If you would have asked an entrepreneur five or 10 years ago if they were able to make money off of social media, they probably would tell you no. Nowadays, there are a number of ways that entrepreneurs and small business owners can make money using social platforms to build their businesses, connect with brands, and elevate their earnings.
In fact, there are 300 million users on Twitter, 800 million on Instagram and over 2 billion users on Facebook, which means that each of those users present the unique opportunity to be your next customer or client.
Whether you choose to promote your products, services, or talent, leveraging the power of social media can help you take your business to the next level. That is with the right plan and strategy, of course. That is why at this year’s Entrepreneurs Summit, experts will be sharing tips and advice to help business owners and entrepreneurs monetize their online presence.
Someone who knows a thing or two about building an audience, strategic partnerships, and making a living off of being authentic and niched online is Michell C. Clark, social entrepreneur and cultural curator. Clark’s entrepreneurial journey began eight years ago online. And now with an audience of over 75,000 people, including major brands, he helps business owners and entrepreneurs transform their social media presence to help them achieve their professional goals.
“I got into social entrepreneurism when I was trying to get my hip hop blog, Artistic Manifesto, off the ground. That was in 2009. I didn’t have a business plan of any sort. I wanted to get my blog as much exposure as possible. So, I started to build up my presence and brand presence on social media,” says Clark.
Years later, another entry point into entrepreneurship for Clark was in 2016 when he decided to quit his job. It was then that he decided to take the skills he had been building and couple them with his influence online to make money on social media. “I was determined that I was going to make all of my monthly income coaching. But, I wasn’t quite up to par in terms of my sales page and how I structured my lessons and how I marketed myself. So, it was hard to get clients. I had to take some time and realize, “hey, I am incredibly broke…maybe I should change some things.”
From there, Clark implemented more strategy and signed with SHADE Management, an influencer management agency for black and brown creators, to help him get to where he is today. In 2016, he launched MichellCClark.com where he offers his coaching packages, inspiration, and shares what he calls his “struggle story” as an entrepreneur. He also began to send out his weekly email, “Make Email Great Again,” which features marketing tips and playlists to keep entrepreneurs jamming as they grind. And, Clark says that the newsletter has been a big selling point for him.
Now as a coach, he works with clients to come up with plans to help them reach their goals. “I think a great thing that I am able to do with my coaching is talk to my clients about not the specific plan that is going to work for them but a plan they believe in enough to execute to the best of their abilities. So, we’re not focused on the social media trends. We’re digging deeper and we’re talking about things that will drive them individually,” says Clark.
With all of his success online, he has decided to share his journey to inspire other entrepreneurs.
“Since my success came from social media, I wanted to be easy to share. I had a lot of rough times during my first year of entrepreneurism and it took me a lot longer than I expected.”
And, to add the cherry on top, the publisher of his book found him on Instagram while he was struggling to complete the book. Talk about the power of social media! His book, Keep it 100: Daily Affirmations for Millennials Who Are Tired of Being Called Millennials, is set to release June 5, 2018. And, you saw it here first!
The Cover of “Keep it 100: Daily Affirmations for Millennials Who Are Tired of Being Called Millennials” by Michell C. ClarkIf Clark has inspired you to take your talents to social media and earn money while doing it, you’ll want to follow up by joining us at the Entrepreneurs Summit where we will be discussing the ins and outs of influencer marketing.