I was talking to my son this morning and we pondered the fact that
if you can DO what you are GIFTED to do, AND make a living out of it
to pay your bills at the same time...you are indeed blessed!
So many people put in their "time" just to get a paycheck and dream
their life away just wishing every day was Friday while watching the clock to
turn 5:00 pm just to start "living" again.
I remember how awful that felt...🌻
Most of us have worked jobs and for bosses while inwardly crying out "I wish I could set my own agenda on Monday mornings!"
I believe you CAN "have your cake and eat it too" if you combine these TWO things:
#1 - Your passion (this is that talent and gift that is God-given which makes it SO
easy for you to "do a thing" that you may not even recognize it as a gift or talent).
#2 - Learn how your passion/talent meets a cry of the marketplace as in SOLVING a pressing problem, or want.
You want people to SEE your offer, and
immediately try to "sell" themselves on how to buy it.
And that is definitely the BEST way to "sell" for those of us who don't like to sell.
I had a revelation this morning...okay, well, it's not all THAT new...but it's been a while since the thought really stuck and it is this:
I'm NOT a born salesperson. I love to teach, but I hate selling.
Here are two prime examples from my own life:
I'm that Girl Scout who tried to figure out a way to make extra money to pay for the Moms' Girl Scout cookie orders who DID NOT pay me, because I couldn't drum up the courage to ask them the second time for the money owed my Girl Scout Troop for the past cookie sales.
Ughhhhh,...it was so painful.
I'm also that 9 year-old girl who worked for hours on a small plastic loom, to make pot-holders to sell to my neighbors for extra income, so that I could go skating on Saturday. But I was way too cheap! I would sell 5 potholders for $1 (one dollar).
Yep, that was me.
But as I grew up and matured, I realized, (and you should too) that what you are gifted to do is the ONLY thing that will make you feel accomplished and give you that sense that you are fulfilling your purpose that you were born to serve (your destiny).
Therefore, it is proper AND fitting to be rewarded for your hard work.
I believe that is because God created us to be creative, and gifted
us with unique abilities and talents.
We are as unique as each snowflake is unique, and it is when we try to fit in and have a "me-too" mentality that we mostly fail.
Just because we can mechanically "do a thing" doesn't mean we love doing it.
And we feel empty.
And we accomplish little.
However, this year I am doing things differently, and I want you to join me.
I want you to take those two WONDERFUL components I described above and put them together.
The result? Will be DYNAMITE!
What is it that other people NEED that you can solve?
Now, you must be very specific about this.
Those who "specialize" are in
high demand (think brain surgeon).
And although marketing is NOT
brain surgery, the NEED to create something that meets the needs
of others is highly specific.
(Remember, the riches are
in the niches?)
So...to sell something online that fits your personality, gifts and
knowledge:
#1 - It has to be both something you love doing (or, you learn HOW to do),
#2 - Married to something that people are already buying.
(As in, don't try to re-invent the wheel.)
Instead, just decorate the wheel (or journal) with your own unique style.
What in the world am I talking about?
LOL.
Hmmmm...okay, but how does all of this fit?
Let's get into details as to how to make this work for YOU.
First, go into Etsy and search for "journals" and
go through, not just Page 1, but all the way through to Page 250 and LOOK for all of the niches of simple, NO content (just ruled paper) journals, that are already selling.
If you put the word "journals" into the Etsy Search bar you'll see that
there are 438,694 Results which means high competition
which means they are selling, which means YOU have to
find a niche to drill down into...you have to "specialize" in
a niche(s).
But, how do you know what is selling?
Or, who has TIME to go through 250 pages of Etsy listings LOL?
But, on the first page of results, you'll see this: