Social Media – Page 4

Why Share Your Business Stuff?

Posted on November 27, 2017October 16, 2026 by savethesavages

Why let other people know about what you’re doing so they can copy it?

I share my thoughts (not every single thing) on growing a small business so I can look back on it and see my own progress, so I can learn from my mistakes.

I share it with everyone who is searching for answers, as I am doing the same exact thing by searching online. Perhaps what I write here will be useful to someone else, as I’m just paying it forward. I also believe that no one’s success is diminished just because someone shared supposed industry secrets that others before me have already shared. We’re all learning everyday. Besides – I’m not the first one to do so and I won’t be the last; it just so happens to be from my personal perspective.

There’s lot of free information out there on the world wide web, you just have to search for it.

Also, there’s a niche for spiritually minded but weird business people – though making money is the common goal, we are also motivated by different factors. If you follow/subscribe to Carolyn Elliott’s newsletter (badwitch.es) – she writes about this kind of stuff perfectly; I love it.

Here’s some of the things I have searched for; and as silly as they sound – other people genuinely seek answers to these same questions like:

How do I get more real followers on Instagram?

Which social media platform should I focus on?

How often should you offer discounts?

What to do when sales slow down on Etsy?

Why do people undercut their prices?

Is it better to leave “sold out” products on the website or hide them?

I will add more to this when I get a chance.

As far as copying goes, I’ve spent a lonnnng fucking time being frustrated about people who copy. It actually hindered me from doing any kind of creating. I’ve come to the conclusion that you just have to keep going and let the public decide; keep putting out good content that’s true to yourself and people will eventually see you.

How To Sell Online If You’re Not Popular

Posted on June 9, 2017July 18, 2026 by savethesavages

Stones & crystals in this photo (clockwise) – Heated Citrine, Moss Agate, Green Aventurine and Pyrite. Citrine Quartz in the middle.

Selling stuff online is a new venture for me. Some people are really good at it, while others (like me) might be off to a slow start.

It’s better to be honest about where you’re at currently, and right now things are going a bit slow – I don’t have a huge social media following and I rarely show my face. This might not be the case for everyone, but I think people tend to buy from a seller when they show their face or have built up some kind of online reputation over the years…

I have neither of those things and so I have to start from scratch. Maybe you are on the same boat as me? Well then, keep reading.

So how does one go about selling online if you’re not popular online?

There are a few ways to do this, but one of the ways requires spending money. I already know what you’re thinking – boo, hiss, groan!! I feel your pain – why should you spend money if no money is even coming in yet??

But understand this concept – in order to make money, you also have to spend it. Think of it as an investment.

In order to make money, you also have to spend it.

Business owners understand this concept very well, and I am learning this too. Startup costs like purchasing inventory or product to sell, hosting and domain for your online store, shipping materials, etc. If you’ll be selling at a local flea market you’ll be paying to be there and you’ll also have to rent or purchase a tent, chairs, tables and whatever items you might need to make your tent or table look appealing to potential buyers.

So you see, EVERYTHING costs money. But if you see it as an exchange for the things you want (because in reality that IS what it is), you won’t feel like you’re ‘losing’ money or that you’re always broke. No money is ever lost – instead you gained things, things that you’ve been wanting. Or you gained experience and knowledge. It’s a constant exchange and nothing more.

The other less expensive way is to just keep on trucking through posting on social media, SEO and blogging. This is the nature of things, where not everything can happen right away because you want them to. You have to build up your reputation and following by being active on social media consistently and not just when you feel like it. You also have to post really good content on your blog so it can be found on Google.

So in short, you have to experiment with all three of these things: paid advertising, blogging/SEO and social media.

One of the main requirements to selling online is patience. You’re planting a seed right now, so don’t expect it to sprout right now too!

I’m writing this because these are the things that I’m currently experiencing; in April 2017 I was so excited and full of fire to setup everything – the website, getting a seller’s permit & business tax license; those were not easy feats. The month of May was great because my good friend who is a herbalist invited me to have a table at a yoga studio for a small artisan faire – and I actually sold some stuff! Now it’s June and although I made a sale, I’m experiencing a little bit of a slump.

So I’m writing this to my future self – everything goes in cycles and you have to keep going with this. Be persistent, don’t give up and you will eventually see the fruits of your labor. You put in a lot of work already, don’t succumb to just being lazy and letting Etsy, Ebay or Amazon take a cut from your profits. You are technical, creative and motivated. You can see this through and you will still be here a year from now.

Here are the crystals & stones I’m currently working with to help me achieve my business goals – natural Citrine, Green Aventurine, Moss Agate & heat treated Citrine. Added Pyrite to the mix as well.

Update 11/27/18:
It’s been a year and a half since I wrote this blog post. My online crystal shop, Metaphysical Vibes is still up and running. I have experimented with Google AdWords and Facebook ads; though both are great I feel as if Google AdWords is slightly better as it brings actual buyers.

I have made some sales on the website, but it’s inconsistent as most people still go to my Etsy. It’s going to take some time before people start shopping on my website on a regular basis.

Update 11/28/20:
Wow, it’s been 2 years since I wrote this blog post. The crystal shop is still there, but I am not making as much sales as I used to. This year especially has been hard and not just for me but for every small business.

Don’t quit your day job (if you still have one).

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Like I said, remain consistent. This stuff takes time and it’s not a ‘get rich quick’ kind of scheme.

How Does One Get Into Marketing?

Posted on May 18, 2017June 1, 2026 by savethesavages

I didn’t always consider myself a marketer…

ask me 6 years ago and I would’ve said “ugh”, “gross”, and “no fucking way”!!?

As a matter of fact, I HATED it and didn’t want anything to do with it. I hated commercials or anyone who promoted themselves wayyyyy too much.

At one point I was forced to participate in meetings, meetings that had nothing to do with me. Most of the time I just ended up doodling or wandering off into the astral plane or both.☁️

So how did I go from hating marketing to loving it?

Easy, with repetition.

If you create graphics for advertising and promotions on a daily basis like I do, you start to realize that marketing is heavily involved in everything you do. It is not a separate thing, but a symbiotic relationship.

Why is that?

Because you’re thinking about ways to execute something visually when you’re combining text with images, then posting it to social media or getting it printed.

Not only that, but you’re also thinking about the best way to say it; your copy and your taglines. Small businesses might not have the luxury of having a copywriter, so it might fall on the designer or the owner to come up with something. Should it come straight from your creative & genius brain raw & unfiltered, or simplified so that others can actually understand your message and take action?

You’re also thinking about your audience – friends, clients, potential customers and clients who might see it.

When you’re posting on social media – whether it’s a painting, something you cooked or baked, your writing, your designs, a video demonstrating what it is you do, etc…you’re showing off your skills through something you created and the potential to provide something of value to others.

All of that IS marketing.

And everyone who promotes something of theirs is actively doing it, whether they’re aware of it or not.

And going back to the concept of repetition – I finally understood that in order for people to know about you, you have to REPEAT yourself and constantly let people know about you.

Marketing has become part of my job due to the fact that workplaces have been shrinking for some time now. Most companies don’t want to hire and pay a person for marketing, and then another for SEO, and then another for web design, graphics, etc…

so without even having a clue that this would be my future, I started to learn how to do a little bit of everything and it has paid off. I’ve learned a lot and am still learning. And I don’t get bored.

But don’t think you have to do it my way; I only did it this way because it seems to work for me. I find that learning and focusing on one subject doesn’t work for me; it seems that halfway through I get bored and disinterested. And so I jump on to other things…

and another, and another.

and then I end up learning a little bit of everything.

Another reason why I know a little bit of everything?

Usually someone will ask me a question and even though I don’t know the answer, they’re kind of expecting me to have an answer or a solution. So I start to Google a bunch of shit just to know what it is they’re asking of me.

And now I just learned something else; I can add that to my knowledge bank and share it with someone who needs it.

So there you have it, one of the ways a person gets into marketing.

Sooo, how does one actually get into marketing? You didn’t answer this question at all.

Updated: Monday June 1st 2026

I can’t answer this for everyone, as everyone’s experience is going to be different and depending on your locaction – jobs are scarce these days. But it doesn’t hurt to look at job listings and see what’s required. What worked for me was browsing jobs on craigslist.org. If you are skilled in making graphics, look at the jobs in the media section. Why? Because the real marketing jobs are intimidating and pay a lot more.

At the job where I was doing graphics, the owner handed us this book to read. It’s called Guerilla Marketing by Jay Conrad Levinson. And that’s how I got into marketing, even though I didn’t know what I was doing, I was just making stuff.