Allow Me To Introduce Myself
What's good Hooked Up Fam?! Welcome back to another blog post.
I hope you all are being safe and responsible as we have entered day 20 or so into this quarantine.
Like I mentioned in my previous post, I have no idea what this blog page will turn into, but it will be interesting to track the journey.
I was on Twitter earlier and was challenged but a gentleman I follow to journal 1000-2000 words a day over the next 7 days and I have accepted!
While I would prefer to have a more structured post, I'll simply speak briefly about some things I've taken care of with my business this week.
Website Hosting - Shopify
I've been using Shopify for the first time, and I must say it's great! The user interface is smooth, and they have a lot of great quality of life apps that make your experiences as a seller rewarding!
The greatest part is that right now you can experiment with Shopify for up to 3 months on a trial period while you design for your website. I encourage you to sign up and play around with the website maker while you can if you're considering an eCommerce store.
Another benefit of Shopify is that Shopify, Facebook Store, and IG Marketplace sync together seamlessly to display your products across multiple social media platforms.
Your ability to reach people where they are is boundless. Comment below and I'll post some links to help you all get started!
Photography - A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words
I get asked often for tips and tricks I've used to create a successful business and I will say one of the biggest tips I can give you is to take pride in your photographs.
There is a lot of truth to the cliche that a picture is worth a thousand words.
Think about it. If an individual is selling a TV, gaming system, or clothing on an online marketplace like Facebook, your perception of value for money is tied to what you believe the product is worth based on the pictures provided.
Remember, you're not selling a product, you're selling a lifestyle.
The pictures you identify your brand by tell a far more powerful story than you can imagine. Make sure the story you're telling the world is a good one.
If you're ever stuck wondering what story you want to tell or how to even start the story, look at social media profiles and websites from brands and personalities that are similar to yours.
Study and notate what they do. Model your business like these places as best as you can.
Figure out what works for you. Develop a system. Stick to the system.
Be consistent.
Advice - Location Spots
During this pandemic, many of the places we frequent are closed or shut down.
The problem this poses is that many don't believe that they can capture high quality photos for their brand and this simply isn't true.
Every picture that is on this website at the time this blog is posted was in fact taken on my phone at areas nearby me.
Look around your neighborhood for places with great natural lighting and take advantage of it.
Personally, I take many of my pictures at a flattop station in my apartment complex.
It's a beautiful marble surface that takes direct blasts of sunlight throughout the day, so all the products look really clean and uniform.
The best thing you can do is be creative and be consistent!
Don't be complacent with just one image, one angle, or one area. Play around, be experimental, and try something new.
Often times I take 15-25 pictures of one product in an assortment of areas and only come back with one that I like.
While this may seem bothersome, you're already out doing the work so you might as well make the most of it what you're out rather than getting home and realizing you don't like the one picture you took when it is uploaded.
Try to photograph at some of the same places for products that are similar so you can homogenize your inventory of pictures and develop an identity.
That is what will set you apart from you competitors and your counterparts.
Excuses - Leave Them
The biggest hurdle you face won't be setting up a website or finding buyers - that's the easy part.
Now I know right now you're thinking, this guy is crazy, but hear me out first.
Your biggest hurdle with be the excuses you continue to indoctrinate yourself with.
I came across a quote by Will Smith who has accumulated a net worth of roughly $350M.
After you read this quote, I'll give you an easy homework assignment.
The quote reads as follows:
“You don’t set out to build a wall. You don't say ‘I’m going to build the biggest, baddest, greatest wall that’s ever been built.’ You don’t start there. You say, ‘I’m going to lay this brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid.’ You do that every single day. And soon you have a wall.” - Will Smith.
What is your first brick? Write it down, but don't get too carried away with the details.
This can be as detailed or as simple as you want it to be. What matters most that you identify what you need to do, and you take ACTION.
Commit to it, quit waiting. Quit lying to yourself. Quit stalling. Quit making excuses.
Commit to what your drive in life is, and you'll never be bored or tired another day in your life.
Everyday many of you lie to yourselves promising if you save this amount of money you'll start a YouTube channel. "I don't have this." "I need xyz setup and i'll be perfect."
Newsflash - the time is going to pass whether you take action or not, so my advice is to take action.
Quit stalling because of you fear of failure.
Sink or swim. Jump off the porch. Put something down on a piece of paper.
Take action and embrace the journey. Never get too high or too low.
Learn something out of every experience. Take detailed notes.
Sadly, many of you will limit your greatness because you don't want to be embarrassed if you don't succeed quickly enough.
It doesn't have to be perfect, I swear. Get started, and figure out the rest along that way. The imperfections are what make the journey (and the success) worth it.
The tips I will provide you over the next few chapters are tips I guide my life by.
While I won't claim to be an expert, I will say that experience is the best teacher.
Time Is Ticking - What're You Waiting For?
I'll leave you with this - we are only promised a finite amount of time on this Earth.
Do you really want to look back and wish you'd done more?
Do you really want to wake up one day wishing you had taken the advice that you read here sooner?
Complacency kills so many dreams as people hide behind the pseudo reality of "job security," but one thing that this pandemic has taught us is nothing is constant.
If that doesn't scare you, I don't know what will.
Take charge of your life!
Live, breathe, love, inspire and dream.
If you don't hear it from anyone else in this world, you'll hear it from me. I believe in you and I believe in your abilities. Invest in yourself.
You deserve it.
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