Here is the quickest way I know of to start a business and make $1000.
It requires:
- NO money
- NO website
- NO business card
It’s very basic.
Find a really well-written “how-to” article. Then offer the solution that article provides as a service to everyone who expressed interest in the article. Use the step-by-step instructions from the article to learn how to offer the service.
No experience required.
Want an example?
Step-by-step process: How to make $1000 and start a business quickly
I’m going to walk you through all three steps. Follow along and do what I do.
Step 1: Find a “how-to” article
Here is an incredibly detailed article on how to set up a retargeting campaign: How to start your first $100 retargeting campaign.
You don’t need to know what retargeting is or have ever set up a campaign in your life. Just read the article.
Seriously, go read it. I’ll wait.
…
Done?
You now know more about retargeting than 99% of people online. You are an expert (in relation to nearly everyone).
Congratulations!
Tip: A few good places to find detailed marketing how-to articles are Okdork, Backlinko, Quicksprout and Buffer. If you’re not in the marketing world, just search for “How to [insert your keywords]”
Also, finding an article with a solid lead magnet really helps. That lead magnet will speed along Step 2.
Like “How to change the oil in my car” OR “How to lose 10lbs before the end of summer” OR “How to become a real estate agent”. Whatever.
Step 2: Offer the article as a service
Now your job is to take the information in the article you found and offer it as a service to everyone that shared it.
How do you do that?
First, go to Buzzsumo and enter the URL to the article (use the 14-day free trial they offer to do this step).
Then click the “View Shares” button and this will give you a list of everyone who shared the post on Twitter.
Click on the “Followers” filter at the top left. This will show you a list of Twitter users that have 1) shared the article 2) have a sizable audience (i.e. enough money to pay you for a service).
Now, you need to e-mail each person on this list with this basic e-mail.
Body Text:
Larry,
I’ve been following you since last January when I saw you share Brian Dean’s article on SEO techniques.
I love that article.
In fact, I started offering the exact process he laid out in that post as a service.
Wordstream is a really great app and I’ve put together three different SEO techniques that you could use to get more traffic to Wordstreeam (based on Brian’s advice in that article.
Here is a link to the full campaign and some projected results: [link to Google doc you put together that will blow their socks off]
Would love to help you guys implement some of Brian’s awesome strategies.
-Bryan
If you offer this to the top 25 people on the Buzzsumo list, 1 person will buy.
Charge $1,000 for the service.
BOOM! That’s how you start a business and make $1000.
Three examples of people making over $1,000 using this strategy
So, that’s the basic theory. Let me show you three quick examples of this in action.
Example #1: Devesh Khanal
Devesh read a series of articles about conversion rate optimization.
Then he made a list of dream clients who 1) had expressed interest in the articles or topic 2) that he was already familiar with.
Next he reached out to each one.
Here is the email he sent:
Devesh even included a custom video pitch in each email he sent. Here is an example of one he did for Brian Dean:
The result? He landed over $10,000 in work with Brian.
Example #2: Jonathan Siu
Jonathan read this article written by Qualaroo a little over a year ago.
Then he made a list of people that had shared the article and that he thought might be interested in having the technique taught in the article implemented at their company.
Here is the exact email he sent:
Body Text:
Hi Mark,
I just started following you on Twitter because I noticed that you shared Qualaroo’s guide on conversion rate optimization.
I love that article. In fact, I started offering the exact process they laid out in that post as a service.
Your website and blog look great and I’ve put together (based on Qualaroo’s guide) an optimization plan to help you get more subscriptions to your newsletter.
Here is a link to the full plan:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HTxW7LbJjqFHqrZLuoq-iG2LrsY5fDtclG1lwu9U_Bo/pubhtml?gid=0&single=true
I know you’re an expert at this, but if you don’t have the time to do this for yourself, I would love to help. Is this something you want?
-Jonathan
The result? Within six hours, Mark (one of the 5 prospects) emailed Jonathan back expressing interest.
And just a few days later, they struck a deal for a $2,100 contract!
Example #3: ME!
A few years back I read this article written by Wistia.
I took that article and decided to pitch a few people that followed Wistia and that I was familiar with.
Here is an example of the email I sent:
30 days later I inked a $3,000 per month contract with KISSmetrics making videos for them.
Need more ideas on the right service to offer?
My challenge to you.
Try this 5 times.
Don’t get married to one idea. Don’t look for a silver bullet. Don’t try to make a $1,000,000. Just make $1,000.
I’ve put together a list of 50 articles that are prime candidates
to be turned into service businesses. You can download that for free in the Videofruit bonus section.
