When you start looking outside your regular job for all those little ways to make a buck or when you start looking for the possibilities available to you if you were to leave your job altogether one of the things you will often hear is that you can make money by sharing your knowledge. That’s a funny thing because it’s usually at that point that you are seeking knowledge, you are seeking advice, you are seeking to learn. In short you are feeling like a dumbass.
So it’s natural that your first instinct is to say, ‘I don’t possess any knowledge that anyone in their right mind would pay for.’ You’d say that and you’d be wrong. Ever hear that saying that there is always someone less than you and always someone better? Well it goes something like that, but the point is it also applies here. Of course there are the gurus out there that have it all figured out and you chase down their every move the way a child stalks the ice cream truck on a summer day. There are also the people who are where you were when you first started.
‘Oh yeah,’ you say. Sure now you remember. When you first started doing whatever it is you do you sought out information that now is second nature. However there are people to whom that “second nature” information is considered gold.
I was reminded of this recently when I taught a Women’s Economic Ventures Business Intensive Class. First a quick aside, (the class wasn’t just women) if you have access to something like this in your area get involved. It’s such an excellent resource. I taught a class on how to get media publicity. I talked about how to write a press release and how to pitch to a reporter. I thought, why would anyone want to sit through 45 minutes of such a topic.
When I got there I was pleasantly surprised at the attention the class gave me and the questions I was asked. They really wanted to know. They took notes. They downloaded my book. They sent me emails a week later. I had provided information that helped them learn something they needed to know in marketing their business. That was rewarding.
Next time you are wondering what step to take next to make some money or how you can pursue something you love doing and make some money doing it, think about what you already know and remember there really are people willing to pay for you to teach them. Just like you, at one point, probably paid to have someone teach you.
Shelly Cone is a journalist, public relations professional, and press release writer. She is also the owner of Beach Betty Public Relations, a California lifestyle design company offering press release services, media relations and collaborative marketing events to help you design your life by growing your business.