I run a tiny online jewelry business and most of my advertising comes from my own resourcefulness. But it's difficult trying to keep up with all the social media aspects on the internet these days. Multiple posts on a variety of different websites seems to help promote my website at a low monetary cost. However the cost in time involved is a different matter. I find myself saying things like, "this is harder than a real job" and other nonsensical utterances. I understand now why those ad agencies charge so much. This is really tough.
But because my business is relatively new and just now hitting more than a sale or two here and there, I am poor. So I am constantly looking for inexpensive ways to tell people about my jewelry designs. Social media is the obvious answer, but not as simple as it first appears. I now have more favorites tabs at the top of my browser than ever. I don't have enough space in my tabs section to open all the windows I need to post on the different websites that I belong to.
The posts are doing some good, that is obvious. I am reaching more people than ever and I am starting to gain an audience. But it is like growing a garden.. a few days without water or weeding and things start going downhill fast. It's not just a matter of posting a couple of links on Facebook and waiting for the comments and likes to come in. I have to post on many different sites.. I have to twitter and tweet, stumble and tumble, blog and plus one... sheesh it gets confusing.
It would really help if I had some training as a standup comic or a motivational speaker, too. People want to be entertained and there are so many shiny things out there in cyberspace now that everybody has attention disorder. I find myself constantly looking for interesting and funny things to share with people. It has almost become a contest about who can provide the most fascinating and funny bits of information in the shortest amount of time.
At the end of the day, even though sometimes I miss that 9 to 5 job with a guaranteed paycheck, I think I will keep this up for a little while longer. It's just as much work as a "real" job, but sometimes the perks are way better. Being my own boss is one, doing something that I love is another, and going to work in my pj's is pretty cool as well.
MaryAnn Kay
Check out my websites for really cool and different designs.
http://mymysticgems.etsy.com
http://mymysticgems.artfire.com
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