We’ve had discussions in my Web Fluency about the possible negative impacts of the “WWW” on musicians and other creators of cultural works. Many think/find that it seems necessarily difficult to make a living as a creative entity in the era of Web 2.0. My thoughts on this matter are definitely on the side saying it’s hard but I really believe that thousands of ideas that were thought “yesterday” were still created using the model of positive self-fulfilling prophesy and not just thinking that you can but really knowing in a deep part of your psyche that you can develop that idea and effectively create within the realm of 1’s and 0’s.
It seems to be a highly boring and rigorously monotonous job to program entire websites and code for each project, but there lies a heart-felt love of what these people do. Many people from other career fields entirely look upon this exact type of creation and see the impossibilities that exist within the areas of creating something out of nothing.”
SO here are some basic strategies for making a living in our new 2.0 transformed “Media Landscape”:
1. Make a list of skills that you can do. This will similar to a business executive’s elevator “pitch” or selling points about you, as well as the viability of the service and/or the products.
2. Next, you’ll need a separate category of skills that you aren’t necessarily extremely an expert at yet but you’re familiar with.
3. This approach is best utilized for projects that you have a lot of time to explore and try new things to excel the project beyond competition.
4. (You should already be doing this but just in case), Reopen old project with your fresh eyes, ears, and maybe even try to change the medium in which you’re working. For example, if it’s a jingle for a huge company that they was to use for rebranding, try approaching it by creating a slogan from words that describe the company, service or goals of the current project. then! – you can revert back to the jingle (or whatever medium you’re working within) and apply your brilliant billboard direction into the song.
5. Finally, from the above lists you can start reconnecting with your” loose ties” the people who AREN’T your close friends and family.
This means asking questions about them, not about your new project or what key the song needs to be in or what hue of colors go well when you’re buying 5,000 yards of fabric for an unveiling ceremony. Really truly care about what they are concerned with and what they have on their minds. Ask about their team. If you can do anything for them. VOlunteer to be a guest speaker or to find one FOR them. Lighten their load a little and it’ll be amazing what opportunities open up.
6. Remember, these people are often the ones who can provide you with paying work to help uplift their own work projects to make them shine even more so that they already are.
5. When cold calling past clients, future project creators, or gathering your own dreamteam of creative members, it also important to understand your audience and see what their mental calendar looks like; it might be a bad time to call that one semi-millionare design in Italy to invest in a new project, especially if they already have their plate full. Whereas, if you get a good baseline of where they’re at, you can more effectively fund your kickstarter project or locate a better bank of potential angel investors.
6. Lastly, you really just have to take the chance; you must have heart – and if you’re too focused on the “bottom line”, you’ll get “the boot” for the current project as well as them calling their secretaries to “make a note” to never let your team/presenter into their office again. Don’t fuel poor proposals; keep the recieving audience in mind Always!
7. Be timely but don’t let time rob you of the energy you put into each project.
8. Treat every customer and “The Media Landscape” like the beautiful things they are, and you’ll no doubt be rewarded.
9. Also don’t be afriad to ask the question that nobody wants to chime up and pose to the group.
10. Develop a love for your competitors because you could be working for them one day. And why would you segregate yourself from future potential clients? Be tactful and have a gentle yet ardent stance on what it is your creating or selling.
recordingforposterity 