English
If, perhaps, it was not obvious, when we were at school, getting older we understand that we cannot do without learning. It is knowledge that gives us a potential opportunity to improve our lives.
That is, of course, if you know how to properly use it. It is quite possible that you already have an area in your life that you know very well and that gives you pleasure. It is also possible that pleasure is the only thing you are getting out of it. It's quite all right, but you would like to have more, wouldn't you? If you answered this question in the affirmative, read on: today we are going to figure out how to monetize our knowledge.
Professionalism as a way to success
The easiest, but slowest way to monetize your knowledge ... is to get a job (surprise!). This is probably not what you wanted to hear as a first option, but let's face the truth. Having a job is still the easiest and most legal way of getting money into your bank account every month. And how much of it you will be making depends on what you can do. Knowledge is definitely not the only condition for a successful career. However, it is rather an important component of climbing a career ladder effectively.
It is possible that the positions you have to take at the beginning may not be the most interesting and highest paying ones, and the tasks you will have to handle may be more of a routine nature, but it is the road you have to go through to gain experience, skills and connections. Then you will take two or three courses, some extra training, participate in conferences, complete a few projects successfully and… congratulations, you've got a new position in the bag. Extensive experience costs a lot of money - isn't it a way to monetize what you know how to do?
When your job is your hobby
If you find the first way both too banal and too long, but you are lucky enough to be able to do something with your hands, you can monetize your hobby. Stories about selling homemade cakes, toys, paintings and other craft items on the Internet have long become commonplace. If you are fascinated with something that you are good at, and the product of your fascination is tangible and may be interesting to others, monetizing a hobby does not look like such a bad idea.
There is a wide belief that work should be separated from hobbies, otherwise chances are that you may end up hating the both of them. But there is also the opposing view that if you turn your hobby into your job, you will never have to work a day in your life. In truth, there cannot be a definitive correct answer to this question. Everyone has his or her own path and, who knows, this may be your path.
Are you keen on handicraft? Open your own shop, just don't forget about startup capital you will have to spend on advertising to get your first customers. Give them what they are looking for, and they will definitely come back to you and bring their friends, and you will be doing what you like to do and get money for it. Is it not a dream come true?
Are you fond of something that cannot be touched and sold packed in a beautiful box? Try creating your own blog. Nearly every other person is doing it these days, it's true, and it is rather difficult to stand out, but it does not mean that it's impossible. You just need to be burning with your interest, rather than seeing your blog solely as a potential way of making money on advertising once you have gained enough audience.
Teach others
Why not? Education is a very popular niche many peopled seek to join, and if you have already become an expert and have something to tell others, teaching may be the easiest way to monetize your knowledge.
Given that the Internet allows you to study anywhere and at any time, you will find many more potential "students" there than in the streets of your city. You can still look for students by posting your ads on lampposts, but it is not really necessary: in 2018 alone, the volume of the Internet education market grew by 12% clearly indicating increased supply and demand. It's another matter that high demand leads to high competition, and therefore, if you really decide to create your own online course, we advise you not to ignore a few simple tips listed below:
- Identify your audience. The more clearly you understand who you want to work with and who you don't really want work with, the greater is your chance of attracting people and the more likely you are to get direct income from teaching.
- Understand where you are better than others. To do that, do not neglect spending time to study other offers and read the reviews posed by those who used them (especially negative ones). That way you will be able to determine what to talk about and how you should talk about it to make your content unique and interesting.
- Structure your course. Draw up a plan of your classes so that people would understand what to expect from you and what to get ready for: this way you will reduce a possible flow of disappointments and negative feedback.
- Minimum theory and maximum practice. Talk about real-life situations, rather than hypothetical ones; give your students tasks they may face in real life.
- Follow the trends. Even if you already have a successful course, the worst thing you can do is to rest on your laurels and forget how fast the world around is changing. Information becomes outdated very quickly, and things that were interesting yesterday, will not look and sound as attractive today. Therefore, make sure to regularly refresh and update your existing projects, so that they would continue attracting new people.
- Get out into the world. There is still no need to post your ads on lampposts, but it may be quite helpful to come forward at conferences, meetings and thematic events. Both you and your income could use some additional advertising.
- Team is key. You can start alone, but if your business grows, you will eventually not have enough time to do everything by yourself. Gradually improving the quality of your offer, you will definitely realize how much you need a developer, a course manager to take care of documentation and payments, a copywriter to put in order everything that you have come up with, and a number of other specialists. The segregation of duties will make your course better and more successful. It should not be feared because the need for new people is a very good signal: it means that you are growing, and your project is turning from a small undertaking into a serious mature business
Most importantly, do remember that no matter what occupation you choose, you won't be able to make money at the drop of a hat. Knowledge alone is not enough - you need to work and understand how and where you can apply your skills. Self-improvement, polishing up your skills and personal training, if you want to make money with your knowledge, will never end for you. But, frankly speaking, it's not that bad if you can develop yourself doing something you like, which, apart from joy and pleasure, also brings you money.
