Once you have an offer idea worth testing, the next decision is who builds it. Most creators end up choosing between three models. Each can be the right one. The mistake is choosing on the headline number alone.
A note on where we stand: Audience Upside offers a flat subscription and an optional revenue-share partnership, so we have a stake in this topic. We’ve tried to describe all three models fairly.
1. Do it yourself
You plan, build, launch and run the offer, usually with a few tools.
- What you pay: your time, plus tools such as a course platform, an email tool and a payment processor.
- What you keep: all of the revenue, after tool and payment fees.
- Control: complete.
- When it fits: you enjoy the work, you have time, and the first version is small.
- The hidden cost: time and the learning curve. Writing a sales page, setting up email sequences and handling customer questions are each a skill. Time spent learning them is time not spent making the content your audience follows you for.
2. Pay a flat fee
You pay an agency, a freelancer or a piece of software a fixed amount or a monthly subscription.
- What you pay: a known amount, whether the offer sells or not.
- What you keep: all of the revenue after that cost.
- Control: high, if the contract says you own what is made.
- When it fits: you know what you want built, and you would rather have a predictable cost than share future revenue.
- Questions to ask: What exactly is delivered, and by when? Who owns the copy, the designs and the product? What happens if it needs changes after launch?
3. Share the revenue
A partner, sometimes called a growth operator, builds and often runs the offer in exchange for a percentage of the revenue. Around 30% is common, and some deals ask for more.
- What you pay: little or nothing up front, then a share of every sale.
- What you keep: the rest, for as long as the agreement runs.
- Control: shared. Read the agreement carefully.
- When it fits: you want an experienced team doing the work, and you value their involvement more than the share you give up.
- Questions to ask:
- Which revenue counts? Only the new offer, or everything you sell?
- Is the share taken from gross revenue or after costs?
- How long does it last, and what happens when it ends?
- Who owns the email list, the customer data, the content and the product?
- Can you leave, and on what terms?
Compare scenarios, not percentages
A percentage looks small or large depending on what happens next. It helps to work through a few scenarios. These figures are illustrative only, not a projection:
| If the offer brings in, over a year | 30% revenue share | A $5,000 flat build |
|---|---|---|
| $2,000 | $600 | $5,000 |
| $20,000 | $6,000 | $5,000 |
| $60,000 | $18,000 | $5,000 |
A revenue share costs less when an offer sells slowly and more when it does well. A flat fee is the opposite. Neither is better in general; it depends on how confident you are, how much risk you want to carry and how much the partner actually does.
A short checklist before you sign
- You know which revenue the deal covers, and for how long.
- You own your audience relationships: the list, the customers and your content.
- You approve what is built and published in your name.
- You can see the numbers the share is based on.
- Nobody has promised you a specific income. Results vary, and an honest partner will say so.
If you’re still at the “what should I build?” stage, you don’t need to choose a model yet. Start with the evidence in your own audience, and run a small test first. Our guide to a one-week waitlist test is a good place to begin.
General information for creators, not financial, legal or tax advice. Results vary; nothing here is a promise of revenue, earnings or business results.