Over the last 6 months, I have been having MASSIVE success with my directories.
This month, I wrote an entire essay on why right now is the single best time to build a directory. My argument was simple: AI makes directory businesses more valuable, not less.
I highly recommend you read that essay if you haven’t yet.
Today, I am giving you behind the scenes access to our numbers, the strategy behind them, and how you can get started right now.
LFG. 🔥
Surprise: We are offering a 50% promo for anyone who wants to get started with Directorly.app. Use code BOO50 at checkout. Read this article to learn more details.
Behind The Scenes Numbers At Traffic And Revenue Growth
Last year, David and I started implementing agentic workflows into one of our directories.
We now have 6.5x more traffic than we did at this point last year. Our revenue is exploding, and more importantly, our revenue channels are multiplying. I get inquiries every day from people buying featured listings, sponsored posts, and newsletter ads.
Just as I predicted in my essay two weeks ago, AI has made our directory more valuable to the market place. And the best part is that the directory is also generating qualified leads that we can convert into service clients at Quantum Leads.
I get 10 to 15 DMs on LinkedIn every day. (Thank you. I love hearing from you.) Half of those messages ask the exact same question:
“Hey Tim, I love your concept of simple businesses. I want to launch one, but I don’t know where to start. How do I get clients? How do I make my first sales?”
THIS IS HOW!
The True Value Of Building A Directory Business
A directory is far more than a standalone revenue stream. It is a media platform that builds your brand and your authority in an industry overnight.
Half of the reason I generated high-ticket clients early in my agency career was because of the authority I built with Sober Nation. Sober Nation gave me immediate credibility. Clients trusted that I could deliver results in the behavioral health space because I had already proven it with my own platform.
On top of that, Sober Nation was our single best lead generation engine. When treatment centers reached out to get listed on Sober Nation, they auto-qualified themselves as ideal agency clients. Why else would they want a listing unless they were actively trying to grow their business?
15 years ago, building directories was very hard. But now, Directorly.app can get you up and running in 20 minutes.
Directorly is hands down the best directory building software on the market. I took my 15 plus years of experience building directories and worked with Jake and Chase to package everything into a tool that is fast, elegant, and effective.
Chase shows you EXACTLY how to do this in the video below. 👇👇👇
Sign up at directorly.app. (Use promo code BOO50 at checkout for 50% off pro plan or above)
Build your directory using our AI tools.
Launch your directory.
Monetize.
Chase, Jake, and I have been working double time to ship new features. I am proud of what we built and how effective it will be for anyone wanting to build an online business.
The Most Common Question I Get Asked
I get 10-15 DMs in my LinkedIn every day. (Thank you. I love hearing from you). And half of those DMs are people asking me the same question. It goes something like …
“Hey Tim, I love your concept of simple, straight forward businesses. I want to start a business but I don’t know where to start. How do I get clients? How do I make my first sales?
THIS IS HOW!
A directory is more than just a business. It is a media platform that builds your brand and your authority in an industry.
There is so much noise out there about building personal brands, but most of the advice is completely impractical:
Create content every day
Stream your entire life on YouTube
Become an influencer
Post on TikTok
Dance, monkey, dance
I have spoken at length about the value of a personal brand, but concrete value and true industry expertise are 1000X more valuable than an Instagram following. The entrepreneurs I look up to (the ones with real credibility and authority) do not care about followers, likes, or LinkedIn analytics.
They care about their reputation within their industry.
A directory is a fast track to building that reputation. You will make far more money as the go-to authority behind a directory in a boring niche like architecture firms than you ever will with 20,000 Instagram followers.
Do not chase attention. Focus on providing value, and success will follow.
Conclusion: The Not So Secret - Secret Weapon
I have been preaching the power of business directories for 10 years. Yet, it still shocks me how few people take action on it.
There is no secret shortcut here. I do not have a secret influencer network behind the scenes making me look successful. Everything I built came from creating useful platforms that provide real value to a specific market.
It all starts with a directory because a directory instantly establishes you as a respected authority in your niche.
Once you have that authority, you can build whatever you want next: an agency, a marketplace, or a lead generation network.
Get started.
Remember to use promo code BOO50 at checkout for 50% off.
Love you guys. Talk to you next week.
Tim
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Nice demo. So the challenge is not building a site, but getting traffic to the directory site to support the cpm, no?
Hi Tim, after more than a year still looking where I can access the directory course I bought?! Have contacted you various times about this by mail, here etc. Still no idea where the course has gone. Thx for your help. Eric