(Reading time: 2 – 3 minutes)
Our relationship with money is critical, right after relationships with ourselves and others.
Regardless of your belief, money has been a topic of conversation for millennia. The Bible mentions money ~800 times.
What, then, is the problem?
It’s emotional confusion conflating “money” with overweening “love of money.” Money is morally neutral; only our relationship with money matters.
Now, think for a moment, why are you reading this article?
With a self-hosted WordPress blog, you come here primarily for WordPress knowledge, and tips for building community, social networking, blogging productivity and the like… all with your eye on the end game: “gonna make me some money.” There’s no other reason to suffer self-hosting your blog. Much easier to use WordPress.com, Blogspot, any of a squizilllion other free blogging platforms.
Then why is making money so hard?
It’s not hard. We make it hard on ourselves.
Would you like to make it easy on yourself? Let me tell you a little story.
I subscribe to a certain artist’s newsletter, and receive a spiffy little cartoon and dram of wisdom on a daily basis. (I’m not going to link bait, if you’re not familiar with this work and like it, send me an email I’ll send you details.)
Friday morning I opened my email, the image below blew me out of my chair.
I had to have this right now… otherwise I would talk myself out of it!
Consider: I never buy prints; I only buy originals. But I bought one of these immediately.
Why?
Because Hugh made me into a customer.
Now YOU go make you some customers.
Listen here for my thoughts recorded right after I purchased. It’s raw, you can hear me absent-mindedly scraping a skillet.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Note: this article is part of a “300 Word Challenge” where 3 of us (Carlos, Paul and I) each wrote an article no more than 300 words in length. You can read Carlos’ post here: Conscious Me” and Paul’s here: Diary 4 Life
….lol… OK……..gotta go write me some customers,or maybe record me some art (who was it that went and wrote himself a swimming pool?)….
Yeah, you’re right, I like the post. I like the money (I have another blog percolating, its all about money, but I decided to postpone it for a while till I get this one to a certain level) I like Hugh too! Like you I like originals but man do they bite! … and I like the audio.
Looking forward to the avalanche!
.-= Valentina´s last blog ..7 Reasons Why People Buy =-.
Valentina, I think in the end, you have said it exactly right: we’re going to write us up some customers. Boatloads of them.
I know they’re out they’re out there. Right now, don’t blame them a bit for laying low, hiding. Scary times.
But times change, for ill or for good. Our work is public. Everyone can see it. And it’s ours, lock, stock and barrel. Where we don’t have expertise, we have *proof*.
Happy Easter!
I’ll be honest, I don’t quite get the cartoon but I’m really glad to have listened to your audio because you make a very valid and important point. I’d like to sparkle so much, people would mortgage their house. Great line. Thank you :)
Happy Easter to you, go easy on the chocolate bunny ;)
.-= Eleanor Edwards´s last blog ..Sunday Surprise: A rose by any other name? A look at life through a different lense =-.
I “get” that piece of art through the lens of my own point of view…of course. I feel like I awoke from my own nightmare a few months ago and all my complacency (really inhibiting fear) was gone. At least, I had something new to overcome it.
I’m struggling with it again over the last week or two, but my general direction in life is getting me past it.
David, solid post man. Selling is compelling people, not manipulating them. We want to be compelled.
.-= Carlos Velez´s last blog ..Sunday Short: Singing In The Shower To Put A Fresh Voice (Your’s) On Recycled Blog Content =-.
Yep, at some point, I need the emotional driver to compel me to act. Having this print is important to me in many more ways than $144 could never be.
When that’s true, I need to be compelled.
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..Why Are You Here? How Did You Get Here? And What Are You Going to Do About It? =-.
Eleanor, Hugh has past the point of “cartooning” in many respects. Perhaps he has blurred the boundary between “cartoons” (whatever cartoons are) and “fine art” (whatever that means).
Having some experience with pen and ink myself (ok, I used to map potholes, there, I said it), in my opinion his drawing and inking could stand alone ,without the words, and be regarded as art worthy of the name.
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..How to WPTouch Your Way to a Mobile Friendly WordPress Blog =-.
At last, the voice behind the man!
Point well made, young Dave. But don’t think of your 30-year backstory as anything but buildup to the big event. Every one of the seconds up to now has been there for a purpose.
By the way, when you get the print, will you scan it and send it over as an A4? Ha ha ah ha!
Merry Easter, bucko.
.-= Dave Thackeray´s last blog ..Tomorrow’s blogging – today… =-.
Big plans, bud, big plans.
Dave,
I think this is very powerful, “Because Hugh made me into a customer.”
Making somebody your customer is more than just getting them to buy something; it’s a special relationship, it’s a bond unlike any other. That is of course, if you want them to come back again and again.
Regards
Paul
Yep.
Otherwise it’s more or less going to the supermarket to choose which brand of Proctor and Gamble’s to put in your cart.
I have a piece of Reiko Muranaga’s work (http://www.reikomuranaga.net/p2004-9.html). Reiko is wonderful with her customers. She always alerts us to showings with a high-quality postcard, and when we go, she works hard to spend a few moments with everyone, including a group photo if possible.
Not only do I like her work, I want to her succeed as well.
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..Make Friends, Make Money, & Make History: Carlos Velez on “how it’s supposed to be” =-.
I LOVE IT!
ps…. please to note that commentluv being used as learned on these pages :-)
.-= Valentina´s last blog ..Life, Timing & Love all live In the Land of Internet Marketing =-.
Happy Easter Dave!
Must go find Gaping Void again; it was a casualty of my recent RSS cull and I’ve missed it (but of course, managed to forget the name til now). Good one to buy though. Also before I get serious, completely not the accent I was expecting but I think I like it better. :)
Anyway, I think what you’re saying about making something that your customers HAVE to have is simple, effective, but not easy. To explain, just looking at this from a practical point of view what strikes me is that you can take two routes with this.
First route; Focus on doing what you’re really good at (a la Hugh) and get your voice out there enough for people to see you. You’ll make the right connections to convert with different people at different times, but you’ll do it.
Second route (for those that don’t know exactly what they’re good at): Market research to see where there’s a gap, and/or what’s already selling well. Research into the topics it provides extensively. Create a product or set of products that will distill that information into a form of some sort (be it prints, ebooks, audio, video, merchandise, etc). Market it effectively. Rinse and repeat, while still marketing the older stuff.
For the second route in particular there’s a lot of research on every step that has to be done then implemented for this to work properly, even just for the software you can use to create. First route, you get the bonus of creating something you’re already good at/looking to improve on/fairly knowledgable about (depending). There’s still the whole product creation/marketing setup.
Guess what I’m trying to say is that yes, its a simple concept and I completely dig that; its important to know that people Will buy your stuff even if they can’t necessarily afford it right then if it grabs them by the shorthairs. It’s not going to be really easy though, and honestly? I’m glad.
.-= Heather´s last blog ..Starcraft 2: Coming Soon =-.
If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.
I’m going Route 1 (in case in wasn’t obvious). Much more expensive investment, but what I create I have an active interest in, and if this fails (it’s already succeeded actually), I’ll walk away with half-million words of original content that I own. And that I like.
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..5 Simple Steps to be an Authority Blogger (you can do this) =-.
Personally I prefer Route 1 as well; I just find it funny that Route 2 is the one taught and praised (in some of the MMO circles). Love what I do, and happy to continue. :)
.-= Heather´s last blog ..The Mayans: Login Part 2 =-.
I’m striking enough chord with readers to continue my current Route 1 strategy, to wit: funding Website In A Weekend with freelance work.
This makes me a “hobbyist” in a real sense. The payoff is I’m going to do only what I like to do here, and when enough people like it (that number is growing), money will appear. I say this because money is starting to trickle in… it’s sot of like magic except there’s like 3500 hours of work propelling the magic.
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..Are Your Rituals Serving You? (Manage your context for productivity) =-.
Makes sense. I’ve still got LOTS of work to put in before I’ll start to make any real money with my site though (work != time). Not even started to use what I love doing yet, just what I like doing.
Think its worth it though, if you’re going to do something to make money, it should be something that makes you happy. Words like ‘difficulty’ and ‘effort’ shouldn’t really enter the equation.
.-= Heather´s last blog ..The Mayans: Login Part 2 =-.
I’m with Eleanor. I don’t understand the art but that doesn’t matter. You do and you delivered a heartfelt Easter message that should hit the core of your readers. I get that message and yes, I am in it for the money but it doesn’t hurt at all to find people along the way that can help and encourage. And I thought you didn’t know anything about embedding audio.
.-= Ralph´s last blog ..Food for Thought – Saturday Quote =-.
Thanks Ralph.
That audio was the result of severals of really annoying work yesterday. Suffice it to say I now know one way to get audio into WordPress.
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..Are Your Rituals Serving You? (Manage your context for productivity) =-.
And now you’re scaring me Dave. I assumed (wrongly it seems!) that adding audio to WP was no more difficult than adding video. Me and Heather have a date with audio (see the link for more info folks, it really should be a laugh) on Wednesday. Hadn’t scheduled time for headaches over it ;)
.-= Eleanor Edwards´s last blog ..Sunday Surprise: A rose by any other name? A look at life through a different lense =-.
If it turns out to be too much of a pain we can always make it into a video with generic compelling background images :P (possibly so you all know what I’m talking about too with the challenge thing)
.-= Heather´s last blog ..The Mayans: Login Part 2 =-.
Let’s do a combined author post. I’ll write up what I did, you write up what you did, I’ll post it under all three of our names.
That should keep Ralph busy.
Can’t reply to you Dave because you only have replies set to a few layers deep but like that idea. Done ;)
.-= Eleanor Edwards´s last blog ..Sunday Surprise: A rose by any other name? A look at life through a different lense =-.
What do you know, I did! lol
Sorry ;)
I didn’t get the cartoon – not sure I would even call it a cartoon. Looks deep. I tried listening to the recording, but for some reason it’s not working for me here on Chrome?
.-= Anne´s last blog ..How about an Alternative Passover tradition? =-.
Anne, Hugh is blurring the boundary between cartoon and fine art. His inking is superb.
If you like this kind of work in the abstract (which I do, quite a bit), you may like the works of Leon Ferrari: http://images.google.com/images?q=leon%20ferrari
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..DIY WordPress: Super Easy Custom CSS for Menus (Huge pic) =-.
Heh. Thanks :)
.-= hugh macleod´s last blog ..“maybe you are right and THEY are wrong” =-.
You repeatedly “nail it” in those first few paragraph: that our relationship with money is right in there, but should come after people; that money and the misquote ‘root of all evil’ get conflated.
If I could offer a slightly different take on your point that money is morally neutral — I like to say, “So you see, money is a magnifier of what’s already in your heart. In that sense, money is not neutral. However, money is not moral — it simply affords you time+energy for more of what your morals already tell you is right or wrong, acceptable or not acceptable.”
Glad I found you via Hugh, I’ll start following your blog.
.-= David Hicks´s last blog ..Language, Freedom and Christian Faith =-.
David, I believe what’s most important is that most understand there’s difference. How we understand or express that difference makes for many pages of theology.
Glad to have you. Lot’s here.
Hey Dave Happy Easter, just for the record I come here for the sexy picture of you and the horse not the blogging and social media tips. Haha.
.-= Extreme John´s last blog ..Happy Birthday Extreme Tan and Smoothies =-.
John, we’ll let that be our little secret.
I found some art this weekend that I needed to have. I didn’t budget the $80 I spent for it, but I fit it in, and I am very happy I did. It’s going on my wall, and reminds me of a few things, all at once.
.-= Deacon´s last blog ..I’m a Printmaker, Not an Artist =-.
I think I saw that. Very cool. Look forward to seeing it hanging on your wall.
Way to put it out there, our relationships with money are more important before with the harsh economic times. Agreed, money itself is amoral and it’s our relationship with it that determines how much of it we bring into our wallets.
.-= Walter Yu´s last blog ..Nearing the Light in the Tunnel at Devil’s Slide =-.
And we’re bring a lot into our wallets.
I waste more time in the day with looking at cartoons and blogs than anything else, but it’s so much more captivating than making money. Some people are good at combining all of that- it’s a good talent.
Pat, you’re *supposed* to be looking at cartoons!
Oh dear. I first read it: I awoke from the nightmare, all complacency. Dead.
Hate to think what a psycoanalyst would make of that.
Hahaha! The begs two questions: who’s in need of the psychoanalysis? Me, the artist, both?
There is so much stuff to get over when it comes to selling something. Mostly it mental trash we put in our own way that breeds complacency.
Like the skillet sound effect, adds real authenticity! :)
.-= marshall | genverters.com´s last blog ..Off Grid cooking – Quick Steaks [3] =-.
It’s easy to be authentic when you’re, well, being authentic.
My friend’s mother is a financial guru in Marin & she has a pillow on her couch that reads “Money is the root of all evil and a woman needs roots!” Sir Doolin, thanks for turning me onto this artiste, Hugh McLeod. GOOD STUFF.
.-= Mo Mellady´s last blog ..WonderCon 2010 =-.
Heh… that’s a really good one!
Really enjoyed finding out about Hugh. I’m not so much in art as some but I like how you blended this with the topic for today.
.-= Ahmed Payette´s last blog ..Upcoming Sheriff Sales =-.