Why Our Dream Vacation Turned into a Business Wake-Up Call

My wife and I had planned our dream vacation to the Amalfi Coast. We were excited to smell the Mediterranean Sea, hike the Path of the Gods, and quench our thirst with ice-cold limoncello.

Everything was set.

All I needed to do was complete my course launch.

Our little business had been steadily climbing, and this launch was supposed to take us to the next level.

But... it didn’t go as planned. Instead of limoncello, we got lemons. The launch bombed. It was a complete and utter failure.

So how did we go from sold-out programs to crickets?

I’ll let you in on our million-dollar mistake.

I had built my entire business on organic leads and referrals.

In fact, I was proud of it. Who wouldn’t be?

Clients loved their experience and would tell their friends about us.

The problem wasn’t that we got lazy or let our guard down. It was that we were paying attention to the wrong data.

We expected that if enrollments were increasing from launch to launch, they would continue along that trend.

Reasonable, right?

Wrong.

And this is the biggest problem with organic marketing - you never know when it might suddenly fail.

And when it does, it feels like it’s almost too late to fix.

Here’s what I should have done instead:

1. Your initial sales data is compromised. If you look back at your first list of buyers, notice how long you’ve known them before purchase.

2. Replenish your reserves. Audience building should be a top priority. How are you getting in front of your ideal audience, positioned as an expert?

3. Get comfortable with paid marketing. Organic is a luxury. If your nervous system isn’t regulated to budgeting consistent spending on ads, traffic, and software - start now.

4. Don’t outsource your copy, ads, or marketing unless you’ve got over $500k in the bank. Don’t hand over your ability to print money. You can’t expect to manage an ad agency if you don’t know the difference between good or bad marketing.

5. (Eventually) know your sales cycle. How long does it take from first contact to purchase? How much do you have to spend on ads to acquire a customer? (ROAS - return on ad spend)

It’s okay to rely on organic marketing when you’re starting out. It’s a fantastic way to build a strong, genuine connection with your audience. However, don’t make the mistake I did by putting all your eggs in one basket.

Diversify your marketing efforts, invest in paid strategies, and continuously build and engage your audience. By doing this, you’ll create a more resilient and sustainable business model that can weather any storm.

Learn from my mistake, and you’ll be sipping limoncello on the Amalfi Coast in no time, with a thriving business back home.

Cheers,