Visualize Value’s rise has been swift. Lead by Jack Butcher, this product makes it easy for you to make and measure progress by effectively leveraging the power of habits. Visualize Value knows that habits have the power to transform your life, team or organisation. They show you how to use the compounding effect of habits for your benefit.
This piece isn't about the product though. To experience that, you'll have to try it for yourself. This piece is about the lessons we can learn from Jack Butcher and how he built his company. At a time in which the Internet has more users than ever, technology is as advanced as it's ever been, and opportunities are plentiful, these are important lessons for anybody trying to be successful on the Internet.
A Brief Background
The last year has been eventful for both Visualize Value and Jack Butcher. Revenue has grown rapidly, from $0 to $3000 per day on average. Seventy-five percent of revenue stems from digital products - the Visualize Value Private Community, Daily Manifest, and digital prints - something which shows how good Jack has become at monetising consumer attention.
The Daily Manifest is designed to help ambitious, busy people get clear on their goals, and execute. With a 600 strong community of founders, designers, developers, investors, marketers, athletes, educators, photographers, directors and students in pursuit of a better version of themselves, the Daily Manifest is a proven tool for self-organization. Self-organization which results in better habits, less procrastination and tangible progress.
The product is fantastic, but as I said earlier, that isn't what this piece is about. Let's set out to learn what makes Jack Butcher such a prolific creator and what he’s doing to drive the extraordinary growth of Visualize Value.
The Core of Visualize Value
Jack Butcher has positioned Visualize Value at the intersection of philosophy, technology, aesthetics and commerce. One look at their digital content and this is clear to see. Simple design harbours an important message.
The message is a call to action for those who are ambitious, driven and determined. The intersection of philosophy, technology, aesthetics and commerce is bustling with people just like that. Visualise Value helps these people realise their ambitions and dreams. Put simply, Visualise Value has been so successful because they have helped other people become successful. This started with the consistent creation of high-quality digital content.
Content
Elegant and simple. Everything you need, nothing you don’t. Visualise Value content is clear, simple and impactful. Most importantly, it’s unique.
Jack Butcher achieved this by being exceptionally consistent. For six months he made at least one image every day, most days, three to four. Repetition such as this allows you to hone your craft, to become an expert. Consistency is not all that’s required though.
He applied creative constraint to his work. Limiting himself to black canvas, white typography and geometry, he created work that was simple yet effective. These simple designs, such as the one below, became associated with Jack and Visualize Value. When they’re as good as this, it’s an association you’re happy to have made.
As a creator, there's a good chance that you're unsure of what your 'content' looks like. If this is you, consider your experiences up until this point. Jack Butcher ran a successful advertising agency before starting Visualize Value. He understood content and marketing better than most. This is why he was able to build a business selling digital systems that help people execute on their goals.
You’ve spent massive amounts of time, energy, and effort accruing experience. These are the things that you know better than anybody else. They’re the concepts on which you have a unique perspective. Record your lessons and insight once and offer it for sale at a fraction of what you 'paid' to learn it. Multiple sales lead to major returns. Consumers purchase because they crave unique perspectives and authenticity of ideas. Give them yours.
Here’s what we can learn from Jack Butcher about content creation:
Creating is about consistency. To be a prolific creator, you need to put in your reps. Make creating a habit.
Create work that can be associated with you. In this way, you grow your brand, your reputation and your network. A wide network carries a wide range of opportunities.
Figure out what you know better than anybody else. Record this knowledge and make it available for consumers to purchase.
The Power of the Community
Visualise Value has leveraged the internet to teach customers how to use habits and technology to support them, instead of being a hindrance to their success. By committing to giving all that they can while expecting nothing in return, Visualise Value built a community. Communities come with plenty of benefits, for members and for founders.
Sales
A great product is a requirement, but it does not guarantee success. To run a profitable business, you need to make sales. Visualize Value has taken care of that.
To make a sale, the key component is a customer. Visualize Value has made a community out of its customers. Through the Visualize Value community, customers are able to connect, interact and network with like-minded individuals.
Communities are an effective way of generating sales because the internet has a unique way of connecting people. As people share their ideas and creations, they attract people with similar ideas and values. They learn from one another and the community grows.
The Visualize Value community shares ideas, attracts like-minded people and drives sales. This creates a powerful flywheel effect, and the wheel looks as if it has only just begun rolling.
Here’s what we can learn from Jack Butcher about sales:
Give as much as you can to your community without expecting anything in return. Always ask yourself, how can I give more?
Focus on helping your members win. If they win, you win. Do this successfully and your members will bring sales to you.
Always optimise for people.
Product Evolution
Being a prolific creator requires more than just consistently creating, it requires an abundance of new ideas. Additionally, these need to be new and exciting ideas that are capable of maintaining the reputation that you’ve earned for yourself.
Enter your community. By finding a way to get your community talking to each other, they challenge and strengthen your ideas, and give you insight on what to do next. Customers know what they want, you simply have to ask them, and an interactive community helps you do this.
Here’s what we can learn from Jack Butcher about fresh ideas:
Your community has a voice which can guide you to new ideas. These ideas are already validated because they come directly from the community.
You need to get your community talking. Listen to what they say. Ask for ideas and use the suggestions you get.
Growth
Visualize Value is experiencing tremendous growth. This is happening for various reasons, here are some of the most important ones.
Transparency
Jack Butcher has been extremely transparent in his running of Visualise Value. Transparency allows people to connect with the company on a personal level. It highlights the ups and downs and shows that growing a company isn't easy. It also shows how quickly things can happen and that people may not be as far away as they think they are. This kind of transparency creates a connection between the customer and the company, it creates loyalty.
Public Learning
Building, shipping and failing frequently shortens the feedback loop, allows you to double down on what’s working, and promotes interaction with your users. Each iteration of this cycle makes you a little bit better at your craft. It forces you to understand your customers’ needs. Visualize Value continue to try new things, get feedback and start over. This is why they seem to understand their customers better than anyone else.
Leverage
Visualize Value is built on leverage. Jack Butcher turned his expert knowledge into a product and instead of earning with his time, he began earning with his mind. This creates immediate leverage because you are no longer limited by the constraints of time.
He created more leverage by building a company that generates 75% of its revenue digitally. Digital products create enormous leverage because the internet is like an arena that allows you to reach an enormous audience. The best thing about this arena is that it has no maximum capacity.
Here’s what we can learn from Jack Butcher about growth:
Be transparent. Your customers will appreciate it and they’ll reward you for it.
Build things and make them public. A short feedback loop powers growth. Building in public is one of the quickest and surest ways to shorten your feedback loop.
Leverage and growth are directly proportional. Seek leverage in every action that you undertake.
What's Next?
Jack Butcher and Visualize Value are showing no signs of slowing down. They've got methods which are working, and the discipline to stick with these methods until they fail. The road ahead looks exciting and full of growth.
One thing is certain, as the internet continues to grow and opportunities for digital success continue to present themselves, the lessons learnt from Jack Butcher will compound in value.
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