Biz Experiments
I'm doing some business experiments to follow the fun. Want a peek?
This week put my word of the year–FUN–to the test! For the past 6 or so weeks I’ve been focusing on LinkedIn for outreach because it makes the most sense on paper. I paid for sales navigator so I could get access to so many more profile searches, with more specificity. And I learned that I can do 200 connection requests per week, total 800 per month. Makes total sense and I should do this all year, right?
I jumped in with both feet.
Last week I told my fellow masterminders in Shannon Mattern’s Next Level Mastermind (I’m an affiliate so if you’re a web designer and end up joining, tell her I sent you!) that I was gonna…and I quote “Max that shit out”.
Cause I’m classy ;-)
By the end of the week I had done 161 outreaches. 161!!!
Some were initial connection requests (I stopped personalizing and am only sending blank ones), some were follow-up messages to people who accepted my requests, and some were back and forth convos.
I successfully got one person to do a research call with me which was amazing for content fodder…then decided I can find people to do that outside of LinkedIn and it’s not my highest priority so stopped doing that.
I also started reaching out to photographers so I can make a directory of them for my clients across the united states and got a yes from one of those. Then again…decided that isn’t my priority right now.
So several experiments in and results proving these things work. BUT…something felt off.
I felt like I was putting on this sort of mantle, like someone else’s “success suit” and it wasn’t quite right for me. I did check myself (journaling ftw!) in case it was fear talking, but ultimately realized that just because something is great on paper doesn’t mean it’s the end-all be-all for me.
I’m not stopping linkedin. But for the rest of this month, I’m just going to send connection requests and document people’s accounts and their websites. That way I’ll walk away from my one paid month on sales nav with a database of potential leads that I can reach out to later.
Mission: be visible + make connections + get leads? = Successful
Mission: Fun? = Let me tell you all about it!
The marketing angle I’m pursuing that’s more fun to me right now, is Instagram. Specifically, doing a limited time Reel Series on Instagram. Then, if I like the first one, I’ll do some more!
You see, a few years ago I did a fun Instagram experiment where I set aside all expectations of results and decided to just post every day for 30 days to be helpful in a fun way. I paired a walking goal of 20k steps (which quickly changed to 10k), with sharing a Sales Page Tip every day. For 30 days in a row. (minus weekends)
I didn’t think I’d succeed because I’m always getting on my own case about my inability to be CONSISTENT lol. But guess what? I did it!
It gave me more confidence in myself, I felt proud, and it even kicked off a new goal of recording a year’s worth of social posts so I could have them going out on auto-pilot 3x a week.
I never would have believed before that experiment, that I was capable of it. So many successes.
And if you’re wondering if I made money? Yes. Yes I did!
Not directly from a reel…indirectly, from sharing all those reels tidbits to my own newsletter list. A subscriber saw those, realized my experience with sales pages would help her Saas company and hired me on retainer for a few months. So I made around $15k from that experiment where I expected nothing.
So here we are, several years later, and I’m back in the game baby!
I’m currently on Day TWO of 2 Weeks of Coaching Website Wisdom and having an amazing time. It feels light and refreshing and helpful. Just like I wanted it to. I’m having to work a little harder at being deliciously detatched from outcomes, but we’re getting there!
Want to check those reels out?
Here’s the Intro Reel
Day One (the 9 pages every coaching website needs), and…
Day Two (the most critical section of your whole site).
And now that I’ve spent about 10 paragraphs talking all about me, let’s focus on YOU!
Are you an online coach?
Maybe you’re just getting started, fresh out of certification and no clue how to start a site.
Or you made a DIY site and aren’t sure how to get the word out.
Or you’ve been in the game for a year or two but sales are inconsistent and you’re looking to improve that.
This post is relevant to all of those situations!
The focus here is to get out there and be visible. Your mind will do everything in it’s power to protect you when you start doing this. So if you wrap that scary visibility step inside mini-experiments, you can often trick yourself into feeling safe long enough to actually get seen.
Your Action Items:
Make yourself a little time-bound experiment.
Make it as tiny as possible.
Write down how it feels, and what results you get (or don’t get).
The point here isn’t to get sales (yet). The point here is to take action! Try things out. See what sticks.
Or maybe nothing “sticks” permanently for you…maybe you’re the type of person who prefers a menu of options at all times. You won’t know until you try.
What will your first business experiment be? I’m here to bounce ideas if ya need ‘em!