18 Comments
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Patient Zero's avatar

Loved this article Kelsey. I like to see the real systems exposed.

I didn’t start my blog for money, nor is that the goal, but it has opened my eyes to how silly the mainstream advice is.

I spent about 100 hours on my Canva ebook and sold about 50 copies for $9.99 in 5 months starting from zero.

All the fonts and templates and sales copy only works if you have enough of the right traffic to send it to.

If you do everything right conversion rate is about 1-3%

This all works out to about $4.50 per hour, but if you count my blog as work, since it did the marketing, then the per hour rate is a few cents at best.

This is a hobby to me not a job.

Kelsey — Inspired Idiots's avatar

Thank you for sharing this.

Every experience opens your eyes to something you didn’t see before.

Sometimes it’s not about the money, there’s something more valuable to gain from it.

Taylin John Simmonds's avatar

I'm the most inspired idiot. You'll never find an idiot more inspired than me

Kelsey — Inspired Idiots's avatar

Haha embrace the name!!

I’m right up there with you, my friend.

Chris #TheAntiVirusGuy Moody's avatar

Well said Kelsey. There seems to be a huge number of "snake oil" sellers, or as I often call them "shovel sellers in a gold rush" on Substack. Luckily they are easy to spot and add to the old "block" list.

Maybe I should set up a second newsletter "Stopping the ..... shovel sellers" 😃

Kelsey — Inspired Idiots's avatar

Haha that made me laugh. Shovel sellers.

Andrew Auld♾️'s avatar

Great message Kelsey

'Stop performing and start peopling' popped into my head

Kelsey — Inspired Idiots's avatar

Oh I like that!

Peopling.

So good.

The Unpolished Mirror's avatar

Bravo 👏🏻 Bravo 👏🏻 this needs to be spoken more often!

I have been a blogger from day one. Came in green with no plan and no clue. I listened to the golden hype and had to recalculate who I wanted to reach. I tell behind the scenes because it is what I do. My clients numbers shrunk but I am happy and they are happy. This is work. It takes effort but the big folks post I made 41,0000000 dollars because I woke up days are over and need exposed.

Kelsey — Inspired Idiots's avatar

Haha this made me laugh.

Thank you for this comment.

I think you’re right. The same sales tactics that worked a few years ago, people just aren’t falling for anymore.

Rob Riker's avatar

Love this. And I love that the pendulum is swinging this way (at least it seems to be).

People are skeptical for a reason, and more and more creators are realizing that honesty and authenticity are better in the long run.

Of course, there will always be the scumbags, the dishonest, and the misleading. But I do think they will get more and more flak, and honesty will be the better strategy that's used more often.

But what I really loved about this were the examples. Your story working with that slimeball (🤮), and Taylin and Finn's answers. Those really cemented it for me.

Great post, thank you!

Kelsey — Inspired Idiots's avatar

Thank you !

I think so too. I think people are seeing that the sales tactics that worked even 5 years ago don’t work well today.

False urgency tactics.

“But today or the discount is gone”

Selling uber vague results.

People aren’t as receptive to being sold to, because we’re all being sold to constantly.

Rob Riker's avatar

Yes! I'm optimistic, let's hope the trend continues 😅

Becca Mlinar's avatar

Love this article. Just goes to show that you can't always believe what you see online anymore.

Also, still makes me mad that the "guy" at the beginning on your story never paid me my last month's pay.😒 He really was something.. 🙄

Kelsey — Inspired Idiots's avatar

If it makes you feel better, he still owes us about $8,000.

Becca Mlinar's avatar

Okay, yes, that is worse than my case. 😳

Becca Mlinar's avatar

Okay, yes, that is worse than my case. 😳