25 Killer Lessons You Can Learn From Johnny B Truant

Have a funny sales video

Johnny recently released a product called Make The Internet Your Bitch. Before you continue reading check out the vids.

I had no intention of buying - not my thing. But I kept on checking the videos because they were hilarious, and really explored his site to see what else he offered. I've recommended him to many of my friends and will now recommend that they pick up this product. This technique may seem trivial, but it encouraged the non buyers to join his sales funnel.

Make your topic stupidly easy

When Johnny posted this awesome post on Problogger, it was like something clicked inside my head. I'd been targeting many of my posts towards those at an intermediate level rather than target the newbie.

This really hit home when people started seeking my advice on twitter and I constantly referred them to Learn to be your own VA because he made the whole process so damn easy to understand.

Detailed tutorials and detailed text descriptions with photos are the best learning tools

Further in his Problogger guest post, he stated that this is what the respondents to his survey thought would be most helpful, followed by video and ebooks. This was quite surprising - I believed that ebooks and videos were the most successful, as these are the freebies I often see promoted.

If you doubt this, watch your own patterns. Whenever I have a technical problem, I always return to the guide with the steps and screenshots. Could you use this in your niche?

People are willing to pay for easy-to-follow instruction.

Johnny also learned that people are willing to pay for instructions that are simplified, even when there are free alternatives available. I learned this recently when trying to coach a friend through a wordpress blog setup.  She was so overwhelmed by the amount of information out there, that she was willing to pay for a solution that was easier to understand.

Don't underestimate your audience. They often recognize the importance of their time and are willing to pay so they can use their time for more productive tasks.

Give stuff away for free

When experimenting with affiliate marketing. Johnny learnt that giving away stuff for free is a great way to get exposure and buzz. This has worked successfully for many new bloggers - whether its an ebook, or even services.

By setting up WordPress blogs for free, Johnny got a LOT of testimonials and people talking about his services. He then had the social proof required when it came time to sell.

I wouldn't recommend giving away something for free for the sake of having a popular freebie. With the right strategy, it can be a killer technique to grow your business.

Don't think of it as selling. Think of it as helping the person out

When discussing his income, Johnny realized that selling isn't dirty.

This was a mental hurdle I had to get past. Most people think selling is dirty, like it's about convincing a person to buy something he or she doesn't really need. But the truth is that many of these folks you're going to mention it to NEED a site and will be amazed at the price.

I still feel bad at the concept of selling, but I have no problem spending good money on products that solve a problem. Often, I am so thankful that I do everything I can to return the favour because I feel I have underpaid for their service.

Try to get over this mental hurdle quickly. Your audience will thank you.

People buy because of exposure, buzz, and social proof.

As he said in his Ittybiz post,

When someone launches a product or course, it's going to look as if everyone is talking about it. That's not literally true, though. I don't have the patience to look up the stats, but the online content that you actually see (tweets, blog posts and comments, forum posts, whatever) is produced by a very small percentage of the people actually online. Most people lurk, the whole thing working like a theater with only a handful of actors onstage. When you get that small percentage of contributors all talking about the same thing, it creates a buzz that gives the illusion that everyone is getting in on the new product. And if you don't get in on it? Well, then you can amend that to "Everyone but you."

Its very similar to the schoolyard. Everyone is doing it, and you feel like an outcast if your not taking part. You can leverage this concept in two ways:

• You can offer advertisers the exposure and buzz they desire, while strengthening your own brand
• You can reach out to the influencers when doing your own promotions.

I'll be discussing both of these concepts in later posts.

Charge what you're worth.

When he experimenting in coaching and consulting, Johnny discovered this:

Most new consultants set their prices much lower than the competition. Instead of $125 per hour, which may be the going rate, they decide to try $50 per hour.

And what happens? Forget about whether you could command $125. Cheaping out has virtually assured that you'll get zero clients at $35 per hour. Why? Because despite your intentions, this big of a discount doesn't look to potential clients like an incorrect price on a good service. Instead, it looks like a correct price on an incredibly shitty service.

This is a trap that is so easy to fall into. I've thought about charging lower prices in order to build up the profile and gain experience. But, as Johnny pointed out, that is just going to lead people to doubt your experience.

Charge what you're worth. Compensate by coming up with creative ways to market yourself.

Differentiate yourself

I recommend Johnny because he stands out. As he said on Ittybiz,

To stand out, you need to be different in a way that adds perceived value to your services. Maybe you specialize in African weasels. Maybe you call yourself a "weasel whisperer." You need to create your own little niche or sub-niche. Naomi gives the example of Dave Navarro, who took a topic (time management) that is highly consulted in the business world, but offered it to the underserved niche of regular, everyday individuals.

There are a lot of wordpress and technology consultants out there. I remember Johnny because he makes me laugh. Are you doing anything to stand apart from your competitors?

Burn a f**king ship. Tell the world. Get the expensive sunglasses.

I loved this statement on his blog, The Economy Isn't Happening.

Commit to your goals. Do something big. Don't be stupid about it, but plant your flag for once. And forget about the fucking "money where your mouth is" thing for a second, because I don't want you thinking this is a sales pitch. Yes, I offer coaching, and yes, I would very much like if you'd hire me. Yes, I have a big new product coming out in a few weeks, and yes, I hope you'll buy it because it's going to be so kick-ass. But you don't have to do any of that.

This isn't about money. It's about commitment.

Here is a slightly personal story. I'm broke. I have anxiety, I'm getting treated, but I have no job. I've turned to blogging. I realized that the odds are against me, so I'm working to build something epic. And then I'm going to tell everyone.

So many bloggers give up in the first month because they give it a go, and don't immediately succeed. I'm here taking a few months to get things going, in the hope of creating something amazing.

Be remarkable. Do something that everyone thinks is crazy, and then spread the word. Inspire others and then tell the world.

Selling is not dirty, and you can do it without being a jerk.

On his blog, he encourages people to stop acting like an asswipe just to sell something.

There are plenty of people out there who take the used car salesman approach to selling, where they pressure you and pressure you, force-feeding you coffee and denying you bathroom breaks. But you don't need to do that. Mentioning what you're working on is a form of selling. Casually emailing people is selling. Talking about the advantages of something is selling. Selling is nothing more than making sure that a good thing lands in the lap of someone who might benefit from it, and making sure that they recognize it as a good thing.

Online, people have more control over the sales processes. If they don't like a technique, they'll simply ignore it. Don't let the bad people prevent you from providing your customers with a good solution.

Most people sell passively, like pussies. Don't be a pussy.

He also said:

Most people treat selling as an intrusion, because that's what it is when used car salesmen do it. They shy away from actively telling people about something because they think it will be annoying and bothersome. But you're not selling like a used car salesman, remember? You're being cool, so it's not going to bug people. So do go out and be proactive. Do talk to people. Do get off your ass and get the word out. It's the only way you'll ever do any business, after all.

Let's look at what's typical vs. what's ideal.

I've had so many times lately when I've needed help. Often, I've had people step in and offer their services. I never see this as an intrusion - just someone who is savvy and knows how to get out there.

When your new, it can be hard to sell yourself or your services. Stop. Get yourself out there and get known as being someone who is awesome.

Finding your people is not luck.

Johnny says that 'it is a natural outgrowth of being genuine to yourself and taking action

We make our own luck. We make it by taking consistent action and never, ever wavering. Eventually, preparedness is going to meet opportunity. You'll be "lucky" because you were going to keep working until something good happened. If you stand in one place long enough, there's a very slight chance that lightning may strike you. But if you go flying in a grounded metal aircraft during a thunderstorm, your chances are a lot better. You do what you can to improve your odds. And you do it over and over and over again.

Over the coming weeks, you'll see some awesome people being interviewed on this blog. They range from fun people I've met at tweetups, to A-listers in the blogging and internet marketing industry.

This isn't because I'm famous or can do a lot for them right now. They agreed because I spent 6 months finding the people who had similar philosophies and trying to learn from them as much as possible.

What can you do to find your people?

Make it personal

On his Copyblogger guest post, he talked about how providing personal details humanizes you.

Marketing consultant Marcia Hoeck (who, as it happens, is also my mother) found that when she added personal details to her business's blog and e-zine, she got a significant increase in clicks and responses.

She wasn't writing essays about personal issues, but she'd occasionally incorporate anecdotes about her dogs or grandkids into her articles. She might explain how she was conducting a teleclass from our house, but had to hide in my basement to do so because the baby was in a noisy mood that day.

Adding personal details to your copy doesn't make you look unprofessional. It humanizes you, making you more than just a member of the faceless horde.

I'm very personal online. Its part of who I am. Interestingly, I've found its helped me forge many new relationships. Once you get personal, people start identifying with you more as a person and less of a brand.

I wasn't a huge fan of Problogger until he had his second son. Shortly after, my sister gave birth to my first nephew and I avidly followed Darrens twitter stream to learn more about his kids.

Personality counts for more than most people think. Are there anyways you can personalize your online presence?

Twitter is the best thing since sliced bread

In his funny blog meme, Johnny talked up the benefits of twitter.

For real. People think Twitter is stupid, but those people don’t understand that, as my internet buddy Havi explains, “Twitter is a cocktail party.” That’s all it is. You put a bunch of people in a room and they’re only allowed to talk for 140 characters at a time.

Another benefit with twitter is that it removes the barriers between you and the influencers. It can give you a chance to get to know people before you ask for their help. I can honestly say that everything I've acheived online, and am about to acheive, is thanks to my use of twitter.

Are you using it to your advantage?

You Are Your Product

He talked about this concept more in his guest post on Finance Your Freedom.

When you operate online, personality still gives you that same insider’s edge. Developing a strong, engaging online personality will make people feel as if they know you, and make them more likely to do business with you. But online, you’re handicapped. You don’t have your facial expressions and body language to win trust. You don’t have tone of voice in most cases. You don’t have a firm handshake. In the vast majority of cases, you only have words on a screen and a few visuals to showcase yourself.

I make a decision to buy sometimes based solely on the reputation of the person. Naomi Dunford releases something? Sure, I'll buy it. Dave Navarro has a new product? Take me to the sales page!

This works just as much when it comes to services. I don't even have  sales page up yet and I have people enquiring on twitter. If you have a strong voice online, try and find a way to incorporate it into your product or service.

Fear is good!

He discussed this further in his guest post on A Daring Adventure:

Don’t run from your fear. It’s here to serve you, and if you can quiet your mind enough to look at the situation from above, you may be able to see that. Listen to your fear, and decide what you need to do.

If you move wisely, you’ll look back years later, when you’re along your correct path, and you’ll thank your fear for giving you a shove.

Too many people let their fear stop them from truly kicking arse. I've been blogging for two years and my anxiety has ruined most attempts. Now, I simply remove emotions from any decision and ascertain whether something is a good idea or not.

Don't ignore your fear, but use it to your advantage.

Don't be afraid to change your game plan half way through

Weeks into his Ittybiz experiment, he changed his focus from The Diabetic Weightlifter to Learn To Be Your Own Va. He realized that his latter site had more short term income potential.

Now, he could have stuck with his first site but he adapted to the situation. He realized that Learn To Be Your Own Va was doing better and creating products/services to target that audience.

Are you surprised by an unlikely source of success? Can you adapt your business to take advantage of it?

Offer to be a case study

Johnny writes a weekly column on Ittybiz. He explores the modules of Online Business School and reports on how he is going with his attempts at earning an income. Not only does this raise the profiile of his product, it would have also led to more sales of Naomi's product.

Not everyone can get a guest posting gig on a top blog. But they can test a product and report on their experiences. This tends to convert better than a simple review.

Make your affiliate programs prominent

With many bloggers, you have to really hunt for their affiliate program. Sometimes, this is because its private or restricted to a certain group of people. Thats cool. Its up the the discretion of the product creator. However, many other bloggers - even famous ones - make it hard to find ways to promote their products.

Johnny links to his affiliate program on his main page and even offers a brief guide on using e-junkie. This encourages those who have used his service to promote it to others.

Have a landing page on your blog

When you go to the main page for Learn To Be Your Own VA, you're not taken immediately to the blog. Your taken to a page showing all the ways Johnny can help you. Too many businesses direct people to their blog content, rather than immediately show how you can help the person.

If you are selling services on your blog, consider a landing page. Use the blog to attract other interested parties.

Include free products in your sales funnel.

Many people create free products in the hope that they alone will bring in the traffic. Johnny takes it one step further and creates a funnel. Most people visit and check out his free ebook which helps users set up their own blog. Once they've set it up, they'll check out the free webinars that will walk them through other steps of setting up their own site.

Eventually they'll come to a stage where they need some help, and trust Johnny enough to pay for it. Don't underestimate the role free products plays in your sales funnel.

Do group consulting

It appears that Johnny doesn't offer this anymore, but this is a brilliant way of targeting clients who couldn't normally afford your services. You still get help that applies to your situation, but you get a discounted rate and the chance to learn from other peoples problems. This is great if you want to target small businesses.

Offer free webinars

The free offers that Johnny offered were a great way to build buzz and demonstrate his teaching skills. If you are skill developing your brand, I would highly recommend this.

You can offer additional support by having Q & A sessions following the webinar, and making them available to those that signed up to your mailing list.

Include calls to action in your guest posts

Something Johnny is awesome at doing in his guest posts are encouraging the reader to take action. He will link to stuff that the readers will want to know about such as discounted services and freebies.

Many guest posters think that simply getting a post on a top blog will result in high pageviews. Wrong. Having a killer call to action on a top blog will give you higher pageviews and conversion rate.

"The truth is that my success grows in direct proportion to how much I can help you"

This final lesson is one that needs no description. Can you think of more ways you can provide value to your audience?

Recommendations:

• Make the internet your bitch
• Blogger to WordPress Migration
• WordPress version upgrade
• WordPress blog/website setup

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