I've reached a new goal! Make $1000 from a Side Project. 🥳
Took me ~2 months and 24 sales to reach this goal!
Here is a list of things I've learned building products for more than 1 year (Hope it can motivate and inspire you) :
- Find a problem, not an idea
- Don't spend too much money on your first side projects: you can even start with 0€, literally. Use Netlify or Glitch for example to host your product
- Pre-sale your project ASAP. If you make ~5 pre-orders: Motivation++ and you validate your project
- Go as fast as you can. 1 month is enough to test your project. Why? Because you'll get bored.
- Avoid distractions, use https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/just-focus/gefaddaengbodpiobpbgblajdboalmgc on chrome/brave
- SELL YOUR F*CKING PROJECT. Stop giving full access for free, it's stupid! Even $1. Free users are annoying, they want more for free, and if someday you make a paid tier, they won't understand and you'll get bad feedback.
- Work on your personal brand ASAP
- Run your own race. Stop comparing yourself with experienced Makers. Learn from them.
- Ignore fake experts
- Ignore bad comments
- Learn something new every day
- Start small
- Use the tools/stack you know
- Surround yourself with productive and smart people
- Follow your instinct
- Enjoy.
Can you elaborate on why this is so important?
The challenge is no longer not being able to find the information/product you need, but rather selecting the right ebook/course/SaaS from many possible options. In this great post by Cedric Chin he talks about the ways people determine what is true and make decisions:
By building a personal brand, you give people a lot more datapoints they can apply across these axes. e.g.
This all leads to greater trust, which means people are more willing to take a risk with you (i.e. parting with their hard-earned cash).
The good news is that personal branding is a big term and it's possible to start in small chunks. This diagram is useful:
I elaborate more in this post. It's not that great though, I'm getting quite tired of writing posts only to realise Cedric Chin has written a better one :)
Outstanding! Thank you Christopher
When you are a beginner (like me), it's easier to make your first sales when you build trust. ANd to build trust, you need to work on your personal brand.
I've made 90% of my sales from people who follows me since 2020
(This is my point of view)
Genuinely helpful advice. Thanks Florian!
You're welcome 🤜🤛
You nailed it Florian! Congrats!
🤜🤛
👏👏
Thanks for this list! Good tips!
Thanks 🤜🤛
Congrats and great list btw :)
Thanks buddy 🙌
So you mean a FREEMIUM model won't work for new startups?
FREE with limited access, Premium with full access?
"Free users are annoying, they want more for free" --> so true
Hi! Great stuff. I tried watching the video on your homepage but it's not loading. Is it just me?
Great post! I am feeling inspired now! I just got my second sale today for http://supercharge.dev/! But, there is so much more to do!
Can you share more on how you marketed your product?
Post your projects in all places possible and answer any questions ASAP :
https://www.indiehackers.com/
https://www.producthunt.com/
https://news.ycombinator.com/show
https://betalist.com/submit
http://10words.io/
https://betapage.co/
https://fiddy.co/
This is so useful! Thank you so much!
What's your project?
https://www.indiehackers.com/product/mistral This one :)