The Email Sound Booth with Liz Wilcox
Episode 69: One Huge Mistake You Make When Creating a Product
Release Date: December 19, 2024
Introduction: Identifying a Critical Mistake
In Episode 69 of The Email Sound Booth podcast, host Liz Wilcox addresses a prevalent error many creators make when developing a product. She emphasizes the significance of engaging with your email list throughout the product creation process to foster a sense of community and investment among your audience.
"The number one mistake I see people making is not sharing the creative process with your email list." [00:00]
The Common Mistake: Withholding the Creative Process
Liz begins by highlighting how numerous creators fail to involve their audience in the development journey of their products. This oversight often leads to missed opportunities for engagement and potential sales.
"Business is hard. Emailing is hard. But there is one mistake I see so many creators make when they are creating a product." [00:15]
Learning from Disney: A Masterclass in Transparency
To illustrate the importance of sharing the creative process, Liz references Disney's successful strategy. When launching a new movie, Disney consistently provides behind-the-scenes content, keeping audiences engaged and excited about the upcoming release.
"Disney is a great example of doing this. When they're launching a new movie, they do all sorts of behind the scenes content." [02:30]
She cites the making of "Princess and the Frog" as a notable instance where Disney shared extensive details about their hand-drawn animation process, fostering anticipation and connection with viewers.
"While they were making it, because it was the very first time they had hand drawn a film in, in like over a decade. So it was a big deal." [03:10]
Liz's Personal Experience: Launching an RV Maintenance Course
Drawing from her own experience, Liz shares how involving her email subscribers in the creation of her digital course significantly boosted its success. She recounts the journey of developing her RV maintenance course, "Fix It Yourself."
"Sometimes I'll share about the first digital course that I had, right? Fix it yourself. It was an RV maintenance course. So I had this idea, but I was 90% sure people would buy it. But I asked my audience..." [05:00]
Gauging Interest and Building Anticipation
Liz began by polling her email list to assess interest in the potential course. The positive response from 141 subscribers propelled her to take actionable steps toward creation.
"I asked my audience, I sent an email out, 'Hey, if I was to create a course on RV maintenance, would you be interested in it?' I had 141 people click, yes, Liz, we'd be interested." [05:30]
Collaborative Development: Involving Subscribers Every Step
Liz maintained weekly communication with her subscribers, updating them on progress and seeking their input. This collaborative approach ensured that the final product aligned closely with the audience's needs and preferences.
"Every single week I would tell people about it. Hey, I know 141 people clicked. They were interested. Here's what I'm doing this week." [06:00]
She involved her subscribers in decisions such as module additions and equipment choices, making them feel integral to the product's development.
"We wrote down all the modules we think need to be in this course. What do you think is missing?... They came back and they, oh, we want a module on this or that. And so we added that." [07:15]
"I asked in one week, you know, what camera should we use? We don't really have a camera, but we need one. Which one should we buy?... They said, oh, you know, I use this camera for pictures while you're traveling or I'm a YouTuber and I use this one." [08:00]
Launch Strategy Informed by Subscriber Feedback
Liz also sought her audience's opinion on the course launch timing, demonstrating transparency and inclusivity.
"I wanted to launch it on my birthday. So I asked people, hey, would it be too corny to launch this on my birthday? What do you think? Hit reply." [09:00]
Results: From Engagement to Sales Success
By actively sharing the creative process and involving her email list in decision-making, Liz achieved remarkable results. The initial waitlist of 141 subscribers translated directly into 141 sales, underscoring the power of audience engagement.
"By the end I had made 141 sales. How did I do that? Well, I avoided this mistake. I shared the entire creative process with my email list." [10:00]
Conclusion: The Power of Transparency in Product Creation
Liz Wilcox concludes the episode by reiterating the importance of sharing the creative journey with your email subscribers. This strategy not only fosters a deeper connection with your audience but also significantly enhances the likelihood of successful product launches.
"I can't wait for you to avoid this mistake because it's going to make you a lot more money." [10:30]
Liz encourages creators to adopt this transparent approach to build more engaged and profitable email lists, ensuring that both the creator and the audience benefit mutually from the product development process.
By following Liz Wilcox's advice in Episode 69, creators can transform their product development strategy, leveraging the power of their email lists to create products that resonate deeply with their audience and drive meaningful sales.