JANUARY 20, 2023

Welcome to The Tilt, a twice-weekly newsletter for content entrepreneurs.


5 things to do

Chris Lema has the right idea.

The business coach says creators should never start with themselves when building an online course (or, frankly, many other content products). At Creator Economy Expo 2022, Chris shared the five things you should do:

1. Get over your fear: As a 10-year-old, Chris ended up on a TV game show with a live audience of 500 people who would yell, “You just choked,” every time a contestant made a mistake. (Only, they said the phrase in Spanish because it was in Chile.) When Chris returned to the US and told his father about the humiliating experience. His father replied, “Well, you didn’t die, did you?”

Now, you don’t have to go that far. But realize other creators are building online courses and other content products and they may not see themselves as experts either. Also, remember, you and your course don’t have to be perfect before publishing. (After all, if you watch a course and find it valuable, do you count how many mistakes someone makes?)

2. Identify the market: Don’t start with what you want to do or think you could perfect. Look at what the prospective audience might want. Check out Google Trends, for example, to see what topics in your arena are on the rise. Chris says even a crappy course in a growing market will do better than a brilliant course in a shrinking market.

3. Fill the gap: OK, now you get to bring yourself into the process. What learning gap are you most comfortable filling?

  • Knowledge – how to think/what to know, such as teaching, sharing frameworks and files
  • Skill – how to/what to do, such as explainers, video demos, instructions
  • Context – build a semantic bridge, such as maps, glossaries, translations
  • Motivation – encouragement, such as connection, one-on-one interactions, encouragement

4. Detail the buyer’s motivation: Why would people spend money on this market and your gap? Chris outlines 10 options: core needs, pain reduction, risk reduction, life improvement, goal acceleration, long-term savings, upside/ROI, shared memories, entertainment, and power/prestige.

5. Pick the topic: By knowing the growing market, the gap you’re comfortable filling, and the buyer’s motivation, you’re ready to pick the topic for your online course.

– Ann Gynn

Hear more from Chris, including how he created a mini-course in four days that earned $80K in its first year, in his Creator Expo presentation. It’s free with The Tilt’s video on demand.

Get more takeaways and expert advice this May at Creator Economy Expo 2023. Register today! (Prices go up on Jan. 27.)


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5 things from the tilt

*The Tilt receives a small commission if readers (at no additional cost) make a purchase using this link.


5 things to know

Money
  • Manager access: TikTok added a talent manager portal to its creator marketplace where brands connect with qualified creators. It lets someone else – with the creator’s permission – manage the deals, negotiate contracts, and handle project management. (Tech Crunch)
    Tilt Take: It’s a good reminder of how helpful it can be to have an administrator or manager help with the business side of your content operations.
Audiences
  • Followers subscribe: Harry Dry’s Marketing Examples newsletter has 130K subscribers. The biggest contributor? His newsletter-Twitter loop. He links to the newsletter from a Twitter thread on the same topic and asks subscribers to share his threads on Twitter. (Chenell Basilio)
    Tilt Take: We love a good loop that grows an owned product like a newsletter.
Tech and Tools
  • Where in the world?: YouTube creators may soon let their audience know where their Shorts happen. Adding a location is a feature in testing. (Lindsey Gamble)
    Tilt Take: People like to know what’s being created in their communities. Location inclusion can help with that.
  • Default change: Facebook’s Creator Studio will soon end its Page management platform that many creators use for scheduling content. It wants users to work from its relatively new Business Suite platform that offers more services. (Social Media Today)
    Tilt Take: If you’re using the old version, migrate now to the new version so you’re not scrambling when the old model ends.
And Finally
  • Jumping in: NBA star Kevin Durant is the latest athlete to invest in the creator economy. He is backing Goldenset Collective, an incubator for digital creators to provide them with funding and structural support. (Digiday)
    Tilt Take: Big-name sports pros recognize the potential power of the individual creator. That’s a good thing.


Have you made any referrals lately? It’s a brand new year, so why not share your favorite newsletter (this one!) with all your friends, family, coworkers, and other creators? Help everyone you know grow their business in 2023 with The Tilt.


the tilt team

Your team for this issue: Joe Pulizzi, Pam Pulizzi, Ann Gynn, Laura Kozak, Marc Maxhimer, and Dave Anthony.