2 builders who never spoke to each other
Narrow until people can name what you do
Being known for one exact problem produces more inbound than being available for everything, because a specialist gets recalled and passed along by name while a generalist has to be looked up. That is also what breaks the dependence on marketplaces where the only variable left is price.
The method
- 01
Narrowing generates more inbound rather than less, because a person known for one exact problem gets recalled and passed along by name.
- 02
Work your existing network and personal brand to find clients directly, rather than staying dependent on a bidding marketplace where you compete on price.
What it returned
Paul ended up known as the Shopify email person. Welsh's test is who a store owner would rather hire: someone doing digital marketing generally, or someone who fixes email sequences for stores exactly like theirs.
Sources
- [Coaching: Brad #2] — Niching Down and Using Case Studies + Getting Off Upwork To Find Clients - Double Your FreelancingZach Swinehart · doubleyourfreelancing.com · AI-Generated Summary: · 2023-12-19
- How the "Rule of One" led to a $4,985 monthJustin Welsh · justinwelsh.me · The Hidden Benefits · 2024-11-09
the second source
Three plays a week, for the phase you are in
No roundup of links, no news. Three tactics more than one builder arrived at separately, with the numbers each one returned and the disagreements left in.
More in word of mouth
- Check word of mouth exists before you build8 unconnected · contested
- Turn buyers into fans instead of buying ads6 unconnected
- Show up in person where your readers are5 unconnected
- Make the second user arrive with the first5 unconnected
- Answer support as if it were the sales channel4 unconnected
- Give the hardest customers your hours4 unconnected