Has anyone launched a paid community? or cohort?

[MichaelKove]

I've been a tech freelancer for 18+ years...

and I feel like I should capitalize on my experience and knowledge (as I am so tired of doing the client work!)

Originally, I thought about creating a few courses to teach freelancers how to get clients (specifically developers).

But the more I research on the subject, the more I come to conclusion that selling digital products trend is going away.
(Yes there is still money there, I've made few hundred dollars selling a simple beginner's course, but course completion was low and it's not recurring.)

Communities and education platforms are the next big thing - as I see more and more creators gravitate towards community-based business model (especially post pandemic).

Anyone have experience in this field?

I want to niche down on tech freelancers (developers, programmers, web design), because, I feel that's the area I have the most experience selling and sourcing clients myself.

Should I launch cohort groups (like quarterly), for ex: "Your first client in 90 days?" or "How to do cold cold outreach?"

How do you market it for launch?

And most importantly how to deal with "empty room" effect?

Whether it's paid or free, how do I get people to come back, engage and participate in it?

Should I just go with Discord channel first and then move them to platform community?

I am stuck in client work and I cannot produce community content every day, I am afraid if I don't go above and beyond, i'll lose members.

Thank you.

P.S.
I've grown very jaded with freelancing and in a way "hate it" because, it's trading time for money. I understand that many would be thrilled to have clients, do client work and trade their time for money, I feel like it's not the best way to make money. I don't think it's relevant but every time I hear someone say,

"I want to freelance" I can't help myself to say: "It's a job without any guarantees, and you'll trade your time for money"

 

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[Kung Fu Steve]

I've been a tech freelancer for 18+ years...

and I feel like I should capitalize on my experience and knowledge (as I am so tired of doing the client work!)

Originally, I thought about creating a few courses to teach freelancers how to get clients (specifically developers).

But the more I research on the subject, the more I come to conclusion that selling digital products trend is going away.
(Yes there is still money there, I've made few hundred dollars selling a simple beginner's course, but course completion was low and it's not recurring.)

Communities and education platforms are the next big thing - as I see more and more creators gravitate towards community-based business model (especially post pandemic).

In Exponential Organizations, there's the characteristic of "community" -- but I'm not sure it's along the same lines as you're thinking.

When you say community and education platform what are you talking about? An actual software to host a community on like Skool or Facebook? A membership site? Udemy?

And when you talk about creators... who are you talking about?

Specifics help!

Anyone have experience in this field?

I want to niche down on tech freelancers (developers, programmers, web design), because, I feel that's the area I have the most experience selling and sourcing clients myself.

Should I launch cohort groups (like quarterly), for ex: "Your first client in 90 days?" or "How to do cold cold outreach?"

Maybe it makes sense to ask people what they want... and then give it to them?

Do YOU have experience getting your first client in 90 days (or helping lots of people doing that)?
Are YOU an expert at cold outreach?

Have you got outsized results with your efforts with a strategy you can share?

How do you market it for launch?

And most importantly how to deal with "empty room" effect?

"Building an audience" is hard.
Using someone else's audience is easier.

Whether it's paid or free, how do I get people to come back, engage and participate in it?

Should I just go with Discord channel first and then move them to platform community?

It sounds like you're JUST starting to research an idea after seeing a Facebook ad from Alex Hormozi telling you to sign up for Skool or Dean Grasiozi telling you that, you, too, can make money from your perceived expertise.

I'm teasing, of course.

BUT you've got a LONG ways to go here.

Don't start with you, your wants, your desires -- start with your customers. Ask THEM what they want. Give it to them. Maybe a membership IS the way to go... maybe it's not!

You've sold some courses -- maybe that's a way better idea than trying to run a community (which you're not committed to because you just said:

I am stuck in client work and I cannot produce community content every day, I am afraid if I don't go above and beyond, i'll lose members.

P.S.
I've grown very jaded with freelancing and in a way "hate it" because, it's trading time for money. I understand that many would be thrilled to have clients, do client work and trade their time for money, I feel like it's not the best way to make money. I don't think it's relevant but every time I hear someone say,

"I want to freelance" I can't help myself to say: "It's a job without any guarantees, and you'll trade your time for money"

Question:

If you're not sold on the idea of freelancing... why do you think teaching others to freelance would go well?

"I hate this. It's stupid. It's trading time for money. But yeah, you can do it. It's a dumb idea, though. And you're stupid if you do it."

You might never SAY those words out loud but everyone will feel it.

Sounds like you've got a lot of soul searching to do.

 

[MichaelKove]

You might never SAY those words out loud but everyone will feel it.

I've freelanced for too long and I feel like I need to move to the next chapter. I don't think it's bad idea for others, plenty of money to be made.

the soul searching I need is probably to allow beginners pick this path, because, to them it's best choice (Where I was 20 years ago).

It sounds like you're JUST starting to research an idea after seeing a Facebook ad from Alex Hormozi telling you to sign up for Skool or Dean Grasiozi telling you that, you, too, can make money from your perceived expertise.

haha, yeah Skool hype is out of control. I don't like the platform, though. With all respect to Sam Owens, I think it's overhyped.

I've looked at Karta, Circle, MightNetworks, Kajabi and few other smaller players. The idea of community has been brewing in my mind for past 2 years, because, there isn't much in the Tech Freelancing space that helps developers get clients or get contract work.

Some creators that are bullish on communities: Pat Flynn, Dan Koe, Al Abdaal, Ship30For30, etc - they all started with affiliate marketing and courses but eventually built communities.

Maybe it makes sense to ask people what they want... and then give it to them?

They do want that. Every freelancer I talk to struggles with finding clients and selling, especially, technical contractors.

To expand more on why I want community over courses:

It's better than building mailing list, as members are more engaged and upselling is easier.
It's ongoing steady revenue (MRR) rather than doing constant launches of new courses/product.
The networking effect is important, opportunities arise from meeting other professionals.

I want to completely stop client work and community is one of the income streams that could allow me to do that.