How long does it take a creator to make their first $1?

While doing some research for the newsletter this week, I found a frightening statistic.

A survey of over 1,000 creators found that it takes an average of 6.5 months for a creator to make their first $1.

That’s truly frightening, especially with all the hard work that I’ve seen creators put into their content.

So, in today’s less extravagant email (going back to normal next week), I want to share 5 game changers for creators who are trying to take their content full-time.

1: Take your audience off the platform

You don’t own your audience on TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram and if all these platforms were gone tomorrow, you’d likely lose all of your progress.

If that makes you scared, create a freebie, start collecting emails, and send off some value-packed content via newsletter at least once a week.

2: Niche it up

I’ve seen a lot of advice out there to ditch the niche or become the niche in 2023.

That’s fine, and it’s definitely going to work for some people, but, the niche is an insanely powerful concept.

Here’s an example of why:

Let’s say that you have 3 different friends.

One is a surgeon.

One is a lawyer.

One is a part-time surgeon and a part-time lawyer.

Well, one day you find out that you need a life-saving surgery and there is only one chance to get it right.

Which friend do you call?

The one who spends half the time performing surgery, or the one who’s dedicated their life to it?

This example might not be perfect, but it’s a decision that consumers and brands make on a daily basis.

As a golf brand, do I sponsor the individual whose entire audience likes golfing, or do I sponsor the one who goes golfing once a week?

As a consumer, do I buy a pair of running shoes from a brand that specializes in running apparel, or do I go with a brand that dabbles?

The niche is extremely powerful, don’t forget it.

3: Understand the desire:

Why does your audience watch your content?

Do you solve a problem, entertain or educate them?

There is always a reason why your audience is watching, and in order to monetize you need to double down on the desire.

The first thing I sold was my 0-100k guide.

It was a product I built to break down how I grew my first account to 100k.

In reality, it was a product that brought people closer to their desire and saved them time, but it was the result of me doubling down on what my audience already desired.

4: Be confident

When you go to sell anything, sign a brand deal, create a piece of content, etc, be confident in your product.

A lot of people are held back by the thought that what they’re providing isn’t good enough, or they aren’t worth it.

Trust me, you are.

5: Don’t be afraid to sell

If you build a kick-ass product, don’t be afraid to sell it.

Sure, you don’t need to talk about it in every single video or email, but if it’s relevant, give it a shout-out.

If you’ve created a good relationship with your audience, they will buy from you.

I hope this helps somebody make their first $1 in less than 6.5 months. If it does, send me an email and let me hear the story!