This is a post by contributing author Bamboo Forest.
I’ve been blogging for a couple years now and except for a few affiliate sales from ads, consulting is the only way I’ve made any money from blogging.
Ways to make money that might make you cry
If you told me that to make money I’d have to build websites, acquire thousands of emails for my list, have a hundred thousand monthly unique visitors for Google ads, or write an amazing eBook that must compete with the zillions of other eBooks already on the market, I’d cry.
I’m not saying you can’t use the above methods to make serious money. But these methods are some of the most difficult ones with the steepest competition.
There’s just got to be a better, more immediate way to make money from blogging.
And there is.
Method to make money that won’t make you cry
To be a consultant all you need is a website and a PayPal account.
I’ve recently become a consultant through a website called Email Life Coach. This site is an extension of one of my blogs.
People hire me to help them with their life issues.
I reasoned that there are zillions of life coaches out there, but how many email life coaches are there? After all, there are definitely people who don’t feel comfortable chatting on the phone but still want advice for their life. And I decided to fulfill that demand in a compelling and elegant way.
And while I haven’t gotten rich from this business yet, I’ve certainly made far more money than anything I’ve ever done online to date.
What kind of consultant you could become
For starters, there needs to be a demand for the kind of consulting work you want to begin. Other than that, the sky’s the limit.
You could consult others on how to improve their copy and tweak their site so they get more subscribers.
You could consult people regarding their relationship issues.
You could consult people on how to make it in Hollywood.
You could teach people Japanese.
The possibilities are endless and it’s up to you to find something that’s in demand that could gain you profit.
It goes without saying that your blog needs to be focused on the subject you’re going to consult on. Your blog will act as a funnel to your business.
What mediums you can use to consult
The number of mediums you can currently use is really exciting.
You could be as simple and low tech as I am and use email.
Or you could do something more sophisticated such as making a client a YouTube video or chatting with them online and using a camera so you both can see each other face to face.
There is even software available now where your client can see everything on your computer, which could work well for tutoring or teaching web design.
What’s required to consult successfully
While it’s really easy to start a consulting business, you can’t be mediocre at what you do and expect to get lots of customers or repeat business. Trying to do the aforementioned just isn’t honest when people are paying you money.
I don’t recommend you put a ‘Hire Me” on your blog until you feel completely confident that you can offer what your service will advertise.
For example, I read a book that I found particularly helpful multiple times before I started my Email Life Coaching service because I knew I needed to become more knowledgeable about personal-development before I could help people on a higher level.
How to set your price
I recommend that when you’re starting out you keep your rates low. The reason for this is twofold:
1. When starting out you have zero experience, and you’ll get better at consulting as you go. In the early stages you’re not qualified to ask for a higher fee.
2. Having a lower fee will help get your business rolling. Get enough business and do a good enough job and word of mouth will soon become your ally.
Why consulting is so enticing for potential customers
Because nothing beats the allure of personal attention.
For example, if you read an eBook, as amazing as it may be, it’s covering a subject as a whole and not being laser focused on your specific needs.
But when people hire a consultant they’re getting their exact concerns catered to.
You always hear A-List bloggers say that you need to solve people’s problems if you want your blog posts to go viral. Well, as a consultant, you’re in the business of doing nothing but solving people’s problems and in the most intimate way possible.
The down side of consulting
While consulting is the easiest way to make money, it’s not without challenge.
Daniel has already made the point that selling anything online is difficult and selling consulting is no exception.
Consulting is not the kind of profit model where you can make money in your sleep. On the contrary, with consulting, any money you make is the result of you working directly with a customer which is time consuming.
While you by no means need a popular blog to make money with consulting, you do need to have some kind of an audience. Having a strong presence in the search engines can also help you find clients. Additionally, consider having a YouTube channel to showcase your knowledge which can help you tap into an even greater audience and more potential customers.
Tips to help your consulting business thrive
Always give a money back guarantee. When offering a full money back guarantee you’re removing a huge barrier to entry. Potential customers will feel secure that if they hire you and aren’t satisfied with your service, they can easily get their money back.
Since I’ve launched my email life coaching service I haven’t had a single person ask for a refund. I doubt I would have had any business at all had I not offered a full money back guarantee.
Think about it… would you hire someone you’ve never worked with if you knew that even if you had a terrible experience you could never get your money back?
I wouldn’t.
It has been said in the business world that you make most of your money with repeat customers. It requires significant effort to find new customers, and much less effort to maintain the customers you already have.
You should reward repeat customers with a discount to promote repeat business.
Currently I charge 35 dollars for new clients and just 30 dollars for repeat clients for my month of change package.
If you’ve been trying for a long while to make money from blogging and haven’t seen much more than a few dollars trickle in, maybe it’s time to give consulting a try.
About the Author: Bamboo Forest is a professional Email Life Coach, helping people work on something in their life over the course of a month through email.
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