Solo Success Blueprint: A 5-Step Guide to Building a Profitable One-Person Online Business

Now is the perfect time to build a profitable one-person online business.

Thanks to the advancement of technology, it is easier than ever to get started.

With new no-code tools, it is possible to create an entire business without needing to know how to code.

There are countless examples of solopreneurs and one-person businesses that have become multimillion-dollar empires just by posting on social media platforms.

This goes to show that it is possible to find success with an online business, even if you don’t have all the resources.

So, if you have something to offer the world, now is your chance to make it happen.

Take the time to learn what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur and create our own success stories.

1. For someone building a profitable one-person online business, your expertise is your niche

Your area of expertise lies at the convergence of your skills, personal interests, and the demands of your target audience. By its very nature, it is distinctive, as it encompasses both your professional capabilities and the preferences of your clientele.

1. Your skills. Being the world’s foremost expert in a subject is not a prerequisite for excelling in it. In fact, people often learn most effectively from those who have only recently surpassed them.
2. Your personal interests. Choose a subject that serves as an inspiration to you, driving you to produce content on a regular basis. Unless you are passionate and truly interested in your chosen topic, you will likely not have the endurance to continue.
3. The demands of your target audience. People will pay you to solve a problem for them. For the sake of your confidence, figure out your process for helping them solve a problem with you.

Let’s use my business as an example:

1. I’ve been a marketer and business founder for many years.
2. I love teaching people how to productize their knowledge and get more leads from LinkedIn.
3. People want to level up their sales and marketing and turn their expertise into income.

2. Use other people’s audiences

In the age of internet entrepreneurship, the phrase “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” takes on an even greater significance. When building or expanding your online business, leveraging your existing relationships is a powerful strategy.

But where do you start?

Begin by making a list.

Jot down all the people you know who might be relevant to your industry. Think broadly. This list could include friends, family, past and present colleagues, classmates from any educational institutions you’ve attended, and even acquaintances from social events. The key is to remember that each person you know is a link to another network of people.

Once you’ve got your list, consider each person’s potential audience. Are any of them in a position to connect you with an audience that might be interested in your product or service? Remember, this isn’t about using people or being manipulative. It’s about mutually beneficial relationships. Do you have a service or product that can provide value to their audience? Can you offer guest posts or podcasts, or could you co-host a webinar?

Next, make a plan to reach out to these individuals. Craft personalized messages explaining what you’re doing and how you believe it could benefit their audience. Make sure your request is explicit, whether it’s regarding the chance to write a guest post for their blog, be a guest on their podcast, or have your content shared with their mailing list.

Remember, the goal here isn’t to ‘sell’ to your contacts, but to establish and nurture relationships.

Instead of pushing your product or service, offer something valuable that can benefit their followers. By doing so, you’re ultimately strengthening their connection with their audience.

This approach not only puts your offer in front of more people, it also gives your business a credibility boost. Being introduced to an audience by someone they already know and trust is much more powerful than approaching them cold.

3. Be consistent

You’ve leaned into your expertise and you’ve started reaching out to your friends and colleagues to see where you can borrow their audiences.

Now it’s time to start creating content on your own channels.

Create a content schedule that works for you around your schedule.

My schedule looks like this:

1. Post once per week (alternating between video content and written content)
2. Use those posts to fill the non-essential social media channels
3. Take the time to carve out my content marketing plan for LinkedIn specifically
4. Send at least one email per week to my list

Instead of dedicating time to trying to catch up on social media, I am focusing on my business and savoring my free time. For the most part. You’ll still find me online at odd hours.

4. Send more emails

I mentioned this in my above schedule, but well-paid experts are great at communicating with their lists. They know that building a relationship with someone over email is simply different than any other social channel.

Let’s say you’re at a dinner party. If you stand in the corner without saying anything, it’s likely no one will notice you. But, if you engage, tell compelling stories, and share valuable insights, people are more likely to remember you and seek you out for future interactions. Email marketing works the same way. It’s not about being the loudest in the room; it’s about being the most memorable.

Of course, the content of your emails matters tremendously. When you consistently provide your audience with valuable content such as actionable tips, heartfelt narratives, and useful products or services, they will eagerly anticipate and eagerly open your emails instead of feeling annoyed.

“But what should I write about?” you may ask.

Start with your stories and experiences. Share your journey as an entrepreneur, your successes and failures, your lessons learned. Showcase your personality – let your readers see the human behind the brand. This not only makes you relatable but also helps to foster a deeper connection with your audience.

Next, focus on your offers. Remember, you’re solving a problem your audience has. Whether it’s a product or a service you’re offering, frame it in a way that it’s the solution to their challenges. Share customer testimonials, case studies, or sneak peeks to build anticipation and trust.

In addition, don’t forget to educate your audience. Share insights related to your industry, updates about your field, and actionable tips they can implement. Your audience will appreciate the free value you’re providing, and it positions you as an expert in your niche.

Remember, email isn’t just a marketing tool. It’s a platform to build relationships, establish trust, and create value. Treat it as such, and you’ll be amazed at the transformation it can bring to your online business.

5. Keep your revenue streams simple at first, then add complexity later

Many entrepreneurs tend to complicate the process of making money. They are often influenced by individuals promoting complex “sales funnels” or other sophisticated strategies.

However, you can begin with a simple approach.

Concentrate on directing your audience from social media platforms to an email list. From there, lead them to a product page where they can effortlessly make a purchase.

This is a direct method to increase your revenue!

Keep it as uncomplicated as you can.

The Well-Paid Expert framework has two pieces:

1. Working with higher-paying clients. And finding them using a straightforward approach to outreach on LinkedIn. I have a free video training that breaks this down.
2. Building a sales funnel for your digital products. When you start earning more money by following the advice to “double your rates!”, which you have probably heard from many people, then you can create a complex sales funnel. This is what I teach in my mastermind, and I teach it from a sales and marketing perspective, so you’re doing a lot of market research before you build anything. Learn more about that one here.

The TL:DR;

1. Your expertise is your niche
2. Use other people’s audiences
3. Be consistent
4. Send more emails
5. Make easy money first, complicate later

Remember, you have what it takes to be successful, online and off. But if you need any help at all, let me know. I’m cheering for you!