We Don't Know Until We Go!
I did a pretty awesome sermon that landed hard for my Majik Mind crew this morning, and I wanted to share it with you as well, just in case this was the medicine you needed in this exact moment and point in time on your journey!
Introduction: Today, we focused on a crucial mantra in the entrepreneurial journey: "We don't know until we go."
This concept isn't just a catch phrase I made up while on a walk in the woods. It has been a guiding principle that has allowed me to create prolifically and without fear of failure for the last 20 years.
It could also be a guiding mantra for anyone stuck in the ideation phase, hesitant to take the leap into the unknown by putting your inspired ideas into action.
Understanding the Fear of the Unknown: Through my extensive experience with coaching communities and program participants, a common hurdle I've observed is the fear of the unknown.
"What if it fails? What if no one is interested?" These questions often paralyze potential action-takers. However, the real question should be, "What can we learn from trying?"
The Power of Execution Over Ideation: Ideation, while necessary, can become a whirlpool of inaction. Planning a workshop or a program doesn't need to be a time-consuming task. It might take a few hours or a day, but that's a small investment compared to the potential year-long stagnation in the ideation phase, never moving things forward.
I am a 'strike while the iron is hot' kind of guy and I truly believe that quick execution allows for faster learning and adaptation.
Leveraging Early Bird Discounts and Pre-Sales: An effective strategy to test your ideas on your audience, is to offer early bird discounts during the initial promotion phase.
This approach not only incentivizes early sign-ups but also serves as a market test. By gauging the initial response, you can determine whether to proceed with full confidence. Pre-sales have always been a cornerstone of my strategy, providing vital funding and validation for new ventures.
Case Study: The Great eCourse Adventure: A prime example of this approach is the creation of the Great eCourse Adventure, a unique blend of entertainment and online learning. Years ago when building this behemoth of a training, we built a minimal viable product, pre-sold it, and then funded the nine months of development, turning it into a comprehensive training experience unlike anything you've ever experienced (this training is in my Majik Mind community by the way), and it'll teach you to create the greatest eCourse you could possibly imagine -- true story)!
Validating Ideas through Mini Workshops: Another method to validate your ideas is through mini workshops. My signature workshop, which generated over 4000 live participants in the last 15 months was what validated the "Signature Workshop" training I ran last fall, which generated about $60,000 in revenue.
By running shorter (free or paid) workshops, you can validate whether your audience is interested in this topic to buy the bigger experiences you're inspired to create!
Micro Testing with Surveys and Content: Before launching a full-scale program, you can also consider conducting surveys or releasing content related to your topic. This low-stakes approach can offer valuable insights into your audience's interests and needs.
Usually, if you ask people what they want, they will tell you!
Embracing Failure as a Learning Opportunity: Not all launches will be successful, and that's okay. For instance, my attempt at a comedy commercials training last year didn't initially resonate with my audience.
However, I view this not as a failure but as a stepping stone. The groundwork is laid, and with the right timing and success stories after we release our comedy ads campaign to the world, I do believe a relaunch of this training will be astronomically more successful.
Timing and context are everything!
Conclusion: The Power of Flagship Trainings:
In conclusion, consider developing a flagship training that can be offered regularly.
This model, adopted by successful training companies, allows for continuous refinement and improvement without reinventing the wheel.
Your journey in crafting transformational experiences is a step-by-step process, and it starts with taking that first step into the unknown.
Remember, "We don't know until we go."
So, take whatever inspired idea you've been rolling around in your mind the last while and give it the chance it deserves.
Test the waters, embrace the learning process, and watch as your ventures transform from mere ideas into impactful realities.