You have heard it said that it takes money to make money. But surely that time has passed. Surely things are different now. Yet as depressing as it might be, the harsh reality is that it still takes money to make money. When you unpack the aphorism, the reasoning behind it becomes more clear:
Money is like a seed that you plant. When cultivated well, that seed becomes a plant and then a tree, perhaps even a forest. You get the idea. Forests don’t just spring up from nothing. If you want an orchard, you have to start with a seed.
You can take a shortcut and buy seeds. But that takes money. If you do not want to plant seeds, you can buy plants. You could spend even more money and have apple trees planted in your yard. You will still end up growing apples either way. But you can enjoy the fruit sooner by investing in the orchard. You have to start somewhere. And that depends on your seed money.
Where you get that seed money is up to you. If you don’t have it in savings and don’t want to leverage your home, you could look to sources such as Western Shamrock for installment loans that you can get even if you have less than perfect credit. As always, read the terms and conditions so that you can be sure you are getting a loan that is right for you. Once you decide where you will get your seed money, here are a few things you will need to acquire:
Effective Marketing
It is not enough to build a great product or service. And word of mouth is seldom enough to get the ball rolling unless the words come from your mouth. You have to be the one to tell people about your business and give them a reason to try it out. You do that through marketing.
You might start by reading some books on social media marketing. One of the newer ways to be seen by the market you are targeting is via social media. Unfortunately, social media is inherently difficult. If you are not very well versed in the nuances of how social media works, you will want to commission someone who does. You can do ineffective marketing for free. But when you are ready to take things to the next level, you will also have to level up your marketing investment.
Professional Gear for Content Creation
Your old webcam won’t get you to the next level. To be a successful content creator, you need the best cameras for YouTube content. Don’t even bother with camcorders. (Yes, they still exist.) But you can and should do better. The top content creators tend to use cameras that look and act more like digital cameras for photography. That is because they actually are digital cameras for photography. As it happens, that provides excellent video with the versatility of providing top-tier stills. Those cameras tend to be smaller with higher quality capture.
If you are going to do your own video and audio for promos, tutorials, and the like, you have to match the production value your target audience is used to seeing from TV and other high-value online content. You don’t need a million dollar studio to get the job done. But if you can invest a couple thousand into the venture, you will be well set for all of your content production needs.
It Is No Longer a Small Pond
The best time to jump into a new market is at the beginning. It is risky, but worth it. You can quickly become a big fish in a small pond. And as the pond grows, you grow with it. The market for internet content creation and digital retail in general is no longer a small pond.
The pond is now an ocean. And if you want to swim with the big fish, you have to spend some money. This is true even for podcasts and blogs. Mainstream media has taken over the space and sucked all the free and cheap oxygen from the room. The opportunities that remain are only unlocked with investment.
It still takes money to make money because effective marketing is never free. Amateur gear is no longer enough. And there are precious few small ponds left to conquer.