Have you ever fallen prey to the “passive income” lie? The one that makes you feel that if you have an online business it should be a set it and forget it business? This episode is the first in a new series called Marketing Automation: How to Authentically Automate Your Business in 2022.
When entrepreneurs discovered the untapped power of selling online, the circus began. It was a fun and exciting circus. One where you no longer had to have a brick and mortar business to be an entrepreneur. No big up front costs, and marketing was fast and effective. It was a race, whoever could sell the best was the most successful. The quality of digital products didn’t even need to be extraordinarily high. We started seeing messaging all over the place, promising a “laptop lifestyle” and the appeal of a passive income business. Books like Tim Ferris’ “The Four Hour Workweek” came onto the scene and our minds were blown. Suddenly it became about how to create the most income with the least amount of effort. That was the new American dream, thanks to the power of online marketing.
Several years later we are still seeing brands and influencers and powerful entrepreneurs sell the story to sell their products. And yet we are seeing contradiction after contradiction, proving that marketing and traffic generation can really never stop. No matter the type of product you are selling, only certain parts of your business can be automated. When we try to create “set it and forget it” businesses, we start to lose the real thing that builds our business- connection. There is a mountain of evidence showing that while experts claim having a course or an Amazon store is passive income, there is an endless amount of work that has to continue to happen to remain profitable.
For many entrepreneurs, the story that passive income is possible and the ideal, has greatly impacted their efforts. They wonder if they are broken or somehow less successful, if they are still required to show up and work to create in their businesses. They look around worrying they are the only ones still having to work to create income. It has stifled our creativity and our vision, because we are so focused on the structure of creating a passive income business, we forget the core value of our businesses. Many new and seasoned entrepreneurs are stuck in self doubt and shame, feeling disconnected from success, when in reality they are thriving and doing exactly what is necessary!
After decades (or really centuries) of manual labor required to even survive, we’ve become complacent as a society, looking for the easiest ways to earn. The internet and the power of digital marketing has made that even more enticing, because for years we have been able to lazily create funnels and watch them generate revenue like ATM’s. Recently someone pointed out though, how hard successful people in Hollywood or theater work. They push themselves hard, and the work isn’t always fun, but it usually pays off in the long run. And the same applies to other industries. There are still far more people working traditional jobs and finding joy in producing than there are who are not working. Or so it seems from where I stand.
My father is an example of one of these traditionally hard workers. And to his benefit, he LOVES his job. Retirement sounds more like a punishment than a benefit. I used to think it unfair that I could generate 10X more than my dad doing something so simple online, but now I wonder if he’s the lucky one. In chasing the almighty dollar and the ease of earning, what have I missed out on?
This is not of course meant to discount the hard work that DOES go into building an online business. It has become more challenging now than ever to create success. But rather than face that with fear, let’s face it with excitement and eagerness. The opportunity to work is just that- an opportunity. Not a punishment. And the benefits putting in an honest effort and hard work, even if that work is sitting in front of a screen pushing yourself to be more creative and innovative.
Not only is it possible, it’s essential if you are to keep up with the ever changing times we live in. There are parts of your business that should not take up hours of your day. Sales and lead generation are two of those things. Throughout this series I will show you how to create more authentic automation, without the focus on creating a passive income lifestyle. Let’s combine the power of passion and perseverance with strategy and systems to create businesses that can thrive into the next decade and beyond!
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