The Honest Setup: What you actually need (and what you don't)

Let me start with a confession.

I paid for a program called Leadpages. It's the most recent thing I bought.

I've never really used it. I don't even remember why I got it.

A couple of months ago, it auto-renewed. $444 for another year of not using it.

I've cancelled it now. But it's paid through the end of the year, so I'll be not using it for a while longer.

That's the shiny object chaser in me. Something sounds good, and I'm in before I've thought it through.

So before we talk about what you need, here's the lesson that one taught me:

👉 Think it through before you buy. Most of what's for sale in this business, you don't need yet.

And a second one, which cost me $444 to learn:

👉 When you do buy, put the renewal date on your calendar. Then decide on purpose, before it decides for you.

Three things. That's it.

1. A page you control.
A simple page where someone can give you their email address. Not your social profile, and not a raw affiliate link. A page that's yours.

2. An email list.
That's where the relationship lives. Social media can change the rules on you overnight. Your list is yours.

3. One social profile, set up right.
Just one to start. The one where the people you want to help already spend their time.

If a friend asked me where to start tomorrow, I'd tell them: Systeme.io.

The free version covers the first two things on that list. It gives you:

The free version has low limits on some of its other features. But it's plenty to get started, and if you find you like affiliate marketing, it grows with you.

(I'm an affiliate for Systeme.io, so if you sign up through my link, I earn a commission. The free version costs you nothing either way.)

👉 Start with Systeme.io free

A second email service.
I have Systeme.io, AWeber and Beehiiv. That's three. You need one.

A fancy website.
I've built several sites with Elementor, including bobcaine.com. You don't need one to start. A simple signup page does the job.

Page builders you haven't planned for.
See: Leadpages.

Courses and "done-for-you" packages.
Not before you have your first subscribers. You'll know much better what you actually need once you've started.

Before: Buy the tool, then figure out what to do with it.

After: Figure out what you need to do. Check whether you already have something that does it. If not, find the simplest tool that does.

For the third item on the list, one social profile set up right, the free audit shows you exactly what's costing you clicks. It takes about 3 minutes.

👉 Take the audit

Hit reply and tell me: what's one thing you bought and never used?

One word is enough. I told you mine. You won't bother me, and I promise not to judge. I have Leadpages.

— Bob