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-   -   The little known secret to getting GIGS. In a gig economy, it is #1 want/need. (http://www.sowpub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10510)

GordonJ October 11, 2019 03:57 PM

The little known secret to getting GIGS. In a gig economy, it is #1 want/need.
 
So, a guy called me a "know it all". Not in an offensive way, yet not all complimentary either. I was interviewing him, or so I thought, to be an instructor for my new 'BRAINERY' concept.

He informed me, he was actually interviewing me. How dare he. But he was right. In this instance, I need him more than he needs me. He is a FREELANCER, a marketing professional, although he doesn't call himself that.

He prefers consultant. OK. Whatever. We started out in more of a confrontational mode than I was expecting, because when you interview someone, you seemingly hold the power. He turned the tables.

And I was delighted he did.

See, I may not be a know it all, but I am a know a lot. Diverse, eclectic, comes from having so many jobs, or from not being able to keep the ones I did get. I may have been a lousy employee, in terms of sticking around, but I always gave at least 70% to everything. See, I know, few if any actually give 100%, I know the territory I've been around...

This consultant told me he knew what my first and number one selling course could be. What?

His answer is in my subject header. Helping people to get gigs.

There is no doubt the Freelance side of things is booming, as companies downsize they often look to outside experts, consultants and work for hire types to take the place of a workforce.

We can clearly see it here online in the form of numbers who are joining Facebook groups, prime example, COPYWRITERSS. Some Facebook groups have over 25k members.

I found over 30k copy/content writers (and many people don't know the difference) were available at all the Freelance hangouts. The competition is fierce.

Software developers, app developers, web site builders, graphic artists and photographers, assistants, WordPress experts, etc., etc. Whatever you find listed on fiverr, freelancer, upwork, or craigslist...

into the millions of people, looking for a gig. And then toss in musicians, bands, performing artists, and

TRADESMAN, who have hands on gigs too...

And a "gig" is temporary job, a one off, a one and done. A roofer works on one roof, when done, he doesn't get paid for checking it every week.

We are out of the days of hire and stay for 30 years. Those days are long gone, except in a few fields. Hard to find people working the same place after 25 years, although there are plenty around.

But for younger generations up to middle aged folk, getting a gig is what makes the difference for them.

Like friend of the forum, Millard Grubb, the magician, he would do one gig at a time.

And my new friend says he has the secret. He knows how to get gigs. How to land jobs. How to get contracts. How to get put on retainer.

And most importantly, how to teach others HOW TO GET GIGS. Higher paying gigs, longer term gigs, retainer gigs.

I am almost convinced. What do you think of this as a CLASS, or a workshop, seminar?

The truth is, that is what I'm offering to all potential instructors, a gig. And in the last month, I've uncovered, hundreds, if not thousands of people just in Northeast Ohio, who are already doing it. They are the new world gig economy types, and even those with a steady job, they do gigs for extra money, side hustles, "pin" money as mommy used to say.

What do you think?

A worthwhile workshop?

How to get gigs. We'll work on the title, copy. But the gist of it is getting hired for doing something. And there "appears" to be a secret, which my new friend alluded to, but wasn't ready to share. Although he gave me plenty of ideas.

Gordon

Millard Grubb October 12, 2019 08:47 AM

Re: The little known secret to getting GIGS. In a gig economy, it is #1 want/need.
 
I think this is a winner simply because it covers so many, many fields.

Whatever one chooses to do, ya gotta get the gig, one way or the other. When i wrote "Outrageous Marketing For Magicians', I found many performers needed help just getting the first gig.

The same is true today, but on a much LARGER scale.

As you mentioned, with many folks doing gigs, this workshop can be a real winner!

GordonJ October 12, 2019 10:21 AM

Thanks Millard. The old ways, the traditional...
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Millard Grubb (Post 40254)
I think this is a winner simply because it covers so many, many fields.

Whatever one chooses to do, ya gotta get the gig, one way or the other. When i wrote "Outrageous Marketing For Magicians', I found many performers needed help just getting the first gig.

The same is true today, but on a much LARGER scale.

As you mentioned, with many folks doing gigs, this workshop can be a real winner!


The old ways of getting gigs (customers) are:

Advertising. May or may not be effective, depending on the media, the ad, the target and the offer. Still a multi-million dollar biz op, all businesses and contractors need customers. Downside is the EXPENSE.

Referrals. A cost effective way to get new customers, via the satisfied ones.

Location. The old, "build it and they will come", better have good foot and vehicle traffic.

Soliciting. Cold calling, phone calls, email. Still works, albeit, annoying to so many.

The consultant (who is at 7 figures a year) reverses the low hanging fruit strategy, calls it "using the drone" to knock the TOP HANGING (more money per gig) fruit from the tree.

While others may be scrambling to pick up the fruit on the ground, often over ripe or rotten, or to pluck from the low hanging branches... too often customers without the dough,

this guy flies his drone, from a safe distance away from the tree, and picks the sun ripened bigger fruit from the tree. Maybe it is positioning, or the whole preeminent idea (Jay Abraham) or an attitude of time...

being as it takes as much time to pick the low hanging fruit as it does to deal with bigger pockets.

I think he is in one of Harvey Brody's UPPER GEARS.

Sticking with the fruit tree analogy.

And since I do go to a local orchard quite a bit (they make ice cream {Country Maid in Richfield http://www.countrymaidicecream.com/ } and buy the fresh picked fruit) ...

I've observed over the years their business. They have this nice orchard, they have the ice cream store in the front, and out back they have a little store which sells all kinds of fruit, jams and jellies.

I am the low hanging fruit for them, an Ice Cream Junkie who likes apples. Easy to get a few bux from me.

I used to go with a friend, who bought baskets of apples, to make her pies.

She belonged to a church, and they would often buy BUSHELS of apples for their events.

But the orchard also has big customers, like Smuckers (I don't know for certain if they actually sell to Smuckers, who have their own orchards too) but they have customers who buy tons of apples, peaches, pears and plums.

Some are small mom and pop jelly and jam makers, others are commercial bakeries, restaurants, etc.

Apologies if it seems I'm beating a dead horse here with the orchard analogy...but, there are companies, like Nabisco, who buys literal tons of figs for their darn tootin good eatin FIG NEWTONS.

So, this consultant, goes upstream. He isn't interested in the guy like me who only buys a small amount, and is occasional, nor the small momma and poppa places, he goes for the PROSPECTS WITH the demand and money to spend.

If we look at him as getting GIGS, his approach is more that of an A list actor who commands millions for a movie gig. As often as not, THEY come to him.

Again, it might be positioning (I don't have his details, yet).

So, how does this work for us small potato guys, as far as getting more gigs, of a higher paying order? Well, part TOLL POSITION, and part BRAND/DIRECT MARKETING.

More to come.

Gordon

GordonJ October 12, 2019 12:08 PM

I think these will be my first two offers.
 
How to Convert Your Experience into Cold Hard Cash. And.

How to Get More and Better Gigs in Today's Gig Economy.

The first is What do you know, what have you done, what will you share?

And the second is using pull or magnetic marketing to attract better gigs.

Both will be used as recruitment tools to find instructors.

So, I'll write two promotions and test them.

Gordon

Rick October 13, 2019 11:36 PM

Re: I think these will be my first two offers.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by GordonJ (Post 40256)
How to Convert Your Experience into Cold Hard Cash. And.

How to Get More and Better Gigs in Today's Gig Economy.

The first is What do you know, what have you done, what will you share?

And the second is using pull or magnetic marketing to attract better gigs.

Both will be used as recruitment tools to find instructors.

So, I'll write two promotions and test them.

Gordon


I think this a great topic in today's economy. These days, as you mentioned, it's all about the "side hustle." We called it "moonlighting" back in the day. :)

Rick

GordonJ October 14, 2019 10:09 AM

Re: I think these will be my first two offers.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick (Post 40260)
I think this a great topic in today's economy. These days, as you mentioned, it's all about the "side hustle." We called it "moonlighting" back in the day. :)

Rick


Yes, I moonlighted all my life. Even when working a full time job in High School, I had some side hustles going, like Action Ad clocks.

The first target, mining the gold in your experience, may have a parallel track, for AUTHORS...how to write and publish a book, report, or even HOTSHEET to use for the MARKETING of your business. A lot of writers out there. After all, you were there when we deciding on Seeds of Wisdom PUBLISHING.

And the gigs thing is topical but dovetails nicely with A PUBLISHING AS A MARKETING TOOL topic too. Going all the way back to the Circular Pubs where I advertised my Special Reports in to the forum, and all the other things.

Rick, we could write and publish a book in a day, I interview YOU, have it recorded, use Rev or someone to translate it, edit, send it to Print On Demand and YOU would have a book with your name on it, to be used as a foundation/guide for your program, and as a marketing tool too. If you were to co-op it, say with a food source which you recommend, it could be almost FREE for you to have one in circulation. Nothing beats a book in your hand with your pic and name on it, builds a lot of cred quickly.

Gordon

Millard Grubb October 14, 2019 01:02 PM

A book with your name and picture
 
Yep.

It is hard to beat having a book with your name on it for boosting your credibility in the marketplace.

You might want to check local printers. I have one in my area that can publish a professional book in just a few days. Additionally, down the road from me is a printer that can produce HARD BACKED books in just a few days !

The sky is the limit if you are an author.

Millard

GordonJ October 14, 2019 08:55 PM

The wonder and beauty of on demand PRINTING.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Millard Grubb (Post 40266)
Yep.

It is hard to beat having a book with your name on it for boosting your credibility in the marketplace.

You might want to check local printers. I have one in my area that can publish a professional book in just a few days. Additionally, down the road from me is a printer that can produce HARD BACKED books in just a few days !

The sky is the limit if you are an author.

Millard


I'm 15 mins from 48 hour books, they do a massive amount of book printing, and less than an hour from BOOKMASTERS, who have a one stop printing company going. They can also fulfill, which makes things so much easier.

There are tons of print on demand, many with fulfillment, so writing a book is the easy part.

Selling books, well that is the challenge, isn't it?

But the Dan Kennedy way of using your book as a giveaway, as a promotion, is still a great idea, with the costs coming down for on demand, a book is still a terrific FRONT END piece to a marketing strategy, especially for getting clients and customers. You are right Millard, what a great time to be a writer.

Gordon

Rick October 18, 2019 11:48 PM

Re: I think these will be my first two offers.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by GordonJ (Post 40262)
Rick, we could write and publish a book in a day, I interview YOU, have it recorded, use Rev or someone to translate it, edit, send it to Print On Demand and YOU would have a book with your name on it, to be used as a foundation/guide for your program, and as a marketing tool too. If you were to co-op it, say with a food source which you recommend, it could be almost FREE for you to have one in circulation. Nothing beats a book in your hand with your pic and name on it, builds a lot of cred quickly.

Gordon


I like it! Let's do it! Then we'll turn it around and I'll interview you for your book. BTW, I've completed several books already. Full disclosure. They're ebooks (heavily rewritten PLR mostly) and they're components of my course.

But... I really like the idea of interviewing each other for self-published printed books.

Rick


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