Category Archives: Recommended Websites & Articles
Find Buyers for Your Products – Ideas for ANYONE to Get Started at ZERO COST [Featuring a List of 9 Resource Articles On How to Earn Passive Income Selling Your Artwork]
Quick Take-Away
I got inspired to write this piece after encountering several truly gifted artist expressing doubts about how to sell their wonderful art works.
So, this article features efforts of a real life artist to use social media to promote his works, as well as a list of 9 MUST READ Resource Articles On How to Earn Passive Income Selling Your Artwork.
It should however be noted that the ideas advocated can be successfully adapted for use in selling ANY other products, or indeed services.
It Pays to “Buy” Your Own Space On the Web – and Use It as a Launch Pad for Your Marketing
Over the past decade of using the web for business, I’ve learned that it’s smarter to have your own space, that you control, from which you then routinely publish and propagate your content on to any other promotional platforms.
Typically that means having – at least – a website.
I say this because time has shown that third party platforms, no matter how successful can always change how they work (or even fail) in a way that could disrupt the income earning system you setup on them.
If you have your own flagship website (e.g www.yourname.com), it becomes quite easy to modify references and URL on it to reflect such changes, with minimal disruption to your visibility or leads generation.
However, experience has also taught me that a website is not enough.
You see, to achieve optimal long term/sustainable leads generating marketing exposure, you need to harness a combination of web based resources in conjunction with your website.
[NB: I call it having a Web Marketing System (WMS). View a one page mind-map that I used to illustrate what I mean by a WMS here. Also click here to request access to my video explanation of the 9 key components of a WMS: I’ll email it to you]
But all that cannot be done overnight.
Indeed for most people who are good at what they do, but are not so tech or web savvy, doing it all – and doing it right – can be overwhelming!
I know this to be so from years of supporting gifted experts to implement WMS towards achieving improved name/brand recognition for quality sales leads generation.
That’s why I sometimes encourage such persons to start from a social media platform like Facebook e.g with a business promotion page.
For instance, if you are a painter/artist looking to make money, you can begin by setting up and featuring your artworks on your Facebook business page, with description, prices etc.
From there, you can link to a website(s) where your full gallery is on display.
Regarding use of free Facebook business page marketing here’s an example of what I have in mind(click this link): https://facebook.com/kolaartlinks
It’s a page setup some months ago by a young artiste based in Lagos.
I’d been seeing his paintings of famous personalities arranged on a church building’s wall along a major road for years, and knew he would get better marketing exposure if he leveraged the web the way I did/do.
NB: I earn over 80% of my income -passively – by selling PDF information products, custom Excel-VB software, audio podcasts and video tutorials, as well as my writing/web marketing services online).
So, one day when I came in from Cotonou, and ran into him at the neighborhood cafe, I told him what I had in mind, and got the needed information and graphics to kick-start the page.
The guy has not looked back since – and has been adding all sorts of enhancements.
His natural Facebook likes indicate he’s getting noticed.
But I notice he’s yet to begin doing the “connecting” with page members that I’ve challenged him to do. By this I mean writing new content to post, beyond sharing photos of products he wishes to sell. This is the key to attracting potential buyers to reach out to you.
Like I told him, all he needs is focused dedication to making creative updates to the page’s contents.
By sharing – for instance – the true story behind each product he showcases, and case studies of different client conversations he’s had, and sales he’s made (like I do on this blog), it’ll only be a matter of time before the inquiries begin to come in via the Facebook page.
The same applies to ANYONE else who diligently and intelligently makes use of the ideas offered in this piece.
You see, before people will buy from you with any degree of readiness, they first of all have to notice, like, and then trust you.
That process rarely happens instantly or overnight. And depending on what you’re selling, and who you’re trying to sell to, it can take a lot of time and work.
That’s why it’s best to do things that help to move as many of your potential clients as possible, towards TRUSTING you.
My success in getting total strangers send payment to me from in and out of Africa, at zero cost, is proof that using the content marketing strategy I advocate here, works.
PS: Like I said at the start, I wrote this article with artists in mind. So, if you’re looking for ideas about how to sell your artworks, here’s a list of potentially useful resource articles/pages you may wish to explore. I dug them up via a quick Google search
1.Sell Art Online – A list of the best sites to sell or promote your art
2. [UPDATED] 17 Ways to Sell Your Art Online
http://theabundantartist.com/15-ways-to-sell-your-art-online/
3. 2 Best Places to Buy and Sell Art Online
https://blog.dashburst.com/best-sites-to-buy-sell-art/
4. 250+ Places Artists Can Sell Online
http://www.artsyshark.com/125-places-to-sell/
5. Websites and Social Networking for Artists: Use Your Online Profile to Sell More Art
http://www.artbusiness.com/webworks.html
6. SPI 096: How to Make a Living Selling Your Artwork Online with Cory Huff from The Abundant Artist
SPI 096: How to Make a Living Selling Your Artwork Online with Cory Huff from The Abundant Artist
7. 10 Ways To Sell Your Art Online
http://www.moma.co.uk/10-ways-to-sell-art-online/
8. Selling Art Online: Information on Where (and How) to Sell Art on the Internet
http://emptyeasel.com/art-business-advice/selling-art-online/
9. Sell My ART! | Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/SellMyArt/
ART Marketing for ARTISTS! … Sell My ART!, Dublin, Ireland. … Etsy is not known as a site for selling paintings but some artists do and make money doing so , here ….. Updated for 2016 with our top picks of the best websites to sell your artwork. …. Anyone interested in buying my art Please contact me Here is a sample Mara.
Hope you find them useful – and goodluck
Related Resources
- PII 018: Using a Web Marketing System Does Not Require Attaining Perfection [Hint: But There Are Ground Rules You Need to Follow]
- It Takes Proven Know-How to Achieve Repeatable Web Marketing Success [True Story: How My 9 Year Old Domain Got Poached In May 2014, and I Used My Web Marketing System On a NEW Domain, to Build My Online Brand/Sales to a Higher Level Within 6 Months]
- Back Good Quality Website Content With Delivery of Value Promised, to Achieve Web Marketing Success (Special Offer: Buy My Ration Formulator Software, and get my Poultry Farm Manager Software FREE)
- Apart from Boosting Your Credibility, Using a Web Marketing System Can Help Your Target Audience Make Smarter Decisions and Avoid Exploitation
- Smart Marketing Systems Move Prospects Closer to Buying, Long After You’re Gone [Hint: Why It’s Better to Let People Convince Themselves to Buy from You, Instead of “Pushing” or “Chasing” Them!]
- VIDEO Presentation based on Tayo Solagbade’s Mind Map for Steve Roller’s “Reap What You Sow: 12 Ideas to Increase Your Harvest of New Clients In 3 to 6 Months”
- HIRE ME! [Response Generating Writing & Web Marketing Solutions]
THE FARM CEO (Issue 59): Useful Ideas for Low Cost Animal Feed Production Using Local Ingredients based on Creative Civil War Induced Experimentation by Biafran Scientists
[Update 11th Sept. 2016: A Buyer’s Feedback About my Audio on Biafran Scientists’ Animal Feeding Innovations!]
In this special issue of The Farm CEO newspaper, I discuss my findings about the story behind the herculean work done by a team of driven scientists to produce low cost animal feed using unconventional feed ingredients in the defunct Biafra, during the 1967 to 1970 Nigerian civil war.
They achieved amazingly creative identification and utilization of alternative livestock feed ingredients in production of feed for rearing livestock towards feeding Biafran populace with badly needed protein based meals.
Sadly, a lot of what they achieved – despite their great value adding potential – is yet to be fully adopted for use in our animal feed production industry as a nation.
Today, we’re currently experiencing SEVERELY HARSH economic times in Nigeria,that in some ways mirror the economic blockade that forced Biafrans to look inwards for their animal feed production needs.
For the above reason, I believe the time has never been better for us to revisit the MANY lessons to be learnt from what the Biafrans were forced to do in order to survive.
In this 2 part audio I explain in detail how NEW kinds of local feed ingredients in forms that we see daily around and ignore, were ingeniously exploited by the Biafrans to develop innovative equivalents of imported feed ingredients they no longer had access to.
Even if you don’t run a farm business, you’ll get a real education in creative perseverance, determination and vision from listenign to my narration of how it all happened.
Fill and submit this form (click here) to find out how you can get a copy of the 2 part (1.5 hour) audio recording.
NB: This is a broadcast meant for members of my Cost-Saving Farm Business Ideas club. If you are interested but not yet a member, get in touch for details of how to join.
5 Powerful Tools for Accurately Measuring Your (Farm) Business’ Health [Hint: Download MS Excel Report Generation Template]
I first published this article online in 2012 on a 3rd party website as a guest post. It discusses five powerful financial performance indication tools YOU can quickly and easily compute to determine your farm’s financial state of health.
![5 Powerful Tools for Accurately Measuring Your (Farm) Business' Health [Hint: Download MS Excel Report Generation Template]](http://tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/5tools.png)
Read the full piece below, and learn how to download a resource Excel Workbook that contains example report generation formats for ALL 5 performance indicator tools discussed in it.
[Recommended] Why Facebook founder, Zuckerberg arrived Nigeria – unannounced, yesterday (I.e Tue 30/8/2016)
LAGOS—Facebook Founder, Mark Zuckerberg, yesterday, arrived Nigeria unannounced. The 32-year-old tech enterpreneur surprisingly made a sudden visit and inspection of activities at the Co-Creation Hub, Yaba Lagos.
Facebook Founder, Mark Zuckerberg with Nigerian tech entrepreneurs
His arrival to Nigeria is not unconnected to the ‘Facebook for developers’ workshop’ for Nigerian engineers, product managers and partners holding today (Wed 31/8/2016) in Lagos.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/facebook-founder-zuckerberg-arrived-nigeria-unannounced/.
Vocationally Skilled Population – Key to African Development!
Update – 23rd December 2019 – new article published titled PII 184: Educate Your Child to Reliably Make Money by Herself, to Meet ANY Needs She Has – Anytime She Wants [HINT: If you are a parent to kids you REALLY LOVE and desire success for, you NEED TO READ THIS!]
[Below: Feature photo of Tanzania’s President Magufuli showing off his sewing skills]
Take a careful look at developed societies (e.g in Europe, Asia, America) and you will notice that possession of income earning (vocational) “skills” is just as valued as acquisition of academic degrees and certifications for paid employment.
Sadly the same cannot be said for Nigeria.
The crazy drive to acquire paper qualification, with little attention to ensuring corresponding real world relevant proficiency has held her, and many other nations in Africa back from developing sustainably.
This is apparent from the massive armies of university products we continue to churn out who often either end up unemployed (even unemployable!) or grossly underemployed.
With this reality facing us, the need for a new educational strategy has been apparent for a long time. But most affected nations out here seem to be at a loss for ideas on what to do and how.
However, a few are gradually narrowing down to doing what matters. And some, with their leaders showing the way.
One Example: Click here to see a photo in which President Magufuli of Tanzania shows off his sewing skills
How many public office holders or politicians in Nigeria possess any income earning vocational skills of this kind?
The truth is very few: and those that do are often NOT proud to show it off like Magufuli is doing here in a SUIT!
This probably explains why many of our political leaders/civil servants have a large appetite for what Fela once described as “Pen Robbery” in one of his hit songs.
We need more “vocationally skilled” leaders (adults/parents/teachers/leaders in politics and business etc) to be raised in Nigeria/Africa, so they can train youths with similar competences, if real sustainable development is to happen.
The report linked below indicates that Tanzania is well on her way to doing just that.
Read: Tanzania starts training tailors as regional ban on second hand clothes loom – By This Is Africa on August 24, 2016
Below are excerpts from a piece I recently sent out via Whatsapp, in which I share ideas based on what I’m doing to give my kids a more balanced exposure to “education”.
Academic education is not enough anymore. Time we spend on it is too much. Half that time is better spent giving income earning vocational education. Unfortunately we have wrong quality of people teaching in our schools.
The best among us who should be involved in teaching feel it is beneath us. So we leave it to the least gifted/competent among us who settle for teaching after failing to secure better options.
Unlike Mrs. Abiola Solagbade, my Montessori trained retired teacher mother, they are NOT motivated. The teaching job is a last resort for them.
They feel no passion to do it – and do it right. Little wonder that they readily cut corners by accepting money to do unethical things like awarding marks not merited. And of course that’s why we have Special Centres and people buying/sell results and certificates.
How can we expect a system like that to produce authentic quality of EDUCATION???
It can’t. It won’t.
Even the child that gets good grades academically without corner cutting suffer major exposure to character deforming display of morals and values by teachers, parents and other adults who openly engage in these shameful acts without suffering any negative consequences.
It would be naïve to assume THAT will not make a lasting impression on the psyche of that child – no matter what lectures you give him/her at home about knowing right from wrong, and the value of honesty, integrity, hard work etc!
What a price to pay!
My kids will learn vocational skills alongside relevant school subjects on a need to know basis based on discussions I’ve had with them about what they would like to do/become in life.
Computer based learning systems with teachers teaching school subjects according to the curriculum for the UK Waec exams equivalent are accessible for interested persons.
People get degrees and other certifications through distance learning. My kids have been trained to leverage technology to acquire Functional Education.
Homeschooling is being embraced worldwide. Wearing school uniform does NOT guarantee learning. Leaving home to attend school is NOT the only way to learn. Especially if you want to get a complete/balanced education.
Kids are being made to spend tooooooo much time in school reading/writing, and tooooooo little time is left for them to Think and Do and make sense/productive use of what they see and are taught.
My kids are being given that balanced mix. Indeed once a child can read and write, the thinking and doing is more important that any other schooling inputs.
That’s why we have many unschooled or poorly schooled people who succeed in life by doing what they are good at. That’s what real education is about: finding out/narrowing down to what you’re good at, then doing it to achieve the success you want in life.
It’s simple. But it works. My life is proof of it. That’s why I’m determined to empower my kids to get a similar kind of education – as against mere (mind-numbing) conventional schooling.
See this Facebook page (https://facebook.com/TemiandOluomasCookies above on which my 2 daughters (supported by their brothers) showcase their baked creations and share insights into the experience based learning they are undergoing.
Finally, the article linked below was published on 27th August 2014 – exactly 2 years ago. We’ve come a LOOOOONG way since then!]
[Note: (a). PMA = Positive Mental Attitude (b). The link to a downloadable PDF version the kids’ project preview]
I share my ideas here to give some insight into what I’m doing.
My kids are getting an important foundation for succeeding anywhere. There’s a lot of verbal coaching and experience sharing that takes place daily, in addition to the experience based learning.
Getting an education is not a competition to see who finishes first or best. Each child’s need will often be unique in some areas.
Parents would be wise to pay attention to what each child needs in this regard. Most teachers/schools don’t. I do – because I have passion and vision to support my kids to overcome the annoyances I’ve encountered in society.
Speaking and writing good English is NOT enough today. Neither is getting 1st Class from the university. Those who are honest with themselves will agree that this is true!
It is said that in order to criticize constructively, one must first of all make genuine effort to understand that which we wish to criticize.
I’ve found that to be quite true.
What I’m doing with my kids with regard to vocational skills development is what all parents today need to do for their kids.
One must NOT wait for schools to come up with money-collecting half baked ones they do. Make out time to find out what appeals to each child and help him/her get started.
It’s never too early to help your child find passion driven purpose in life – and you’ll make your parenting of him/her easier in the process!
Read this article (and watch the video) about how my 13 year old son built his first battery powered toy bike after watching a 3 minute video I downloaded from the web on my Blackberry:
Click here to request a copy of part 3 of the 4 part step by step demonstration video I got my 13 year old son to make, which we plan to sell with a PDF guide online as well as during LIVE workshops I intend to help him organise for interested kids
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUtfIs0iENE to watch a highlight/promo video I made showing the first battery powered bike he made.
I’m sharing it just to give everyone an idea of the fact that my home IS actually a real world school. We have similar videos for baking bread, pizza, cookies, cakes etc by the kids.
My vision is open my “home-school” (online with short stay on site options) at some point in the future to help other people and their kids learn to use our tried and tested model.
Click here if you would like to be notified when we go LIVE.
Protected: THE FARM CEO (Issue 58): Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA), Investing in the future of African women farmers, How to keep African agriculture improving
[RECOMMENDED] “Why I’ll never wear hair extensions again” – by pop star Jamelia (BBC Report) & “The hair trade’s dirty secret” – by TheGuardian.com]
It was in 2012 that I first watched a documentary revealing shocking details about the source of hair extensions eagerly bought by many Black women.
That video revealed shocking facts highlighted in the BBC sponsored investigative report (featuring an interview of a young female Black Pop Star – Jamelia).
I’ve linked to the full piece below (published via BellaNaija.com in December 2008) which reveals that human hair used is commonly obtained via the following sources…
[NB: At the end of this post, I also link to an unflattering Life and style report, by UK’s The Guardian newspaper titled “The hair trade’s dirty secret”]
1. Religious Sacrifice:
E.g Little Hindu kids have their hair scraped (some crying) as Religious Sacrifice to cure illness or ward off evil
Adult Hindus/the kids’ parents do same.
These religious-practitioner donors, assume their hair gets thrown away.
However, as Jemelia said (which the video I watched 4 years ago confirms): most have no idea their hair gets sold!
That’s why she says: ” to me, it appears to be the ultimate in exploitation.”
I agree 100% with her.
2. White females who cut/sell their hair for money e.g in places like Russia.
3. Corpses(?): Jamelia says someone hinted that some of the hairs could be taken off corpses!
Little wonder that she’s vowed never to wear those extensions again!
Personally, I’ve never liked the idea of pinning another human being’s hair to one’s head in an effort to look “more beautiful” (whatever that means).
All these revelations now justify the position I’ve adopted.
For me, accepting to use such products was simply a sign of a lack of healthy self-esteem or at best mis-orientation.
That’s why I encourage my daughters to LOVE their hair, as it is.
Indeed, I’ve gone a step further to invest time in personally helping them nurture and dress their hair naturally e.g using Sheabutter.
The results have excited my 10 year old girl enough to make her confidently go on outings wearing the “style” I work her hair into.
In the course of doing this I’ve discovered that I actually enjoy exploring creative ways to help my girls make their hair.
Yep. I’m their father, yet I love working on their hair!
So I plan to attend a short hairdressing (NOT hair attaching!) training to formally learn what it involves.
My purpose is however to do it with little or no chemical based hair treatment products.
I believe that by so doing, as a man, I can help my girls see and believe in their natural hair.
If more men would just take interest in helping the females in their lives make the most of their natural hair, they’re likely to feel less psychologically pressured to join the rat race of human hair extension wearing – with it’s attendant risks and indignities!
Read the BBC investigative report/interview:
I’m glad Jamelia had the courage to do, and also say, what many otherwise intelligent women of her kind have failed to do!
Read the full piece below. I’ll see if I can find and add the link to the video I watched in 2012.
The Story Behind Human Hair – By BellaNaija.com (Published in December 2008)
Related Article
The hair trade’s dirty secret | Life and style | The Guardian
Protected: THE FARM CEO (Issue 56): 4 Ways We Can Better Engage Smallholder Farmers Using ICT, How to improve small farmer livelihoods by reducing food waste and spoilage?, How to use ICT to improve agricultural productivity and raise smallholder incomes
[RECOMMENDED] How to Get Audience Attention at the Start of Your Presentation – By Efe Ohwofasa
When I started out in speaking, I did it all wrong!
I did not know what to say or how to connect myself with the audience right from the beginning.
It got to a point during a talk that some members of the audience walked out of the room while some got busy with their phones.
Others began chatting with themselves, and I really felt embarrassed, saying to myself “Oh, it seems these people really do not like me.”
However, I eventually came to the realization that it was not their fault, but mine!
Continue reading:
<a href=”http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Get-Audience-Attention-at-the-Start-of-Your-Presentation&id=9487121″ target=”blank”>http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Get-Audience-Attention-at-the-Start-of-Your-Presentation&id=948712</a>.