Starting a business and creating an additional income stream sounds exciting, right? But—nothing kills that excitement faster than spending hours crafting an offer only to hear crickets when you launch. No sign-ups. No sales. Just silence.

If that’s ever happened to you (or if you want to avoid it), listen up: The key to creating a successful new income stream isn’t about jumping straight into creating an offer. It’s about validating your idea first.

And trust me, I’ve learned this lesson the hard way. When keynotes and training for companies and associations were my primary focus from 2008 to 2020, I created my first course as a follow-up to my Connecting Advantage talk. I had already written a 220-page business book in 2015, so I figured I’d just build on that content and expand it. 

Big mistake. I invested time and money into having it professionally developed, and while it looked fantastic, then—cue the pandemic—my business completely shifted. Social media changed, and suddenly, most of my content was outdated.

An expensive lesson learned. Now, I use this approach and can launch a micro offer in record time, creating a revenue stream without the risk of wasted effort.

Here’s exactly how to do that in six strategic steps:

1. Identify Your Perfect Client

If you try to create an offer for everyone, you’ll end up reaching no one. Instead, get laser-focused on one specific person with one specific problem in your target audience.

Ask yourself:

• Who is struggling with a problem you can solve?
• What type of client gets the best results when working with you?
• Are they just starting a business or further along in their journey?

For example, if you’re a health coach specializing in menopause, your perfect client might be women in their 40s struggling with sudden weight gain and fatigue. If you’re a business coach, maybe it’s someone who needs guidance on starting a business or clarifying their coaching niche.

2. Look for Gaps in Your Niche

Not all offers are created equal. If your niche is oversaturated with the same recycled advice, you need to identify gaps—things that aren’t being addressed, outdated information, or areas where your audience still struggles.

Do some market research:

• Check Facebook groups, Reddit, or industry forums—what are people complaining about?
• Read Amazon reviews of books in your niche—what’s missing?
• Is there a course created on Udemy and if so, how many sales have they had?
• Survey your email list or audience—what’s their biggest frustration?

For example, a life coach might find that people struggle with implementing mindset shifts, while a nutrition coach could notice a lack of simple meal plans for busy professionals. These are opportunities to offer something fresh and valuable.

3. Break It Down Into Actionable Steps

Once you’ve identified a specific problem your audience faces, don’t try to solve everything at once. Instead, break it down into a clear roadmap.

Think about:

• What’s the big transformation your audience wants? (Example: “I want to improve my energy levels during menopause!” or “I want to book my first three coaching clients!”)
• What steps do they need to take to get there?
• What roadblocks usually stop them from making progress?

If you’re a wellness coach, this might mean outlining small daily habits that lead to long-term health improvements. If you help people grow their online business, you could break down the steps for launching their first offer without overwhelm.

4. Solve One High-Value Step

Now, instead of trying to tackle the entire transformation, zoom in on one step that’s particularly challenging for your audience—and help them get a quick win that keeps them engaged and motivated.

For example:

• When a new member joins Visibility Builders Society, they don’t just get access to a massive portal of trainings. They receive a Lead Generation Jumpstart: Your First 30 Days—a checklist that guides them through which modules to work on first (whether they’re brand new or seasoned) so they can add warm subscribers to their email list quickly.
• If your audience struggles with how to get coaching clients, give them a simple script or framework to land their first three clients within 30 days.
• If they’re overwhelmed with choosing a coaching niche, walk them through a niche validation exercise that helps them confidently choose their direction in under an hour.
• If they want to grow their online business but don’t know where to start, provide a traffic-building strategy they can implement in a single afternoon.

The goal? Get them a small but meaningful win ASAP—so they see real progress and are more likely to stick with the process.

5. Test Interest with a Lead Magnet

Before you go all-in on building a course, membership, or even a high-ticket offer, test the waters with a lead magnet.

A great lead magnet:

• Solves a specific problem in a short amount of time
• Positions you as the go-to expert in your space
• Attracts your ideal client and more importantly…a warm audience compared to someone who likes or comments on a social post)

Some high-converting lead magnet ideas include:

• A checklist or roadmap (“5 Steps to Attract Clients Online Without Social Media”)
• A free workshop (“How to Reverse Engineer Your Next 90 Days Without Mental BS”)
• A mini training (“Coaching Niche Ideas That Actually Sell”)

These lead magnets validate your idea and show if there’s actual demand before you invest time in a full-scale offer. If people sign up and engage, you know you’re onto something. If not, tweak and refine before you move forward.

6. Leverage Strategic Collaborations to Test a Micro Offer

If you want to take validation a step further, don’t just give away your lead magnet—turn it into an easy-to-create micro offer and see who’s willing to opt-in to get it.

Here’s how:

• Add a video walkthrough to your juicy lead magnet to enhance its value.
• Offer it as a low-cost micro offer (e.g., $7-$27) to test demand.
• Use strategic collaborations to get it in front of new audiences—such as bundling it with other experts’ resources or offering it in a low-cost paid workshop (e.g., $2.99).
• Feature it in a collaborative bundle—even though you won’t get paid upfront, the number of sign-ups will give you key insights into demand.
• Turn it into an upsell in your lead magnet funnel or even a paid offer on your site.

By positioning your lead magnet as a micro offer, you’ll:

• See if people are willing to invest in your solution.
• Build a more engaged email list (buyers > freebie seekers).
• Gain proof that your idea is worth scaling into a full-fledged offer.

Your Next Step: Fast-Track Your Visibility & Lead Generation

If you’re serious about creating new income streams without relying on social media algorithms or constant launching, you need a strategy that brings leads to you consistently.

That’s exactly what we teach inside Visibility Builders Society—your monthly membership for leveraging collaborations, growing your email list, and creating offers that sell.

Join us today and start building a lead generation system that actually works!

JOIN THE SOCIETY