Welcome back, Empire Builders! I recently interviewed Ryan Jameson, our latest $10k Per Month Club member, about his strategy. We had a great conversation filled with useful advice about how to sell viral products, so I’ve summarized it here. Check out the full video to watch the whole conversation. I’m really excited to share this with you so let’s jump right in.
Tell Us About Your Backstory and Journey So Far
Ryan Jameson: I started when I was young, selling online game currency, making and selling stickers, and using eBay and WooCommerce. I found Shopify around two and a half years ago and started dropshipping. I went from one niche to the next, trying to find something that worked with no success. Then one day, I came across your videos and started using ClickFunnels. Then around the end of last year, I tried selling a gadget and made around $5K, but the profit margin was low.
At the beginning of the year, when the UK lockdown started, I thought about the businesses that closed and what products people would need. I found a product, and, using what I learned about improving your offer, I created a product guide. That month, January, I made about $9k.
Then, in February, I noticed that a product that solved a problem created by lockdown was selling well on my Facebook feed, and it had a good profit margin. I found a local supplier, so I would be able to offer 2- to 3-day shipping. That product made around $15k.
Peter Pru: I want to unpack that because you went through a lot. Some people might hear that and think you just got lucky and struck gold. But when you get right down to it, you had a good niche and a great offer. Half the battle is finding a niche with pain points and creating an offer around the solution.
One thing I always harp on is, what’s your differentiating factor? Why should they buy from you instead of someone else? In your case, you added a digital product showing them how to use it, which isn’t difficult, and that sets you apart.
Did You Create Your Own Digital Products or Hire Someone?
Ryan: I did it almost all on my own. I started with a Google search to find out what the problem was and figure out the solution to quickly create an information product. The PDF how-to guide only took me a few hours to research and put together. But it helped me win sales over large competitors that were making a lot of money and running tons of ads. I’ve sold around 250 units in the last month, so adding an information product worked well.
What’s Your Process for Creating Digital Products?
Ryan: I found a designer on Fiverr and hired him to make me a cover for like $5. I also had an offer stack image on the product page. Then I spent a couple of hours researching to write up the how-to guide on Google Sheets. I used automation to send the guide to customers after purchase, so it didn’t take any extra effort. It was fast and easy but really increased sales a lot.
Peter: Exactly! People often focus entirely on the product. Of course, you need a product that solves a pain point and provides value, but other people will be selling it, too. You need to give them a reason to buy from you instead.
How Did You Find Your Supplier?
Ryan: Actually, I have an interesting tip. I went on eBay to find people who were already selling the same product. You can usually see their address and website on the page, so I found a local seller and went to their site. Luckily for me, they were banned from eBay, so I was able to sell their whole supply as part of my strategy for how to sell viral products.
Is This a Side Hustle, or Do You Want to Go Full-Time?
Ryan: I want to go full-time. I’ve been running simple funnels with few upsells and no subscriptions or retargeting ads on Facebook. I’d like to add them along with using Google Shopping to increase profits. Plus, I’ll be hiring a VA to help with customer service to save time. I got a photo of the products in the crates from my supplier as social proof to help with customer confidence and trust, as well. I plan to just keep expanding and improving to grow my business and my profits.
Peter: I want to point out how being resourceful has helped you. Many people try one really obvious thing, like AliExpress. Then, if they can’t find the product they’re looking for, they throw up their hands and give up. You went to eBay and searched for local sellers. Getting that photo to help show people you have the products was smart, too.
You were thinking outside the box and thinking of imaginative solutions for how to sell viral products. That’s what you need as a business owner: resourcefulness, creativity, and adaptability. There’s always a way; you just have to be willing to find it.
What Are Your Goals for This Year?
Ryan: Expanding. I’ve got Google Ads, and I’m running tests to see what works. Many products sell well if you offer them in packs of 1, 2, 4, and 6, but not this one. So next, I tried a 2-year guarantee as my upsell, and that worked. I plan to just keep testing, learning, optimizing, and expanding.
Peter: You’re doing a lot of great things. I can’t wait to watch you hit all your milestones.
Any Final Words of Advice for How to Sell Viral Products?
Don’t just think about finding products in terms of what you like. A big part of how to sell viral products is looking at what’s trending right now. What are people currently buying? After that, it’s all about making the offer stand out so it makes sales. Also, don’t be scared to just jump in and try something. Learning is all well and good, but at some point, it takes action. Then, you can look at what went right and what went wrong to learn from experience.
Okay, Empire Builders, hopefully, you enjoyed hearing what Ryan had to say and learned something from his experience about how to sell viral products. If you’re ready to take his advice and start building your empire, subscribe to my YouTube channel or check out my free webinar to learn how I made full-time income without touching a product or building a website. You can also get my $100K funnel template completely free just for showing up. Remember, your empire starts now!