I’m so excited to get the chance to catch up with Dan Norris in today’s podcast. He’s the kind of guy who knows how to get stuff done and this was a great interview as he shares with the audience how he attains much of his success.
Dan started his online career through blogging. He’s always been a content machine, but it wasn’t until just a few years ago that he started writing great content that gained traction. This traction led to his first book, and perennial best seller, ‘The 7 Day Startup.’ He’s never been able to sit on content after it’s created, so as he wrote the book over a handful of weeks, he would publish parts of it as whole articles on his blog to see what stuck with readers.
When it comes to creating content, Dan doesn’t have any kind of daily rituals to force him to churn it out. Instead, he writes in short bursts when he feels the inspiration to do so, and only on things that really interest him. (that's the key!) “It’s quite easy to write a lot when you’re actually really into it.”
Of course the book turned out great, and with the aid of a community Facebook group, he was able to get the word out about it and elicit many great reviews. He now has two versions of popular 7-Day Startup membership groups; the free Facebook group, and a paid membership site where users get advanced support on their business and access to educational content.
To help manage these groups, he depends on the support of his assistants. This is another process that Dan leverages to free up his time: utilizing low cost support to do the bulk of the necessary tasks that help with nurturing the group. Some of the things that his VAs handle within the group:
Welcoming new members Posting the weekly topic to spark conversations Promoting the paid-group within the free group Drafting the weekly thread summary email weekly tasks that would otherwise take up too much of Dan’s timeOutsourcing is a cheap way to get really good people. He works with a small team in the Philippines where the cost of living is much cheaper, so the lower wage is actually quite good.
Protip for outsourcing: For each task you hand off to your VA, Dan recommends creating a set of instructions using text, images and video detailing exactly how it should be done. There’s some hand holding in the beginning, but repeat tasks get learned quickly and you’ll eventually start saving yourself loads of time.
Dan is definitely a doer, and a go getter and he embodies the boldness that is being the person that will put themselves out there while others sit back and watch. He believes, If you do this enough, you will get rewarded. He notes that for someone like him, the entrepreneurial life is naturally where he belongs. He felt out of place doing anything but, and he likes the freedom of being an entrepreneur and the rewards it brings.
“The people who get rewarded are the people that just do the work”
SOME QUESTIONS I ASK:
How did he reach such a large audience with his first book? Does Dan have a daily writing habit that helps him pump out the content? Can he explain the process of outsourcing to a VA in the Philippines? Has he transitioned to outsourcing his content creation? How did Activision (creators of Call of Duty) come to contact him to create the Black Hops beer?
IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:
How Dan gets away with not having a daily writing habit How his VA helps him with his valuable Instagram account The reason why you may want to use a personal brand to support and share your products Plus much more…
DON’T STOP HERE…
Connect with Dan Norris: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Snapchat 7 Day Startup: Website | Facebook Delegate your Instagram Marketing Strategy for $30 per Week: Article Starters & Makers: Website | Facebook Black Hops Beer WP Curve
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
The Dynamite Circle: Website The Bold Life Movement Book: Facebook Group