085: Building an Aligned Audience with Brian Clark

“If you build an audience, you can figure out how to build a business.” That has been the guiding mantra behind Brian Clark’s pioneering business-building throughout his career. He is someone I’ve long admired, from his early days founding Copyblogger to his many new ventures. Today, we’re talking about building the audiences that make it all possible.

More About Brian: Brian Clark is a writer, traveler, and serial digital entrepreneur. He’s the founder of the pioneering content marketing website Copyblogger, the midlife personal growth newsletter Further, his course Freedom Future, and Unemployable, an educational community that provides smart strategies for freelancers and entrepreneurs. His podcast, 7-Figure Small, highlights entrepreneurs making it big while enjoying a small lifestyle. He’s also co-founder of Digital Commerce Partners, a content marketing and SEO agency for digital business owners. 

🌟 3 Key Takeaways:

• Take your next logical step based on what your audience is interested in. There is always an indication of what they need.

• Focus on attracting people who are similar to you in worldview and values.

• Think of your niche as your mission. You are starting a movement, not just talking to a narrow segment of the population.

📝 Permission: You don’t need permission for anything, that’s the beauty of this environment. Do stuff and see what happens. Don’t be afraid to start because of fear of mistakes—mistakes give you answers.

✅ Do (or Delegate) This Next: Survey your audience if it has been a while. Bonus: offer one day of 20- to 30- minute time slots per month for community members to schedule calls with you.   

📘 Books Mentioned:

• Free Time: Lose The Busywork, Love Your Business

• Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One

• A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future

• Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working for Yourself

• Permission Marketing

• The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses

🔗 Resources Mentioned: 

• Brian on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram

• Brian’s Companies and Projects: Copyblogger, Further, Unemployable, Future Freedom, Digital Commerce Partners,

• Brian’s Podcast: 7-Figure Small

• Packy McCormick’s Not Boring

• On creating for 10,000 “yous” in a stadium: Tim Urban on MeaningRing and Tim Urban on The Tim Ferriss Show

Related Podcast Episodes: 

• 012: Generating Personal MBA Momentum with Josh Kaufman

• 7-Figure Small: How to Find Your Next Big Thing with Jenny Blake

• REACH: Brian Clark of Rainmaker Digital “It’s Never Too Late to Start”

🎁 Last call! Give yourself (and a friend) the gift of Free Time: Order your copy and submit proof of purchase to get complimentary audiobook access to the audiobook — this offer goes away at the end of April!

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