If you are looking to start selling to customers and earning money on the internet - building a SaaS is rarely going to be the best way to get started. The Stair step Approach to Bootstrapping (microconf.com/stairstep) is a method that Rob Walling charted out in 2015 and it has helped thousands of entrepreneurs slowly build their chops online, find a way to buy back their time from an employer, and build a business that creates financial independence.

In today’s episode of MicroConf On Air, we’re going to take a look a prime example of the Stairstep Approach in Action by talking to Corey Haines (@CoreyHainesco https://twitter.com/coreyhainesco), who is currently leading Swipefiles (https://www.swipefiles.com/), a community focused on growth marketing strategies.

We’ll chat about Corey’s journey up the stair step method, from his two courses, content marketing as a funnel, community building to find his audience, and finally, his focus on SaaS marketing and increasing his prices to get to a position that has him Default Alive and building on the success of SwipeFiles.

Learn more about the stairstep approach straight from the source.

https://microconf.com/latest/the-stairstep-approach-to-bootstrapping

In this episode, you'll hear the following:

Corey's First Step: (9:20)

What SaaS ideas Cory would avoid (13:00)

How Corey acquired his marketing skills (16:45)

Advice for marketing to customers who aren't that active online (21:50)

Corey's Next Steps (29:05)

Advice for absolute SaaS beginners (40:00)

Leapfrogging early stair steps (41:30)

Advice to consultancy owner on starting the stairsteps (44:40)

Advice on translating websites (49:00)

Book mentioned in the show:

The Ultimate Sales Machine (https://www.amazon.com/The-Ultimate-Sales-Machine-audiobook/dp/B000VRA0ZW/) by Chet Holmes