huge difference between a blog and a business. It is one of those points that I hammer constantly. And, one respondent to the survey called that idea “revolutionary” for him. Which is cool. 🙂

But, that leads to the natural question…

What do you build the business around if you have nothing to offer?

And… if you’re not particularly an expert on anything, how do you proceed?

Let me try to free this up for ya. Obviously, I cannot give you the answer. There’s no way that I could come in and tell you the right business for you. Only you can do that. BUT…

I find that many newbies who come to me get their knickers in a twist over this one because they are stuck in this mindset of blogging. And gurus with their training courses.

To be a newbie and think you have to go into the “expert business” would be paralyzing for many. A lot of people are just livin’ their lives, not trying to be an expert. But, they want to build a side hustle (or potential full-time business) online and don’t know where to go with it because everybody seems to be talking about online training and blogs and all that jazz.

Forget all that.

Forget blogging.

Forget thinking that you have to be a disseminator of information or a “guru” to succeed online.

Instead, keep in mind that…

All you need is a product or service that others will find valuable.

It doesn’t matter if you like it. It doesn’t matter if you’re passionate about it. It doesn’t matter, even, if you’re a “guru” at it.

All that matters is you’re willing to do it.

Go out into the “real world”. Look at the kinds of businesses people start up.

Go for a drive some time and look at the stores and businesses. Go on Craigslist and look at the service offers. Take a look-see at Facebook Marketplace.

People pay for things which make their lives easier. They pay for solutions to problems. They pay for things which give them an advantage.

Could be tutoring. Could be repair work. Could be business services. Could be food prep or catering. I mean… the list is damn near infinite.

You think a carpet cleaner has a passion for cleaning carpet? You think he sat there and evaluated the “carpet cleaning niche”? No, they do it (and make money at it) because they were willing to do it, even if it isn’t exciting. And hell, Joe Polish is a pretty well known marketing guy now who got his start as a carpet cleaner. So, one thing can lead to another.

Point is… think in terms first of what you can do for people. Not what you can teach them.

And it can even be a local, in-person business, too. You CAN apply the online marketing stuff we discuss around here to a local business. Works just as well.

I hope I’m making sense here.

Think of a business idea. Not a blog idea.

Think of a problem you can solve for people directly. Not a “niche”.

Entrepreneurs solve problems and get paid to do it. Bloggers… like to talk about problems.

Let’s get out of this artificial box we’ve put around “online business”. Get out of the guru cage of “passive income”. I know it is sexy. And, yes, it is doable and it’s totally fine. But…

It’s just business. Adding the word “online” to it doesn’t change the fundamentals.

– David