I'm about to start, but I feel stuck.

I think you have to analyze his job and try and do it better. It is not that complex to find mistakes when looking at the big picture. My suggestion is to focus in this direction. You may also try and find answers to the following questions:

1) Is the competitor perfect?
2) How does he attract potential customers?
3) Can you offer a better service?

In my opinion, you should start once you are sure you can offer something different and better. This way you may attract new users and also the ones that use the services of the competitor.

Is 'this niche' your area of expertise - do you have a proven record in the field, name recognition or stats to offer potential clients? You are 'about to launch' and 'planing to launch' - do you have a business plan, have you created videos or courses? I am assuming this is a niche you are quite familiar with?

Why are you afraid to compete? Surely you can come up with your own 'hook' to attract customers...if there is competition, it means there is a market for your services. You need to go after your SHARE of the market - don't have to dominate it.

Yes I think you are overthinking - and that is completely normal when facing the challenge of starting a new business. You recognize it so time to get started.

You're welcome

If you have the knowledge and the skills needed to coach and teach, creating online video courses is one approach you can take, as you mention. It will earn you money online every time a student purchases your course.

If you offer your courses for purchase online, you're likely to attract the beginner market because of the price point (cheaper).

One way you can start is by selling your courses in established sites with a large base of potential buyers like Udemy, Skillshare, WizIQ, Kajabi, Teachable or TalentLMS. One of them is bound to be a better fit for what you teach.

Doing this first can help you build your confidence. I really don't think people will care about your accent (if you have one) as long as you're providing value.

What's best about the above is that you can easily be making your money from the comfort of your home. Obviously you will want to jump to consulting face-to-face to get the high-paying clients you allude to. But selling online courses and be the right start to boost your confidence.

All the best,
Jay

You are over thinking about this. I would advice you to get started whatever the other guy is doing, you need to do it 10x better than him. You need to add more value to your customers/audience. The key to success is getting started, don't wait for the right time.

My advice is to check what the other guy is doing and repolish it with your skills to present it a better way. Also, search his traffic source.

Yeah, Italy is way too small, like 60 million people.

Come off it.

It solves the non-native language problem, and it could be the differentiator you are on about.

As you mentioned, creating video online courses is going to be helpful in this field.

Try to find out and analyze what your competitor is doing in terms of content production and marketing, where is he getting his traffic from and take a look at his social media posts.

Then make a note of what makes you different from him. Your knowledge and skills in this field, the value you bring to the table and maybe the fact that you're from Italy can differentiate you from your competitor. I believe that you can provide these courses in both Italian and English.

If your video courses appeal to the audience, address their pain points and resolve their queries, you will definitely become an authority in the field in the future. I'd just suggest you to get started!

You say there is another "big guy" that is your competition. It is highly likely there is a lot more competition than that. There can still be room for other people like yourself to get in the game.

Very often when it comes to coaching the "big guys" can be great in general but do not provide personally customized help. Maybe you can focus on providing ongoing hands on individual help, rather than one-size-fits-all general guidance.

You also might consider marketing for both languages. It might not be that much more work and you have more potential customers.

If it helps your confidence at all - your posts are well written in English. You communicate well and English should not be an obstacle in your coaching.

You must put out some teaching videos of yours'. See the response for your service.
Then move on to compare your videos with that of the "Big guy". Then move on to finding your USP. How would you know your USP until you bring real content into the market. then build on your USP and improve your weaknesses.

If you're talking about the high ticket closing niche, this is a common business model, most frequently pushed by Dan Lok.

There are way more "big guys" than you may know about. And they've been doing it a lot longer than you.

I co-founded a business like this. There's a reason I sold my interest and am no longer in it.

Don't think you'll "just get some hired gun closers."

Don't think those closers will "take care of themselves" and won't need any coaching.

Don't think your clients, if you can land any, will automatically be able to generate affordable call bookings in the quantity you need to be profitable.

Two years ago this was an open field.

Nowadays it's thick with pretenders and folks who have been sold the dream.

Can you succeed in it? I have some friends who have...but on the other hand, I have other friends who are constantly pivoting around it.

The hiring, training, coaching, systems, accountability, leadership, leadgen, qualification, * actual closing skill *, client expectations management and more are ALL SERIOUS ISSUES you need to deal with.

If you're not talking about high ticket closing, but instead the agency model of lead generation, you still have most of these problems. Clients in that business are NEVER happy.

You have far bigger problems than branding and positioning to get the attention of prospective clients.

The only way to get better and learn your audience is to get started. None of us are doing anything that hasn't been done before and there is always competition.

The thing is, your personality, your voice, and your method of teaching is what will set you apart. Start putting yourself out there, start building an audience by providing content, tips, and strategies to help people- start a FB group and provide value to people looking for what you are teaching, that's a great way to start building an audience.

And learn to write copy WELL- don't tell people about YOU- tell them about their problems, and how you solve them.

Approach it with a strategy of providing value and service to people, that's why they will love you and want to hire you.

One important aspect of differentiating your personal brand and another person's brand is.. credentials. Does the "big guy" have better credentials than your own? If he does and he markets his credentials well than that is one of the biggest reasons why he is successful. Can you compete with his credentials?


Do you have experience advising people that are used to giving advice? If yes, then make it known to anyone and everyone.

I know I'm old school and that's not so popular now days but it has served me well. "Over thinking it". Ya Think. Screw that so called big guy, why are you worried about what he does with his business. If we all worried about so called "Big Guys" there won't even be a Warrior Forum or most of the successful Warriors that come around here. I've been around online marketing since the mid 1990's/ I've had a blast and made a heck of a lot of money! Not once can I remember ever being concerned about what anyone is doing in the niches I work, else I'd probably be a sad and miserable old cuss.

I say "F" that "Big Guy". Have you done your homework? Do you beleive there's money to be made (Good Money) pursuing your business plan? Do you have a business plan or has that Big Guy taken that from you already? You need to put that negative crapolla in the garbage where it belongs. You're better then he is anyway! You know, when the money starts rolling in other than skydiving or making love there isn't a feeling in the world any better. Stop the mind numbing Big Guy stuff and just get to work. They've opened the aircraft's door its time to exit the aircraft and enjoy the ride from 20,000 feet!

Good Luck
All The Best
Paul

I think you're putting the cart before the horse, OP

BLOG about your niche and build a following first

Your following will tell you the DIRECTION you should SPECIALIZE in

I think you need to make some credentials first if you don't have them.
You are about to start a good business btw.

Your problem is that you have no mentors.
The digital field is too slippy.
Without a mentor, It will be hard to keep yourself stable.
Why I can realize the problem? Because at the beginning period of my carrier,
I have faced but with the help of mentors, I have found the solution. I have make myself dynamic enough. Now, methinks that your mentor can be your best solution

Whats your niche? You say there's a big guy who's already doing what you're planning to do but are there more competitors out there? I think its niche dependent.

I understand exactly where you're coming from. There is competition, such as Udemy and similar sites. You can differentiate yourself through personalization and branding. By the way, have you considered using Udemy to upload some stuff? You could make a course solely for that platform.

In my experience (off line), every coach has their own unique way they explain things and have a spin on any topic. (Happens online too see the 'me too' product launches following a success by one marketer!)

If you are a unique voice, your way of telling personal stories to make a point or illustrate a concept will gel with a section of your audience and make you fire proof.

Others will not gel and that is where you need to hold firm with your own ways and not change to suit the few who you will not reach (or annoy!)

Just do it - get on with it and use YOUR unique voice.

Hi brother, the answer is in your words.
Price your course the double than your competition. If you have something solid and you giving real value, you can do it.

May i know who is the big guy?
The problem with the big guys is the advertising budget they have. They can spend let's say 5K in Fb ads and get rid of you in few days. So keep this in mind.

The beginners are not able to give enough value to the market in order to be paid well. So you can sell of course to beginners the High ticket strategy but it won't work because the beginner do not have enough experience in order to actually deliver solid results.

Don't be afraid. If your course is really better than the one of your competitor, go ahead and price it high and focus on a niche.
If you feel like your course is not that great, learn more, evolve and do it better.

You have to be really the best in your niche in order to teach that stuff, otherwise you will end up in beign just another mediocre course out there, promising to teach thing which do not work.

Do you have some solid testimonials? Use them. There is a lot you can do but you have to believe that you are really putting out there some solid content.

Cheers.

There's always competition which is a strong indicator. This is obvious client acquisition. It seems yours is very niche, so it can be niche tailored. You'd stand out your own way and have reasons for new clients, so I wouldn't hesitate.

Hi Jame, you are competing against no one. Your fear-mind creates this untrue idea. We live in abundance. No shortage exists. You and this established person both have access to unlimited wealth, so, carry on and prosper.

Ryan

You just need a creative graphic designer and video editor [like me for example ] to help you promote you, your face, your name and what you can do for your potential clients. That's all.

Let me ask you a question? Where does these " big guys" with all the credentials started? Do they started off big? They started out just like you do. This is a long term business. You need to build things up so that you can be a "big guy" some day too. But lamenting and doing nothing in between will put you where you are now 6 months later.

There are so many opportunities out there.. you just have to start! Unless you take action you can't be a success!

Marian

I think you should follow your strengths and your expertise. Dont worry about the big guy. Maybe spy on your competitiors sites and see where you may differentiate yourself from them. Take good notes and maybe re educate yourself because some of their tactics and practices are outdated. You can even point the discrepencies out with your competitors, stating facts without actually naming the opposing business. Never stop growing and creating content for your business. You never know your "little business" can turn out to be a big guy in the long run with future warriors interested in business consulting trying to figure out how to leapfrog your business.

A good site design will do wonders for your business as well, always making yourself available through email and phone calls.

I think you should just get started.

Don't compare yourself to other. We each have our own unique characteristics. You are uniquely you, and you will attract the people that are interested in you and what you offer.