What are you listening to or reading?

[Dennis Murray]

I think that like many members here, the business aspect is very challenging. How do I become established? How do I get my work in front of more people?

I've been searching for things to read, listen to, or otherwise absorb to help me along in this quest....maybe some other people have found items other sources that help.

Podcasts:
Managing The Gray (http://www.managingthegray.com/)- CC Chapman (host of several music-oriented podcasts) hosts this look at new media marketing. In his day job, he's digital media marketing manager for Babson College. He also blogs on the topic.

Media Artist Secrets (http://mediaartistsecrets.com/)-Franklin McMahon (host/producer of several podcasts as well as graphic artist/video guy/photographer) hosts this show that talks about launching yourself in a creative career.

Creative Cow Podcast (http://cowcast.creativecow.net/) - Again hosted by Franklin McMahon, this one spends more time talking about video and film. However, the interviews with directors and producers can help you understand how they got their start in creative fields. There was a show a couple months back with Matt Wend of evox.com who does automotive renderings.

[John Thawley]

Ah.. excellent. Getting your stuff out there is a huge challenge.

One quick antecdote... and it lends itself to something we're doing here on APN.

About a year aog I was sitting with Jim Sykes, and we were talking about the different forums... Jim made the comment, "it amazes me how many people know you from the forums.." and he also pointed out, he was on them just as much as me. Well, I knew it wasn't about our work. It was something very simple. "Because I use my real name," I told him. "People know me because I use my name." DUH! And, I encouraged him to do the same. How can you sell yourself, or your website, or anything else to do with you if you're not promoting your brand. Your name in this business is your brand.

Hence the reason we asked people here to register using their name. It seems small, but in reality, it's huge.

Thanks for these ideas, Dennis. They;re great!!!!

John

[Dennis Murray]

I fully agree about using your own name. I've tried on most sites to use a login that is close to my real name (for example, first and middle initial and last name) and then always include my full name in the signature block.

I'm really glad you went the real name route here - again, looking at the Sportsshooter model where everyone is identified as their real persona and not an alter-ego for online.

A couple more notes on my original topic:
I've found most "Starting a small business" or Entrepreneurial books to be too oriented towards old economy and old marketing/sales practices. They could have been easily included in the script to Glengary Glenross.

The first step is finding your customer base...and that can be really difficult to find the people who don't know they should be your customer. In motorsports, the obvious outlets are teams and series-news related media outlets...but the secondary market could include regional travel publications, technical journals (for example, SAE for an article about the Audi R10) or who knows where else.

I've thought about blogging on the topic of being a part-time entrepreneur, but haven't found the time lately to do so with a 6 week old and a 2 year old at home and a day job to maintain.

[Bob Chapman]

About a year aog I was sitting with Jim Sykes, and we were talking about the different forums... Jim made the comment, "it amazes me how many people know you from the forums.." and he also pointed out, he was on them just as much as me. Well, I knew it wasn't about our work. It was something very simple. "Because I use my real name," I told him. "People know me because I use my name." DUH! And, I encouraged him to do the same. How can you sell yourself, or your website, or anything else to do with you if you're not promoting your brand. Your name in this business is your brand.

I'm considering changing my real name to "f22".

[John Thawley]

I'm considering changing my real name to "f22".


Oh... now I know. who you are! I've been wondering, "who the hell is Bob Chapman?" :)

[Jim Sykes]

Richard Prince has me convinced my name begins with jpeg...:rolleyes:

[Erik Anderson]

I'm reading "Guerilla Marketing' By Jay Conrad Levinson. It's lays out several stratgies for all business types on how to be noticed and recognized using smart techniques rather than brute force dollars.