The United Kingdom is where most of the readers are for my lifestyle blog (www.EarthyRealist.com). For my separate entrepreneurship blog (www.OasisArtDesign.com), it’s mostly business men located here in the United States.
When I started many projects in the past I desired to have specific people of certain demographics be interested in my work. It would never happen that way. Which I’ll have to say was a bit (if not very) discouraging.
In continuing to create what I enjoy, art, writing, and whatever attracts me at the moment, I have learned that you just have to do what brings you enjoyment.
You can inspire someone who you never thought of inspiring. Therefore, put your work out into the world and let life take its course.
Article Originally Posted 3/16/2020 On OasisArtDesign.com / OasisArtDesign.net
Specific public places are closing for the next two weeks or longer, and we are being asked to not gather in even small groups. Though these unexpected circumstances are causing much worry among entrepreneurs, we urge you to continue marketing your business.
Why? Because this may last a few weeks, possibly a couple of months, but if you take the right measures you will come out on top once it’s all over.
Use This Time To:
• Create Content (social media posts, emails, and videos)
• Develop An Emergency Business Action Plan
• Review Your Finances
• Clean Your Work Space
• Plan A “Bounce Back” Strategy That Will Bring In Clients When Things Return To Normal
• Review What Has And Hasn’t Been Working For Your Company
• Look At The Industries That Have Been Most Impacted. – If You Are In One Of Them, How Will You Be Prepared If This, Or Something Similar, Happens Again?
Entrepreneurial strategies that actually work. Simple techniques that will get your company ahead. Turn your side hustle into your main source of profit.
We all know that there are hundreds of articles all over the internet on, “How To Be An Entrepreneur.” The all telling people to do the same things. It was soon realized after reading back to back articles that I had to think outside the box. What was it that I actually witness entrepreneurs do to build their brands as well as consider if that technique would work for my product or service. I couldn’t learn and succeed from the same basics that were being published over and over again. So, I decided to write my own rules based on my real life and personal business needs and experiences.
I’m often inboxed on social media by people who have followed me for years, and more recently people will read a comment I made somewhere on the internet then inbox me genuinely wanting to learn more about entrepreneurship.
These methods aren’t actually unconventional, they are simply entrepreneurial strategies actually that work.
Understand if your idea is worth you investing in. Research if there is an existing market for this product/service, or if it’s something people would even want. What is it that people in that marketing group are looking for? What is something unique that you can provide them with (what’s missing from that market)? These are some of the questions to ask yourself.
Hire a good photographer. I started off this way, then I took a photography class to cut cost and capture my products the way I wanted them to be perceived. Your products should look, “picture perfect,” and your company employee photos should make people want to learn more about such a professional looking group.
Use: Words that attract customers. If you look this up online you will find articles on ‘psychologically attractive words’. Remember, advertising is a science. Words are known, by our ancestors as well as today’s titled psychologist, to neurologically send off positive signals in the brain when looked at.
Use: Colors that attract customers. Your brand logo, the uniforms your employees wear, your social media posts, should use colors that make people attentive psychologically. The same effect as mentioned above.
Colors & Emotions
Attend conferences over networking events. When it became known that cannabis would be soon legalized in Oakland, California, there was this wave of cannabis networking events for projected licencees. Most didn’t know enough information to share with another individual. With cannabis conferences this is where major cannabis brand CEO’s would attend, agreeing political figures have been at such gatherings, and valuable info packets would be given out.
Some conferences you have to pay for and some are free, but typically they are more of an investment.
Reply in detail to negative reviews and unsatisfied clients. And STILL thank them for their business. (You can’t and wont please everyone.)
In your response use words such as: “We appreciate your investment in our company and we understand your reason(s) for contacting us.”
As opposed to: “We apologize for the inconvenience.” How many times have you heard companies say this? It no longer holds real weight to a persons dissatisfaction, and it sounds like a robotic, generic, cliche customer service response.
Look, the customer isn’t always right, but their concerns should be valued and respected.
Listening to criticism. I was told around 2014 that my art looked like “something that should be on a t-shirt”. I was offended. And hurt by such words. I let it sink in and took it as constructive criticism. I made it a personal goal to improve and have my art in galleries and by 2015 I was in multiple locations around the Bay Area.
You are your first “Brand Ambassador.” Inform people of this awesomely-amazing company and don’t mention to them you are the actual owner. (This is a good time to hand out your business card.) People will take this as you are a satisfied customer and good ratings attracts new clients.
If I meet stranger Bob, and Bob tells me, “I own a tire shop called ‘Best Tires’. It’s right there on 23rd street.” That doesn’t interest me as much as random Susan who says, “I just had my tires done at ‘Best Tires’ and they did an AMAZING job. Fast service too!”
Think of it this way big companies hire spokespeople to boast about their company. Be your own spokesman.
Pay attention to similar brands. Coca-Cola dates back to starting in 1886, Pepsi started in 1894. Same products, both successful.
Don’t say “yes” to every invitation or every client. Working with companies that don’t fit your ethics, or standards that you wish to be associated with can do more harm than good. We constantly see major brands announce they are no longer in partnership with other brands who have lacked inclusion of some kind or have made bad press.
Entrepreneurs of Multiple Endeavors
Don’t cross market your brands. If you offer resume writing don’t advertise your massage therapy gig at the same time. Those aren’t the same markets. I have been given business cards that will show multiple services the entrepreneur does and I wont remember which one I was given the card for. When talking with people, stay specific to the conversation topic, people do not need to know everything you do for a living.
Naked Juice, the popular fruit smoothie brand found in almost every grocery store is owned by Pepsi Co. Though they are both drinks, you will not see them advertised at the same time. This company is profiting from two different markets, the healthy crowd and the soda loving crowd at the same time.
Sales & Sells
Don’t say yes to very vending opportunity. Every opportunity isn’t an opportunity. There are too many event hosts who will invite people to an event and say that it can help them with “exposure.” But then the vendor sits there at the event awkwardly for hours with people purposely avoiding eye contact and walking a bit away from that particular booth/kiosk because its not a product or service they came to the event for.
You wouldn’t see quilted blankets sold at a tech event. Sounds extreme doesn’t it? But these are the things that I have actually witnessed. Sometimes opposites DON’T attract.
Purchase a car magnet. Now with this one, have it I’d have it done by a car magnet company if you are not computer/design savvy. If you design it yourself make sure it’s legible to someone walking by, as well a person in a car next to you. Most websites online do have a very easy to use design tool that almost anyone can work with. The GREAT thing about a car magnet is that it works for any type of business, it’s removable, and they come in different sizes. The BEST thing is that its freeadvertisement.
Earthy Realists GOLDEN RULE TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP: I don’t believe that everyone is cut out for entrepreneurship. Because it’s not for everyone. But I do believe it’s for those who have an underlying reason for their product or service as well as the will to keep learning.
The goal isn’t to merely, “Be so good that they can’t ignore you” It is actually to: Be so good that it’s THEIR PERSONAL GOAL to work with you.
“Pay It Forward” To Another Ambitions Entrepreneur By Sharing This Article. They will thank you for it.
Best Regards & Many Successes To You. Kadesh Carter
Earthy Realist Is Sponsored By Oasis Art Design – Oasis Art Design is a creative production and directing company leading the concept-vision of business locations and creative enthusiasts. Consulting to improve and enhance. http://www.oasisartdesign.net
Preserve your mental health and do not let society or social media to dictate your emotions. “Instagram in particular is trying to figure out how to put less of an emphasis on social media validation and wants to take a take a step back and allow users to focus on the content they post, not the number of likes.” Devon Hannan,
In recent days, and according to leaked reports from 2018, it’s been reported that Instagram is considering “likes” count removal, according to prototype. It is said by some that it is to help increase engagement. “Instagram is trying to figure out how to put less of an emphasis on social media validation and wants to take a take a step back and allow users to focus on the content they post, not the number of likes.” Devon Hannan, via ALTPRESS.
We will just have to wait and see if the rumors are true. But, there is the concern of how does social media really make us feel about ourselves. Young users as well as adults.
We spend hours on hours as a global society using social media. For some it’s to stay in touch with family and friends. To see high school buddies nostalgic school photos, or from work outings you were tagged in included.
I personally use it for business and sometimes personal. Why is this? For me I like the fact that you can join groups of interest, local events are posted, and it’s free advertising. Your reasons may be different or even the same as mine.
In recent years there have been reports, depending on where the actual data is being collected, in articles that have stated that statistically the more people use social media the more they (may) become depressed.
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Never before were we able to pry into the lives of people we know or people that we have never met, and have a “like” button to approve/agree with that persons (digital) life story. Let’s be honest, no one sits up and likes every single persons posts of the people that they are following. Its too time consuming, and not everything posted is always interesting.
Honestly with the algorithm of social media you don’t even see majority of the people who you are connected with/following even if you wanted to.
Why even follow so many people? More is better to many. And even though there may be a friend or family member who you know that you never speak to online people still like having a high number of who all they are connected to. It just feels good for some to say “I have almost 5,000 Facebook friends.” (Who came up with that number anyway?) Hey keep in mind that this may not apply to you personally.
Not receiving likes, comments, or shares can bring up emotions of self doubt that you are not adequate enough. Jealousy of people you don’t even know just from their assumed picture perfect life, no pun intended. Desires to own a company that someone else owns, but not having any skill to do the same things. Conflicting isn’t it?
Social media is a great resource for networking, not a place to go to make you feel miserable.
In having companies over the years that I would share on my timeline I noticed that family members would like my posts based on other people’s interests (likes and comments) in my work. Never would they share to help spread the word of my works on their own. I recall in my early days of joining social media I even asked 10 family members and friends via Facebook messenger to share a post of the jewelry I designed to their pages. One person did, and she actually over the years would purchase pieces that I made.
It wasn’t that my pieces were not attractive, as I’ve shown in fashion shows, art galleries and boutiques, they just didn’t want to share. As simple as that. Seeing them post memes or other peoples businesses DID bother me. But years later I learned from a very successful entrepreneur who I interviewed that friends and family will be the last to support you. That’s exactly how it was for him as well.
You live and you learn. I began deleting people off of my friends list who I never interacted. This applied to anyone. Some people may think that this is the end of a relationship, but it’s really not. Going down from 2.5k friends to 150 (you read that right) has improved my networking and more people share my work because I share or like theirs. And I am able to focus on my business accounts/pages which each has their own target market. I’ve been given tickets to events from people on my smaller list, I can see and interact with business groups better which has increased my revenue.
Not having so many friends allows me to actually see what the friends I do have are posting. Some people will follow me still though I will not add them.
If someone is making you question yourself, delete them.
If you are going to be nosy (creeping on a persons timeline), but never will like or share someones content delete them.
If you feel that you are not supported by someone that you know in real life, delete them.
If you feel ignored after leaving comments, delete them.
If pages you follow no longer posts content that you find useful, unfollow that page.
Remember, you can call, email or text those who you want to stay connected to. Meeting up in person is always a good idea.
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Also, take breaks from social media. If you are an influencer or company, try the optional free version a platform such as Buffer or Hootsuite to create content that you can schedule ahead of time to post to your account(s). I use the weekends to set up my scheduling. You can also use this service for regular accounts.
Preserve your mental health and do not let society or social media dictate your emotions.
EarthyRealist.com 