Why is every successful digital creator telling you the key is to “build in public”?
Building in public refers to showing the process, not just the finished product. And contrary to what you might be thinking, it's a good thing.
Apr 17, 2022 •
Smart digital creators show their work early, before it’s ready and, most importantly, way before they are ready to show it.
Are you scared yet? I was.
In this essay, I share the 5 main reasons why you should go ahead and do it anyway.
1. Validate your idea.
Creating in public allows you to validate your idea in ways that legacy creators could’ve only dreamed about.
When you publish a tweet, a LinkedIn post, or a reel on Instagram, you can see what your audience thinks of it. How many people saw it, how many of them liked it, shared it, or commented on it? Is it resonating?
After a few weeks, you’ll be able to easily spot patterns and recognize what topics interest them most.
2. Get unfiltered feedback.
Some of the best feedback you can get is when your ideas are ignored.
This means your audience does not want them. And by building in public, and getting this feedback, you just saved yourself the time, money, and effort it would’ve taken you to complete it. Now you are free to pursue a different idea, a different audience, or both.
Remember: Not because your audience needs something, does it mean they will want it.
3. Refine your product.
As an expert, you suffer from something called the curse of knowledge.
It means you don’t remember what it was like before you learned what you plan to create. So your final product could either be too advanced or too generic. Neither one will get results for your audience.
When you build in public, you can “test” your concepts with them until you find the sweet spot.
4. Involve your audience.
People want to be part of something.
When you build in public, you invite your audience to co-create with you, giving them a role to play, and a result to be proud of.
5. Build relationships.
People connect with other people, not with businesses.
When you build in public, your audience gets to know you. They empathize with you, and develop a real connection to you and, by extension, to your business.
Show your work!
I know it’s intimidating but do it anyway.
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