Have the perfect idea and passion to start your professional journey? But struggling to navigate through the digital era, because all you know about digital marketing is the word itself! Well, read on…
“….I have an idea! And only if I had some (a lot actually!) money, a cool website, maybe a half a million followers on Instagram and mastered digital marketing, I would have made it!”. If this is you, then rewind that thought in your mind. Now, focus on the most beautiful part of this thought, which is your idea, and if the hassle of the digital world seem like a bump in your endeavours to achieve your goals, I have decoded a simpler road for you to take that glorious walk.
Whether you are a creative strategist, journalist, tech guru, artist, writer, editor or designer, you all have a unique talent to offer to the world. Now more than ever there is a need for talented and skilful individuals. In this article, I aim to help you identify and utilise the right digital publishing platform, i.e. your alternate pathway. These alternate pathways made my walk easier and eventually helped me surpass the nitty-gritty of digital marketing.
But even before I discovered my pathway, I came across the success story of Lena Elkins in her article How I Tripled My Income in 3 Months as a Freelance Digital Marketer. Her story made me question the very foundation of my journey. It tempted me to ask myself a very pertinent question. Is my idea feasible and saleable, and do I believe in it?
Today, I want you to ask the same question to yourself because it is essential to instil confidence in your idea, and to validate its feasibility. Now, if you are wondering how to validate your ideas, then check out this amazing video by Steph Taylor. She cracked a perfect strategy before she launched her podcast and it worked WONDERS! Interestingly, her strategies translate across different professions. Isn’t that a bonus?
Now, if you have understood the Unique Selling Point of your own entrepreneurial journey and validated your ideas, I want to remind you of a very famous quote “Big Things Start Small” by Jeff Bezos. When I struggled to understand the big complicated world of digital marketing (…oh come on, I know many of us feel that, no secrets there!) a voice in my head said “..hey Ishani, there is always an alternative way, just find it!” and I did it.
It is a simple two-step process. First, curate your work on relevant digital publishing platforms. Then build connections on LinkedIn and promote your ideas or the business plan. So, let’s get started, as I walk you through your first step.
First, curate your work on relevant digital publishing platforms
If you are a creative strategist, a designer or an artist, and find it difficult to create a website, hop on to publishing platforms like Behance, Art Station, Dribbble or DeviantArt. You can curate all your work here and it’s ready to be viewed.
Further, if you are an actor, musician, editor or public speaker, utilise platforms likes YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Spotify to display your work. Alternatively, if you are a blogger or a tech guru, curate your work on your blog through WordPress.com. Here you are offered numerous templates for beginners.
So, first build your portfolio and curate work on a visible platform. If digital marketing seems a bit scary and out of your league, my advice is to keep it simple. Use the various digital publishing platforms available.
Then build connections on LinkedIn and promote your ideas or the business plan.
The next strategy is to JUMP ON TO LINKEDIN! I cannot emphasise enough, how good this platform is to showcase your talent and create professional conversations.
DON’T BE SHY of your own achievements! It took me several years to realise that meaningful professional connections are created when you put forth your achievements and are noticeable. Consistency is the key to get to noticed on a online platform.
Furthermore, send a connection request to professionals with a personalised message. I always customise invitation messages to display my knowledge that align with their brands or thought process. This creates a positive response and helps you get noticed. Alternatively, you can attend webinars to connect with the relevant businesses, professionals and investors. It establishes a common ground for conversations.
Through this process you will create meaningful connections and reach the end of this cycle, after which, it will be the best time to share the link of your curated work with your connections. This helps to support your conversations and validates your expertise in the relevant field.
Congratulations! If you have reached so far, you have successfully crossed the first step to success. You are definitely ready to lead your journey ahead without a lot of money and a half a million followers! All you need is an undying confidence in your ideas to take that first step. And always remember to take simple steps. It’s not a requisite to choose difficult ways to achieve the best results. Sometimes, it is the small initiatives that make the biggest differences in our lives.
In Motion with Ishani 