A common question I often get asked is how I started my online education business. Especially since we were one of the first companies to go all in on Instagram™ online education. Well, if you are new to my business you should know that I did not start my business alone.
In this blog post:
How to Become an Online Expert
First things first, Morgan and I have not always been Instagram™ pros. We discovered our knack for Instagram™ while running my Cape Cod store, Sue B. Do. We started to consistently share on Instagram™ using the geotag.
Customers were coming in and telling us that they found us on Instagram™. That’s when the lightbulb went off.
We didn’t have to keep our growing Instagram™ knowledge to ourselves. We started our business by pivoting and teaching other businesses how they could leverage Instagram™.
Teach What You Know and Love
Another important thing that we learned as we built our business is that it’s important to teach what you know. Focus on showing off what you’ve had success with.
Credibility is everything. Potential customers aren’t just going to trust that you know what’s best for their business. You have to show them why you’re the go-to expert. But that doesn’t mean you need to have decades of success or thousands of testimonials.
As Amy Portfield says, you just need to be a little bit further ahead from the people you are teaching. You don’t have to be 10 years ahead of someone, just 10%.
We also looked for any opportunity to network with our local community. Sue would teach courses at local community colleges and universities. We also started to reach out to women’s networking groups.
Every speaking engagement was an opportunity to refine the focus of the business. While it’s tempting to hold out for paid speaking engagements, you have to start somewhere. Keep an eye out for free events. You can work on your public speaking skills and widen your customer base.
What the First Few Years Looked Like as The Instagram™ Expert Grew
Now, we don’t want you to think that creating this business was an overnight success. Our personal lives looked totally different. Morgan was an undergraduate student running the business from her dorm room. Sue was raising three teenage daughters.
But even when things were crazy, we had a clear vision of the kind of business we wanted to build. That consistency allowed us to bob and weave so we could build our business into what it is today.
Sometimes when things aren’t going well in your business, momentum is all you have. That’s why it’s so important to have clear goals for your business. Even now, our team gets together multiple times a year to map out our short- and long-term goals.
Final Tip
People will always say that you should build a business where you “make money in your sleep.” While our business does make us money while we sleep now, that wasn’t always the case.
That’s why it’s so important to lay that foundation for your business. Don’t jump in with both feet and hope it works out. Instead, start by networking with people who already have trust in you. Then you can use their testimonials to move your business forward.
How to Create a Highly Engaged Online Community on Instagram™
Does Instagram™ still feel like a “hobby?” Discover the three visual secrets that will transform your Instagram™ profile into a buyer magnet. Grab a spot in my FREE Instagram course.
