6 Unremarkable Yet Powerful Principles of Building an Online Business

by Darren Rowse

Lessons of the Journey

My Confession

We’re Not Alone

We live in remarkable times!

Chris Hunter bikeexif.com

We live in remarkable times!

Chris Hunter bikeexif.com

Christina Butcher hairromance.com

We live in remarkable times!

Chris Hunter bikeexif.com

Christina Butcher hairromance.com

Katrina Springer theorganisedhousewife.com.au

We live in remarkable times!

‘Success’ is more about DOING the things you know you should do than discovering

the secrets you don’t yet know.

1. Start

“Don’t wait until you know who you are to get started. The way you figure yourself out is by making things.”

Austin Kleon

2002

2002

Check out this blog…

no experienceno skillsno history of sticking at thingsno moneyno networkno timeno ideano ‘passions’fearperfectionism

My Excuses…

Began DissolvingOn Starting

My Excuses…

'Inaction breeds doubt and fear.!

Action breeds confidence and courage. !

If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it.

!

Go out and get busy.' !

Dale Carnegie

• readership• book deal• speaking invitations

Starting led to opportunity• income• friendship• authority and influence

passions

ideas

vocation

voice

peacediscipline

Starting led to self discovery

Starting is a Mindset

and should never be contained to a moment in time that you can tick off

your to-do list[ ]

2002

2014

2005

might be the small thing in front of you

your next big thing

2. Put Readers First

Who are your Readers?what are their…!

• needs• problems• desires• challenges• dreams• fears• goals• language• habits• loves• hates• passions

Ge Clarity About the Change You Want to See In Readers

A blog has a maximum impact when people are left different as a result of reading it

1. who are your readers?2. what do they need?3. how will they change?!

Ask These 3 Questions

Serve with…information, advice,

news, training, support,entertainment, community,education, inspiration etc

ego

traffic

profit profile

strategycontent

TEMPTATION

3. Usefulness is King

become a prolific problem solver

build problem ‘spotting’ into your workflow

build problem ‘solving’ into your workflow

Ultimately Usefulness Comes Down to the ‘Change’ you bring in your reader

ApertureApertureAperture

Shutter Speed

ISO

composition

holding a camera

lighting

manual modeconfidence

610,000 Visitors

4. Build Culture

My Successes and Failures Have Been Tied to Health of Culture

SuccessCulture Health

My Successes and Failures Have Been Tied to Health of Culture

SuccessCulture Health

My Successes and Failures Have Been Tied to Health of Culture

SuccessCulture Health

My Successes and Failures Have Been Tied to Health of Culture

How to Build Healthy Culture

Cultures need leadership

Cultures need rhythm

2 daily blog posts5 daily FB updates

1 weekly ‘challenge’1 weekly newsletter

1 annual holidays promotion4 seasonal ebook launches

at Digital Photography School

730 yearly blog posts1825 yearly FB updates52 weekly ‘challenge’52 weekly newsletter5 holidays promotions

20+ ebooks

over time…

EPIC blogs are built on many little useful actions

Culture is built upon shared experiences

“What’s Dangerous is not to Evolve” Jeff Bezos

Cultures need to evolve

Cultures grow around story!

5. Create Meaning

mean·ing·ful adjective : having a clear meaning

: expressing an emotion or idea without words : having real importance or value

“Don’t compete for the MOMENT,

compete for MEANING.” Brian Solis

Sameness of copyEmptiness in the ‘like’

Disconnect between stories

“The trend is to chase eyeballs. They can have the

eyeballs. I care about the hearts and minds.”

Shayne Tilley

The Opportunity:!

To create something with soul that has lasting impact and takes

readers on a journey.

Meaning leads to Trust, Authority and Influence

6. Persist

put readers first

start

build culture

create meaning

be useful

persist trust credibility influence

relationship authority

put readers first

start

build culture

create meaning

be useful

persisttrust

credibility influence

relationship authority

put readers first

start

build culture

create meaning

be useful

persisttrust

credibility influence

relationship authority

Transactional Value

put readers first

start

build culture

create meaning

be useful

persisttrust

credibility influence

relationship authority

Transactional Value

Evangelism

This is a marathon not a sprint

99.9% of great bloggers are not

awesome on day #1!

Their awesomeness is the accumulation of the value they create

over time

@PROBLOGGER

Darren Rowse