What NOT To Do When Creating an Online Offer for Your Small Business

There’s a lot of advice out there on how to create an online offer for your business. And while some of it is great, a lot of it can honestly waste your time—especially if you're a creative, crafter, or solopreneur just trying to build something sustainable that actually works.

I’ve been in the online space for about five years now, testing, tweaking, building (and re-building) offers that feel aligned and convert. I want to walk you through the biggest mistakes I’ve either made myself or seen others make when creating an offer online—so you can avoid them and create something that actually supports your business (and your life).

Do Not Base Your Offer on Current Trends

Please don’t let trends dictate how your offer works, what it looks like, or how you’re leading people to it.

Trending platforms, formats, and hooks may work in the moment—but the moment always passes. When you build something that’s attached to what’s hot right now, you’ll end up on a hamster wheel trying to keep up, especially if you're relying on social media to do all the heavy lifting. And I say that as someone who was a full-time social media manager. Don’t make your offer dependent on something that will burn you out.

Trends fade. Sustainability wins.

Do Not Create an Offer Without a Clear Method or Process

Your offer needs a backbone—a process, a method, a way that you do what you do.

You’ve probably heard people talk about “niching” before, but I’m more focused on clarity: What’s your way? Who are you helping? How do you help them?

Let’s say you're newly passionate about meditation. What makes your version of meditation different than others? Your lived experience is your method. Maybe you bring in elements of yoga, reiki, psychology, or herbalism—whatever your background is, use it. That’s what makes your offer not just another offer.

Even if you're new-ish in your field, you have a unique perspective. That perspective is what positions you as someone with something valuable to share.

Do Not Skip Defining the Transformation

What’s the clear before and after of your offer?

You’ve heard it before, I know—but that’s because it matters. Your offer needs to take someone from point A (their problem) to point B (the solution you’re guiding them to). Without a clear transformation, the offer ends up feeling confusing, vague, or ungrounded.

People don’t buy “information,” they buy outcomes. Get super clear on what you’re helping someone do or become through your offer.

Do Not Wait to Be “Validated”

Let me be clear: you’re already validated if you…

• Have experience in something and can help a beginner

• Have made a practice or process your own

• Have found a more efficient or fulfilling way to do something

You do not need a degree, a million followers, or permission from the algorithm gods to create your offer. If you’ve lived it, practiced it, improved on it, or helped even one person with it, you’re allowed to turn it into something of value.

Stop waiting to be validated. You’re already qualified to help someone who’s just a few steps behind you.

Quick Recap:

• Don’t base your offer on trends or social media hype—focus on long-term sustainability.

• Don’t build an offer without your unique method or process—it’s the foundation of your authority.

• Don’t skip clarifying the transformation—people need to know exactly what they’re getting.

• Don’t wait to be validated—your experience is more valuable than you think.

If you want to see what this actually looks like in practice, check out this video I made about how one of my clients built a loyal community of 2,000+ people and monetized in under three months. It’s a real-world example of what happens when you do build a clear, sustainable offer based on your method and aligned with your audience.

Also—if you’re serious about streamlining your content marketing and want to make it easier (and more effective), join the waitlist for my group consulting experience, The Content Burnout Solution.

It’s a two-week intensive for five business owners who want to get real ROI from their content with a simple, repeatable system. Sign up here.

Thanks for reading—and if this helped, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments or in a message!