The project that faded after launch

I decide to write an ebook explaining topics like domains, networking, and encryption in a more approachable way. But this time, instead of writing the whole thing upfront, I try something different: a pre-order launch.

The idea is simple. If nobody buys, I save myself weeks of work. If people do buy, I know there's enough interest to continue. I offer the ebook at a discounted pre-order price and promise delivery within two months.

62 people sign up, which is enough to convince me to start writing.

Over the next couple of months, I reuse some ideas from my videos, write the rest from scratch, and eventually finish the book just in time for launch.

The pre-order earns $744 before the book is even finished.

On launch day, I sell another 13 copies at full price. After that, sales slow down quickly.

Overall, the book earns around $1,400.

Compared to some of my previous projects, the numbers are smaller than I expected. But the experience helps me understand something important about the relationship between offers and audiences.

The pre-order gave me confidence to build the product, but it also revealed a weakness in my approach.

Once I'd promoted the launch to my existing audience, there was nowhere else for new customers to come from.

Unlike some of my earlier projects, I wasn't continuing to create content around the topic of the book. Without that ongoing flow of attention, the offer slowly faded into the background.

This project taught me that launching something successfully and building something sustainable aren't always the same thing.