Tag: marketing

Similarities between starting a business and job search

Mia2 Comments
To do start a business
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If you could start a new business right now, what would it be?

Daily Writing Prompt

Similarities between starting a business and job searching are that you need to impress people. I have thought about starting a business for years because job searching is a pain. I would start a graphic design business. I’ve tried to find clients through social media, but it’s like a job search. It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.

In a job search, you need to make a resume and impress an employer. If you have a business, you need to impress a client. I’m not good at either. But I don’t want to be idle. Like my next-door neighbor, who doesn’t work and never goes anywhere. Just smokes and goes to the store at least twice a day. That’s not life. That’s waiting for old age.

My dad was a business owner, and my grandfather was too. It runs in my family to have a business, so it’s natural for me to think about it too. My cousin also has a business. The difference is that my occupation is different. So many people work in design that it’s harder to stand out.

But I’m not a typical graphic designer. I don’t want to do branding and visual identities. I don’t want to do print design either. I want to help Finnish female entrepreneurs who already have a brand and all that. But they don’t know how to use it in their daily work. I do graphic design for online use. Like visuals for social media and websites. I use my photography for design projects.

It just seems like no one wants to buy my services. I’ve taken different courses on how to promote a business. I’ve planned a posting schedule and posted regularly on Instagram. But recently, I’ve gotten bored of trying to get people to find me. It feels like I’m wasting time and energy writing and designing posts. Because what is the point when no one seems to care?

Maybe no one in Finland needs graphics or photographs for their content. They do them themselves. I’m bad at both marketing and job searching. No one wants to hire me. Perhaps people want me to be poor. The stars don’t shine my way.

I don’t want to take another marketing course, because they don’t help me at all. The Internet is full of tips on how to find clients, but it doesn’t work for everyone. My problem isn’t a lack of skills or education. It’s the marketing part. I can’t hire anyone to do my marketing, so I have to do it all myself.

I don’t want to start a business without clients. I don’t want to do a job search anymore, but without the social benefits, I won’t be able to manage financially. Starting a business is the easy part. Finding clients is the biggest challenge. When no one even contacts me, it feels like I’m not good enough to get people’s attention. I don’t have a network because I have never worked in a graphic design job. I don’t want to look for clients; I want them to find me. Cold calling terrifies me, and I don’t want to do something that isn’t in my nature. There are easier and more modern ways to find clients than that.

The year is ending, and I haven’t accomplished a thing. At the beginning of the year, I posted regularly on social media. I tried to write posts that could attract clients. I created visual content, graphics, and photography, but nothing happened. Likes are one thing, but getting someone to reach out is another. I don’t have time to wait years to find clients. I need them now.

But one positive thing this year is that I haven’t been idle. Giving up is not an option. I know I won’t find a job, but I know that if I really try, my target group will find me.

Going crazy with all these problems

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fingers crossed
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With money, you have problems, but you also have trouble when you don’t have much. It’s crazy how much things cost, and when you don’t have any income, it’s even worse. You have to save money for important things like rent and bills. I’m going crazy with these problems. Soon the savings are gone, and what to do then?

It shouldn’t be like this for anyone. Some people got it worse than me. I’m not the crazy one; the world is. The uncertainty is the worst. Will things never get better? I shouldn’t have these problems at this age. Being unemployed isn’t a picnic. Some people think it’s easy to get a job, and those without one want to stay out of work. Most unemployed people want to earn their own money. You don’t live on welfare forever.

I would get money if I sold my flat, but I need money to hire a cleaner and moving help. But since I don’t have any income, I can’t afford it. My car doesn’t work, so I can’t fix it. Luckily, I don’t need the car right now. I still need to pay car taxes. It would be nice to have money to go on a cruise, go to an ice hockey game, and not worry about money in the first place. Not be worried that I don’t have money to pay bills.

I want to become an entrepreneur, but I’m afraid of starting because I haven’t found any clients. I’ve tried a lot of things, but no one’s buying. People only want free things. I need something right now and not in a few years. I’ve been on many paid courses about digital marketing, but none of those tips have worked. Perhaps it works for people who sell courses. I sell graphic design services. It feels as if I’m wasting time on trying to write a post that would attract clients. I don’t have the money to hire someone to do the marketing part. Now I have to do everything alone, so I don’t have time to design.

It’s a perpetual cycle. Problems come, but none are solved. All you can do is hope things will get better and try not to go crazy. People talk about how much money they have, but not many talk about the lack of it. It’s as if it’s taboo. If someone is saying they are working because they love the job, they’re not totally honest about it. You need money to survive; it’s a bonus if you love what you do.

I love designing and photography, but that doesn’t pay the bills. It would be nice to earn money from it, but without clients, it’s impossible. Right now, I need to hang on and not give up. That never makes me feel better, but I have to believe it somehow.

Climbing the mountain of social media

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When you try and try but you still fail. Or feel like you do. Having success is like climbing a mountain. The difference is that if you fall of a mountain, you get killed. Success doesn’t mean fame and fortune. I’m talking about something as simple as posting on social media. You can plan in advance. Take courses about how to get followers and how to turn them into clients. But all that hard work doesn’t pay off, no matter what you try. You want to give up because you feel it’s a waste of time. They say it takes time, but how long does that mean exactly? I don’t have years to wait for something to happen.

There is mixed advice available online regarding social media. Some say you don’t need a lot of followers, and then they offer advice on how to gain more followers. Using social media for business and personal use is different, but having followers is important in both contexts. I have a feeling I only attract weirdo’s or people who aren’t very active. I have two Instagram accounts: one personal, which is in English. The other one is a business-related one, which is in Finnish. I feel I’m the only one liking my posts on my personal account, and the same goes for the other. I don’t get any comments either, even if I ask for them. Perhaps my posts are boring and no one notices.

Climbing the mountain of social media takes too long, and it feels like it will never yield any results. You should post regularly and comment on other people’s posts. I know I haven’t done it much, but I have nothing to comment on. Writing posts isn’t easy either. It feels like a waste of time when I get no reactions or a lot of them. I want to find graphic design clients on social media. I even tried to sell digital products, but no one seems to care about getting the link to the store. Social media is a mountain that many want to climb. However, since millions aspire to reach the top, you must stand out.

Posting online doesn’t pay you the bills, and that’s all I get. I can’t start a business without clients, and there are no jobs to apply for. Some people have found clients on social media, so it’s not impossible. I just need to be a little bit more patient. I hope it won’t take years because I won’t have it. I need to set some goals in life, rather than staying stuck in one place. Everyone needs an income from something, and I hope it’s on the mountain of social media.