17 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
17 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Mission 1 accomplished, what's next?

by JohnColtrane
14 replies
Hello guys,

I love this forum and I've found plenty of useful information. I have a question, but please let me introduce you the context.

I have a website in the field of guitar learning. It's 1 year old, PR3, it has about 300 visitors a day (70% organic, 25% social, 5% backlinks). I don't wanted to compete in the online guitar lessons field because it's full of big and famous websites. Instead my site provides free online software tools complimentary to guitar learning, such as metronome, music games, scales and chords diagrams creator, and so on (I'm also a software designer so I can code everything from scracth).

I have a list (2400 subscribers) and a set of 5 autoresponders for new subscribers with content and a couple of affiliate offers. To stimulate users to subscribe I give to registered users a couple of scales and chords ebook.

I'm affiliated with a couple of online guitar lessons products. Commissions are quite high so with 3/4 sales a month I can reach easily 100/150$. I put affiliate link and sample lessons on website, emails and ebooks.

I consider that the first step is accomplished (100/150$ month+building list).

I'm wondering about the next step, how to scale the whole thing up.

I see different options:

- increase visitors number, with the hope that the conversion rate of the affiliate program sales will be the same. But for this I need a specific type of pre-qualified traffic so I think I have to pay for this kind of traffic. I don't know how to find this traffic source.

- push offers in the list, with more aggressive campaigns, but I fear that users would be annoyed and unsubscribe from the list

- build a brand new, downloadable guitar software, and the sell it directly on site. I have some ideas and in my list I'm collecting ideas from users (in one of the autoresponders I ask user their wishlist: what is the feature you'd like in a new software guitar? I have not too may answer but I had good inputs.

ops, more than one question....sorry

thank you in advance to everybody for any suggestion will come.
#accomplished #mission
  • Profile picture of the author Ghoster
    #3 seems to align best with your skill set. If you can do it without sacrificing your current income, go for it!

    Why not make a smartphone app based on the freemium model?
    Signature

    On the whole, you get what you pay for.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9153288].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author IanGreenwood
    Depends on whether you're happy being the guy in the background who produces the guitar software or if you actually want to become a "name" in the market along side all the other big names.

    The easiest thing to do would be start your own affiliate program and then approach all the other "big names" with big lists and sign them up as your affiliates. They promote your software to their lists. They make money and so do you - except you grow your list as well. They can't compete with you (you have the tech skills to produce the software, they don't) and you are not in direct competition with them (you produce software, they teach guitar) but you get to harvest their lists.

    If you want to step out from behind the software business you could organise a few recorded audio interviews with other big guitar names and talk to them about something of interest to your audience - say, How to land your first record deal, etc. This would lead into a series, which could become a big audio product in it's own right.

    You could easily put these interviews on a monthly program, and charge a monthly subscription. As the presenter you would get exposure to all the other big names, and essentially (in a short time) become "one of them!"

    You would, of course, allow each of those interviewed to release their particular interview, on their site, to their list, to promote the series. Again, harvesting others lists for new customers.

    There are several ways to ramp up your income.
    Signature

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9153485].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author lotsofsnow
    [DELETED]
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9153830].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author webmonopoly
      Originally Posted by hpgoodboy View Post

      Just take those 2 points:

      "about 300 visitors a day" and "100/150$ month"

      That means each visitor to your site is worth $0.30 to $0.50.

      If you would invest in paid traffic and pay less than $0.30 per visitor you should
      make a profit plus grow your subscriber list on top of it.

      You can use Facebook PPC for example to accomplish that.

      Start with 1 campaign and a tiny budget, $5 per day and see how that goes.
      How did you come up with 0.30 cents each?
      Signature
      Want To Make Real Passive Income? InvestorChamp.com
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9153973].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author lotsofsnow
        [DELETED]
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9155377].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author webmonopoly
          Originally Posted by hpgoodboy View Post

          Well, I looked at the numbers and that seemed to make sense.

          Here is what you can do:

          1. take a calculator
          2. switch it on
          3. key in 100 (that is from the $100 part)
          4. find the divide sign
          5. press the divide sign
          6. key in 300 (that is from the number of visitors)
          7. find the equal key
          8. press the equal key
          9. observe the number on the display (should be 0.333333333)

          10. now come some tricky evaluation stuff:

          know that if the traffic brings in $0.33 per visitor and you get the traffic
          for $0.30 or less you make a profit.

          If all this makes sense now: awesome

          If this still does not make sense a course in elementary math and another in operating electronic calculators and another in evaluating data might prove useful.
          He's making $100/$150 a month, not per day.

          so 30X300 is 9000 visitors a month.

          100/9000 + = 0.01
          Signature
          Want To Make Real Passive Income? InvestorChamp.com
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9155452].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author karlmay1980
          Originally Posted by hpgoodboy View Post

          Well, I looked at the numbers and that seemed to make sense.

          Here is what you can do:

          1. take a calculator
          2. switch it on
          3. key in 100 (that is from the $100 part)
          4. find the divide sign
          5. press the divide sign
          6. key in 300 (that is from the number of visitors)
          7. find the equal key
          8. press the equal key
          9. observe the number on the display (should be 0.333333333)

          10. now come some tricky evaluation stuff:

          know that if the traffic brings in $0.33 per visitor and you get the traffic
          for $0.30 or less you make a profit.

          If all this makes sense now: awesome

          If this still does not make sense a course in elementary math and another in operating electronic calculators and another in evaluating data might prove useful.
          But that is is the site only had 300 visitors per month, it has that per day so the actual value is $0.01 per visitor, when I went to school anyway and without a calculator and i'm dyslexic!

          Looks a little bit more difficult to monetise from ads and make profit without a set of more premium products on the backend.

          I would look at the appm suggestion, offering free version with ads and also premium version without, you can also promote some of your affiliate offers from there and link to your site to send further traffic.

          hope that helps a little.
          Signature
          Want To Make Your First £10,000 Online?
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9155471].message }}
          • Profile picture of the author webmonopoly
            Originally Posted by karlmay1980 View Post

            But that is is the site only had 300 visitors per month, it has that per day so the actual value is $0.01 per visitor, when I went to school anyway and without a calculator and i'm dyslexic!

            Looks a little bit more difficult to monetise from ads and make profit without a set of more premium products on the backend.

            I would look at the appm suggestion, offering free version with ads and also premium version without, you can also promote some of your affiliate offers from there and link to your site to send further traffic.

            hope that helps a little.
            I was a little shocked at his sarcastic answer considering he apparently needs to go to elementary school for english reading. He sounded so confident in himself I thought that maybe I went wrong somewhere lol.
            Signature
            Want To Make Real Passive Income? InvestorChamp.com
            {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9155503].message }}
            • Profile picture of the author karlmay1980
              Originally Posted by webmonopoly View Post

              I was a little shocked at his sarcastic answer considering he apparently needs to go to elementary school for english reading. He sounded so confident in himself I thought that maybe I went wrong somewhere lol.
              Its easy to make a mistake but then to question others that put you right wasn't the best idea, and I got the same impression as you, which is why I posted, your post must of been wrote while I was reading the thread.

              We all got there in the end so all good though!
              Signature
              Want To Make Your First £10,000 Online?
              {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9156870].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author thedanbrown
    There are a few ways for you to scale up in this situation. Firstly, drive more traffic is the most obvious way.. more traffic should equal more sales assuming your conversion rate stays the same.

    Second, create an autoresponder for your list that builds a relationship with them and also offers paid resources that help them get their desired result. You can also mix in broadcast messages in there as well.

    Third, and the most lucrative but also carries the most work is to create your own product or service, could be an information product with your favorite beginner songs, could be you giving guitar lessons, could even be an ebook that shows how to go through an online guitar lesson site fast and then you can use your affiliate link for them to join that online guitar lessons site.

    You have many different options but I would suggest driving more traffic, and leveraging your email list. Then down the road once you have a stable income coming in you can create your own products.
    Signature

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9155497].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author workoutstuff1
    Host a free online webinar. Teach a few special things in the webinar, and at the end offer a special product for those who attended your webinar.

    After the webinar is over, place ads giving people the chance to watch the replay of your webinar if they sign up for your email list. You will continue to make money off the product that you offered at the end of your live webinar.
    Signature
    http://<font face="Arial"><font size...</font></font>
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9156017].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author shakamon
    1. first thing i would do is look to improve your conversion rate by split testing for a better optin rate and closing sales page rate. Before you worry about building more traffic make sure you are optimizing the traffic you already have.

    2. Second thing i would do is expand the autoresponder, I think you said you have a 5 series. turn it into a 20-30 series by mixing in emails of value, keep them plugged in but make sure to space them out.

    3. Increase traffic-
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9156510].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Alice12345
    Facebook ads is one of the good choice, you can start it small and see how it goes.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9156608].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author marketingdynasty
      I say focus on building your list more....try to double the subscribers you currently have on your list.

      Even when someone unsubscribes - you are not affected because you are constantly driving traffic to build your list of subscribers.

      Once you finish your new software - market that to your list that you have doubled in subscribers.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9156852].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author amuro
    Originally Posted by JohnColtrane View Post

    Hello guys,

    I love this forum and I've found plenty of useful information. I have a question, but please let me introduce you the context.

    I have a website in the field of guitar learning. It's 1 year old, PR3, it has about 300 visitors a day (70% organic, 25% social, 5% backlinks). I don't wanted to compete in the online guitar lessons field because it's full of big and famous websites. Instead my site provides free online software tools complimentary to guitar learning, such as metronome, music games, scales and chords diagrams creator, and so on (I'm also a software designer so I can code everything from scracth).

    I have a list (2400 subscribers) and a set of 5 autoresponders for new subscribers with content and a couple of affiliate offers. To stimulate users to subscribe I give to registered users a couple of scales and chords ebook.

    I'm affiliated with a couple of online guitar lessons products. Commissions are quite high so with 3/4 sales a month I can reach easily 100/150$. I put affiliate link and sample lessons on website, emails and ebooks.

    I consider that the first step is accomplished (100/150$ month+building list).

    I'm wondering about the next step, how to scale the whole thing up.

    I see different options:

    - increase visitors number, with the hope that the conversion rate of the affiliate program sales will be the same. But for this I need a specific type of pre-qualified traffic so I think I have to pay for this kind of traffic. I don't know how to find this traffic source.

    - push offers in the list, with more aggressive campaigns, but I fear that users would be annoyed and unsubscribe from the list

    - build a brand new, downloadable guitar software, and the sell it directly on site. I have some ideas and in my list I'm collecting ideas from users (in one of the autoresponders I ask user their wishlist: what is the feature you'd like in a new software guitar? I have not too may answer but I had good inputs.

    ops, more than one question....sorry

    thank you in advance to everybody for any suggestion will come.


    Congratulations for your accomplishments.

    You might consider reinvesting some of your profits into solo and Facebook ads.

    At the same time, seek out all guitar groups on Facebook and forums. But do not spam them with your links.

    Instead, get connected, ask questions or help the members as much as you can in order to build relationship with them and gain their trust.
    Signature
    Get My FREE Course On Affiliate Marketing
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9156864].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author JohnColtrane
    thank you everybody for your comments.
    I've got a lot of useful advices. I think that I should continue building my list, while coding my guitar software product. I'll try facebook ads in order to get more traffic. I'll let you know what will happen in the next months :-D
    thank you again
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[9157723].message }}

Trending Topics