Achieving Digital Freedom with the 80:20 Rule

I make $10k-15k/month as a creator.

I do client work for 90 minutes a week.

I've never sent a SINGLE DM for business.

And I finish 'work' by midday.

Here's how I used the 80:20 rule to achieve Digital Freedom:

🧵 pic.twitter.com/59nzgjFx57

— Kieran Drew (@ItsKieranDrew) April 5, 2023

The problem:

Most advice on Twitter is focused on money-making tactics.

But if your diary is filled with clients, you're too busy to build leverage.

Over the past year, I've posted...
- 100+ threads
- 8 free video courses
- 1 million emails to my list

Here's the aim:

— Kieran Drew (@ItsKieranDrew) April 5, 2023

Optimize for relationships over revenue.

When you build more (and better) relationships with your audience, you put yourself in the best long-term profitable position.

An audience who knows, likes, and trusts you is an incredible asset.

So instead of chasing clients...

— Kieran Drew (@ItsKieranDrew) April 5, 2023

Give away an unbelievable amount of free content.

Most people hide their best ideas behind a paywall.

An easy way to stand out is to do the opposite. Make your free stuff better than their paid.

You want to treat your audience like buyers BEFORE they buy.

Likes ain't cash?

— Kieran Drew (@ItsKieranDrew) April 5, 2023

They are if you do it right.

Social media is top of funnel (catch attention)

People give you their emails for more material.

Your newsletter builds trust.

And you have a product or service (or both) to serve those ready to buy.

This is where the 80:20 rule comes in:

— Kieran Drew (@ItsKieranDrew) April 5, 2023

First up.

If your diary is filled with clients, bin 'em or outsource 'em (make the bare minimum)

You need time to do it right.

If you have a 9-5, use it to fund your future career.

The aim is to spend 80% of your focus on building reputation and 20% on revenue.

Here's how:

— Kieran Drew (@ItsKieranDrew) April 5, 2023

Spend 10 months with one mission:

Overdelivering for your audience.

You want to build...

1. A powerful social presence
2. An engaging newsletter
3. Free, high quality digital assets like courses

These will put you a great position to monetize 👇

— Kieran Drew (@ItsKieranDrew) April 5, 2023

Over the next 2 months, build & launch a product.

The reason we productize is because it requires no extra fulfilment when sold.

... Keeping you free to play the game.

People worry they won't get paid if they've given away so much for free.

Let me show why that's wrong.

— Kieran Drew (@ItsKieranDrew) April 5, 2023

Your free content CREATES problems.

By helping people get results, you've moved them along their journey.

All you need to do now is ask them what they're struggling with, and build the solution.

They trust you from your free stuff so they buy.

Here's where it gets exciting.

— Kieran Drew (@ItsKieranDrew) April 5, 2023

Year 2, do it again.

But now you have a product capturing the demand you create - so you can scale AND make money.

You'll enjoy compounding of:
- Audience growth
- Relationships

The secret is to delay the ask.

I just finished year 2 of this plan. Look at my growth 👇 pic.twitter.com/A1DbXfZjvm

— Kieran Drew (@ItsKieranDrew) April 5, 2023

A creator's mission is to build trust at scale.

Instead of working 1-1, focus on 1-to-many.

It takes time, but so does anything worthwhile.

After 2 years of optimizing for relationships, you have the platform to springboard your success.

Long-term games = better results.

— Kieran Drew (@ItsKieranDrew) April 5, 2023

Thanks for reading!

If you enjoy writing and you're interested in building your creator business, drop me a follow as I share what I learn @itskierandrew.

And please drop a quick comment below if this was helpful!

All feedback is appreciated 🤝 https://t.co/T8QX3mnX5r

— Kieran Drew (@ItsKieranDrew) April 5, 2023