How To Make 6 Figures In Less Than 6 Months With An Online Business | High Value Questions

I'm excited to start a new segment on my podcast called "High Value Questions" where I answer specific questions from my audience about building a business online. You can listen to the podcast version of this question on Apple or Spotify. 

I got this High Value Question from Olly in the UK:

"What are the most important first 3-5 things you would do if you had to start again from scratch, tomorrow and hit six figures in 6 months (as an entrepreneur with no personal brand, audience or offer)?"

First of all, what a great question! Second, I love this question because there are probably a thousand ways that you could do this, but I'll share what I would do, knowing what I know. Lastly, I love this question because I do not believe in all the 'get rich quickly' marketing that I see about entrepreneurs growing a 6 figure business in 3, 6, 12  months; it just doesn't work like that.

But let's say that all of my social media following, my email list was wiped out and I had to start from scratch all over again and not use the same topics that I've used in the past, completely new business but I could use the knowledge that I have now. 

Months 1 through 3: Creating Traffic

I'd be highly focused on establishing my niche and personal brand based around a business topic that helps provide a return on investment. The reason why is because its easier to sell offers that provide an ROI, for example one of my clients, Neshe, bought my Leveraging LinkedIn Course for $1000 but was able to create a $30k client within a month or two using my system (you can listen to her story here). Certainly not all clients will have this type of success quickly but you can see the ROI if I can help someone else recoup the money they invest in my course or coaching, it becomes a 'no brainer'. Additionally I would pick a business topic that I have authority and experience in, for example sales, building websites, etc. 

On top of that, a business topic that helps to provide an ROI is also part of the 3 'eternal markets' which are health, wellness and relationships (this ties back to our primal desires of survival and being in a tribe). 

Now that I have a Niche established, let's say sales in this instance, I pick 3 to 5 'content pillars' to start creating content around. Inside of sales, I can be talking about closing, turning objections into opportunities  (I actually turned that into an offer), prospecting, selling without selling, buyer psychology and more. I can start creating content around these pillars and attracting a following. I'd also use LinkedIn as my preferred platform because it is highly organic and filled with professionals who love to work on personal development. 

I might possibly repurpose that content onto other platforms but really I'd be spending my time engaging with others on LinkedIn and building relationships. I'd also start tracking leads with a simple spreadsheet until I could use a CRM. I wouldn't be selling anything in the beginning but just building my brand and audience. 

Month 4-5: Controlling Traffic

During months 4 and 5, I'd be starting to roll out lead magnets and cultivating my email list so that I bring leads off of social media owning that traffic. Lead magnets are a great way to offer value and build authority by giving up something of value (cheat sheet, PDF, free training, etc) in exchange for an email that you can market directly to that person. This also gives you a level of protection against your social profile being shut down (which happens a lot on Instagram apparently). 

But the best thing about a lead magnet, for example, how to turn objections into opportunities, there is good reason for calling it this because people who sign up for one are literally raising their hands for help. If someone grabs a lead magnet about objections or prospecting, it means they need help with something in sales. 

I'd also be continuing to build relationships, creating content and getting ready to launch an offer.

Month 5: Convert Traffic 

Ok this is the final month. Months 1-3 I was building traffic and my brand, plus networking. Month 4 and 5, I was cultivating my leads lists and moving traffic from social media to traffic that I own. Now it's time to convert that traffic into sales. 

This is the exact strategy that I would do (and have done): 

I'd host a 3 or 4 day challenge based around my topic (in this example it would be sales) and create something that could be a quick win, such as how to build your sales script. My goal would be to enroll as many people as I can into the free challenge but we'd also offer a $47 upgrade for special VIP sessions. The income from the VIP sessions could be used as my budget to pay for ads, this giving me even more reach. 

On Day 3 or 4 (last day of the challenge) we announce a full course about (topic) where we share everything top to bottom. As a 'quick action' bonus for signing up, we offer a strategy call as a perk. By now, you've hopefully shown your authority, helped the students with a very specific win, and identified several people that want higher levels of knowledge.

Sell the course for $497; and then set up strategy calls for those who signed up on that first day as part of the fast action bonus will be the ones who want transformation the most. On your strategy calls, you can literally map out their path to success then offer them 1x1 coaching at $8k for 6 months. 

This is a classic 'value ladder' strategy, offering multiple price points with increasing levels of support and accountability. Your hottest clients will ascend all levels of the value ladder, and if you don't use this you are literally leaving cash on the table and missing out on clients. 

The numbers I'd be shooting for to bring in $100k of Revenue on that last month:

• $47 VIP upgrade x 100 = $4700 (reinvested into ads)
• $497 Course x 80 sold = $39,000
• $8k Coaching package x 8 students = $64,000

Total income from launch would be $108k minus ad spend, so net income of $104k for this 6 month launch. 

You can literally see this in action by watching the 5 Day LinkedIn ATM Challenge, the only thing is in retrospect 4 days would have been better. Our day 5 was the Friday before Labor Day, we had a good following but that was so surprising! Better to end on a Thursday or Wed and then have a couple bonus sessions the following week. Also we sold at $997 which did well, but I think you'll sell 2x more at 1/2 the price but give yourself more opportunities to sell 1x1 packages. 

What would you do if you needed to create $100k in 6 months or less with no following and starting from scratch?