Are you a market? SELL YOURSELF!
Defining a market...
Oxford dictionary of advanced English defines a market as [countable] an occasion when people buy and sell goods; the open area or building where they meet to do this.
Market as a verb means to ‘advertise or promote something'.
The first time I heard the question ARE YOU A MARKET? being asked, I didn't understand it but soon as I put my mind into the idea of a market, I knew, I got the point.
Buying and selling, display of goods, wielding your convincing power to sell what you have, beating bargains and at long last, getting a reward for your efforts (money). With this, I guess we've come to an understanding that the question ‘are you a market?' is simply asking, what do you do? What do you have to exchange for something you need, be it goods or skills.
When Dr. Taye Obateru said ‘ sell yourself' during one foreign correspondence lecture, it sounded cheap, I almost laughed but then he asked again
“ what do you do? What are your talents, what puts food on your table? What things would people see in you that'll make them want to invest in or give you their time and money?".
People are, or claim to be very busy all the time so you have to wield something that can interest or distract them. Hone your skills, put yourself out for people to see. Know your value and stand on/with/by it.
For instance, I do a lot of things. I know how to write (essays, reviews, short stories, advert contents, blog posts, e.t.c,), sing, speak in public, cook, bargain, convince, sell, e.t.c, and I've come to realize that people might not know these things about me if I don't show or tell them. I began to sing and post recordings on WhatsApp, I also sell boots, scented shea butters,black soaps and so much more and people are always contacting me because my goods are good and I always advertise them.
Have you ever done something in a quiet place that wowed you? I first started writing in my private diary back in secondary school and I realized that I was always re-reading my own stories whenever I was bored and enjoying the flow. I then started to write poems and inspirations in my public jotter, I also used to design slum books so well that people started to ask me to design theirs for them. See? Starting small.
What is this thing people are always complimenting on whenever you do it? Are you studying to be a Journalist? How many times have you gone out to gather news? Did you enjoy it?
You know how to cook soooo well, have you cooked for a large number of people so many times and gotten so many awesome compliments? Don't you think you should start a restaurant or a food blog? There's this saying, ‘ turn what you love into what you sell '. There's a difference between selling because you want money and selling because you have a passion and want money. I always hear different versions of advertising in Terminus market (Jos) whenever I go to buy something. Most of these vendors have little or no education but they find one funny thing to say or the way they sing one-one-fifty deri dai hamsin, I find myself wanting to dance and this song is stuck in my head now.
Identify your skills and build on them. My friend Elizabeth designed most of our dresses on paper for our YCS sendforth back in secondary school because we couldn't go home. She used to go by ‘ Designer Zee ' then because of how good she was. Now, herself and her big sister make beautiful clothes and are really popular in Minna because of how good they are; check ml_couture on Instagram.
There's so much for you to do. Don't think plenty people are already doing it. Remember that there are so many human beings on earth, you can always satisfy a section, just be ready to put in your time and creativity.
You've heard from me now, I'm sure you've heard this so many times... Stand up and do something for yourself. How do you hope to leave your prints on the sands of time when you haven't even begun to walk yet?
FOR BUSINESS PROMOTIONS, CONTACT: Naze Sewuese on Facebook, dear_sewuese on Instagram or https://wa.me/message/2QZSWSTS4QY7N1 on WhatsApp.
Adios! I'll be back soon ❤️
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