The Cosmopolitan Career Workshop was an eye opener
The lineup included some of South Africa’s top influencers:
The three touched on how to monetize your feed and social networks as an influencer.
As the influencer circles get bigger and diverse in South Africa, this workshop was pretty necessary.
We all start out without a clue but as time goes on events such as the #cosmohustle2018 open up our eyes. Here are some of the things I learned and I believe will be of benefit to most if not all of you.
Do not discredit yourself, be patient
Building your voice either on your blog or social media platforms takes time. Be patient with yourself. Do not be discouraged when you see yourself diverting from what you had set out for yourself 2 years ago. As long as you are evolving make the necessary changes.
Define and find your niche. Don’t be all over the place.
When no one is supporting your dream, remember only you have the vision so other people will never really understand anyway. Do not be discouraged.
Engage with your audience
It is vital that you engage with your audience from the very start. Most people start out with a little pride (I can do it all by myself attitude). News flash! You cannot build an empire single-handed. By engaging with your community you build a loyal following and the genuine relationships you form will become some of the best. Obviously, as you become more and more like Kefilwe, you cannot attend to each and every comment but making an effort wouldn’t hurt anyone.
You have no idea how a simple heart emoji will make someone who looks up to you feel. Pretty sure most of us have experienced the feeling.
Be a go-getter
Life happens while you wait for the world to hand you what you believe you deserve. Girl! get off your behind and go after what you want. Ultimately as an influencer, you are looking to collaborate with some of the notable brands that you love so it’s on you to get those brands to notice you.
Initiate a conversation, contact those brand and prepare yourself for rejection because not every brand will find you to be a good fit. You have dealt with broken relationships, this shouldn’t be a biggie lol
Behave well on and off social media
“If you would never put it on a billboard do not put it online.” – Emma Sadlier
You are a walking brand. What you type on any social platforms gives your audience a perception of who you are. The same way you stalk your faves, brands and your followers do the same. You may lose out on a brand collaboration based on a retweet.
Be Authentic
You have a dream and a vision so stay aligned to what you want to achieve. Do not be swayed by the success of others in a different arena. Stay true to who you are, what you believe in and what you want to achieve. You can seek inspiration from others but mimicking your fave will only make you second best. Build your own voice.
What I am wearing: Skirt- @riso_jeradibrand Tank Top- MrP Heels- Legit Handbag- Louis Vuitton (gift)
A Vlog of the event is going up on YouTube today or tomorrow.
Stay Fab & Flawless
Thanks for sharing babe. Very insightful.
Glad you found it insightful babes 🙂 Make money off your passion!