I believe in giving credit where credit is due. I am even going to do one better. This post was inspired in part by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, enjoy the video and then I’ll get on with the thoughts for today.
If you have something everyone wants why would you give it to someone who is basically going to use it for free and exploit you in the process.
https://youtu.be/Mr_uHJPUlO8
Let’s be honest, when you put your stuff on most social media you are not only giving the world your stuff for free; you are also allowing them to market your information. It’s as if you are paying them. Not to mention the time it costs you to do “favors”, out of the goodness of your heart, for those friends and family that take advantage of your training, albeit unintentionally.
Let Me Tell You a Story
I had a guy I know say to me one time that he would love to have me at his show, and that I should bring my camera and take pictures. Yet, he gets paid to perform. But hey, I am his friend, he said he would give me a great shout out on Facebook to people that know me already. How does that benefit me?
I got a call once from someone who wanted some work done. She said if I did the work for her she would put out the word on social media for me.
I asked her how she found me, and she said she saw my information on a search engine. My only response indicated that if she found me right where I needed people to find me than what she could do for me was basically what I already have in place.
Protect Your Worth
I’m not saying any of this to be mean at all. I am simply letting you see that sometimes people don’t understand that you have overhead just like everyone else. In addition, if you are working on all of these projects it takes away time from your own marketing and paying customers.
Your Content is Worh Something
Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Pinterest, Snapchat, and Tiktok all have their place in the world of digital. You can put your content there and people will see it. All of those pieces should be used to funnel prospects and potential business your way. However, there are also sites and apps that you can utilize to give people an opportunity to contribute to your business by rewarding your creativity, and investing in the work you put into your craft. Let’s call these types of sites Monetization Platforms.
Monetization Platforms
Whether you are a Band, Writer, Photographer, Movie Maker, or a combination of these with something else, there is likely a way to monetize your craft. Patreon and OnlyFans have been out for a while and they have their place in the market of Monetization Platforms, but there are a couple of veritable newcomers that really deserve some attention.
I am referring to Locals and Fanbase. Locals is a project by Dave Rubin, and really seems to have hit the scene with some serious minds behind it. Fanbase just hit the market and is in early stages with creators of all kinds. I have opened accounts with both because I see merit in both formats.
I haven’t gone into detail with any of these formats because I am exploring them myself. I will say, however, that after I was invited to participate in the launch of Fanbase, Dr. Fabian Heuschele, (their Co-Founder and CEO) has offered meetings with each of it’s maiden voyage creators. That’s a pretty cool way to start a platform. I mean, you have to like it when the creators want to give you a seat at the table so to speak. That is encouraging!
I will likely have better opinions of each platform at a later date, and I will probably write about them and how I have utilized their services. If you are an artist or content creator these platforms are certainly worth checking out. For those of you that appreciate those that create subscribing to various creators in one way of supporting their craft. Perhaps you love their work but don’t have a wall to put up their art, supporting them through one of these sites is a great way to encourage them and be a part of their mission.
Yes, DDM Creative and Dirk D Myers Photography are also utilizing Monetization Platforms, and I would love for you to think about supporting what I do. I would certainly appreciate it!
Continue the Conversation
This is a glimpse into what is available to those that want to find ways to get their work noticed. Please join in the conversation by leaving a comment wherever you see this post. I want to know your thoughts on this process.
Are you a creator or business that can benefit from a Monetization Platform but you aren’t sure how you can get started? Maybe you aren’t sure if this is something that could benefit you; contact DDM Creative about your questions.
As always you are welcome to leave a comment here or drop me an email if you have a question or comment that is more specific. I look forward to hearing from you.
*Edit – Since this article was created, Fanbase has gone by the wayside. With a large amount of these sites cropping up, some of them just don’t make it. I’ll be honest, I never really find it useful. There is good information in the article just know that Fanbase is no longer a thing.