Your online platform can replace your current income

When I first started creating digitally-deliverable content, I had a financial target in mind. My goal was to earn an average of $250/day from multiple sources. I believed that number was achievable, but I honestly wasn't certain how long it would take to get there. If I knew sooner what I know now, I obviously would have achieved that financial milestone much earlier. But now that I've figured out how to earn an online income, I attempt to exceed that initial $250/day benchmark. Most days I succeed, and quite often, I do far better than that.

In the evenings, I have a series of websites, emails, and spreadsheets I check. They give me a good picture of how much I earned that day and which income sources were most profitable. It's a fun way to end the day, and there truly isn't a day when I fail to thank God for blessing me with the means to care for my family, share with others, and contribute to the ministries I feel passionate about.

Earning a living through online platform development excites me, and when I get excited about something, it's hard for me to stop talking about it. If I could convince everyone this was possible for them to do, I would certainly try, but I have noticed that many of the people I've interacted with have a high degree of doubt that something like this would be possible for them as well. More than once, I've heard statements like, "You're just lucky," or "It must be nice, but that's not likely for the rest of us."

Hogwash! There isn't anything I've done that can't be replicated by others. The sources of income I'm earning a living from weren't invented by me and aren't unique to me. The only differences between me and some of the doubters I've spoken to are that I've figured out my message, taken the time to learn what people want from me, stuck with what I'm doing long enough for it to succeed, stayed teachable so I could learn new skills and ideas, and refused to quit when I experienced setbacks.

If you're thinking about earning an online income, don't fill your head with self-doubt. Don't preach a message to your heart that isn't true. Give yourself permission to believe that it's absolutely possible for you to earn your entire living online once you figure out the value you can deliver to others and the kind of help they actually want from you.

On a daily basis, I'm consistently earning income from sources like; book royalties, advertising, crowdfunding, courses, membership subscriptions, directory subscriptions, affiliates, coaching, speaking fees, webinars, and workshops. I even earn money from doing voiceover work.

Could you write a practical, non-fiction book that earns ongoing income for the rest of your life? Yes!

Could you charge people to advertise on your blog or podcast? Yes!

Could you begin a crowdfunding campaign that gives people who consume your free content the opportunity to send you a small gift as a way to express their thanks? Yes!

Could you earn income from affiliates? Yes!

Could you create courses, offer coaching, or start a membership community? Of course you could!

These are the common ways people with platforms are earning a living. The key is to make sure you're providing helpful content and services for a specific group of people. As you serve your audience, many of them will eventually pay you for additional help or additional access to you.

I'm not special because I'm earning a living this way. I'm just diligent in making sure that I serve my audience to the best of my ability, and I keep creating products and services that give them the opportunity to pay for the kind of help I'm equipped to offer. This isn't different from the principles that guide traditional, brick-and-mortar businesses. It's just more scalable and can be accomplished from just about anywhere since the means of delivery is digital. In some cases, a few of the revenue streams can be placed on auto-pilot so they don't require excessive use of your time.

I mentioned a moment ago that this is a very scalable form of income. Let me show you what I mean by that. You might be surprised at how quickly you can scale your income from certain forms of digitally-deliverable content and services.

A typical price for a seven-lesson online course is $250-$300. If you sell just one course a day (which is entirely possible for a well-developed platform), that's more than $100,000/year in income.

The most common price being paid for an hour of coaching is about $200/hour. If you provide at least ten hours of coaching each week at that rate, that alone is over $100,000/year in income.

Leading a membership community might also be something you enjoy, particularly if you're energized by serving people and you like bringing people together. Prices for membership communities vary, but if you charged $50/month, you'd earn $100,000/year once your community reached 167 members.

It's all very possible, and it's all very scalable.

Just for fun, do the math on how much advertising you'd need to sell on your blog or podcast to replace your present income. It's not beyond reach. What if you add book royalties and affiliate commissions into the mix? What if you created a crowdfunding campaign? You might be surprised at how a combination of several of these options effectively replaces your income over time.

If this is something you really want to get serious about, there are seven indispensable traits you're going to need:

1. The mindset to believe it's actually possible.

2. The wisdom to know what expertise you should share.

3. The diligence to stick with what you're building long enough for it to work.

4. The consistency to keep creating helpful content on a faithful and predictable schedule.

5. The humility to accept that you will have ups and downs in this process.

6. The courage to keep pressing forward with new ideas even after experiencing setbacks.

7. The adaptability to adjust what you're offering when the needs of your audience change.

There was a time when I dreamt about the possibility of earning a healthy online income. Now I don't have to dream about it because it's my present-day reality. I still remember taking walks with my wife and hashing out some of my plans and ideas. She patiently listened to me talk and supported my dreams with her words of encouragement and her willingness to sacrifice a portion of our household budget while I was spending money to build the online platforms I've created.

I know this is possible for you as well. Even if you're struggling to believe it, I'm believing it for you because I've already seen it. It used to be a matter of faith for me, but now it's become a matter of sight.

Stay focused on the value you're offering and the services people need you to supply. Create great content that educates, edifies, and enlightens your audience, and provide opportunities for them to purchase your premium content and direct access to you through coaching.

Once you earn your first dollar online, you'll believe this is possible for you. Don't talk yourself out of it if this is part of your divinely-orchestrated calling and design.

-John