The Gig Economy: A #CMWorld Twitter Chat With Nicky Pasquier

Our community is made up of a diverse group of people. Some work as enterprise marketers in a large organization. Some are small business marketers. Others have entered the gig economy.

Freelancers and independent marketers face unique content marketing challenges. They also see opportunities not always given to others. To discuss the gig economy, we could think of no one better than Nicky Pasquier. Nicky’s career took an unconventional route. She graduated with an English Literature degree followed by a stint as a paralegal before starting her own business, Virtuoso Assistant. She understands what it’s like to make that jump and shared her experiences on the #CMWorld Twitter chat.

“So, you’re giving up the illusion of security for the illusion of freedom.” 

Wow. Our 2018 Community Champion, Carmen Hill, shared that quote, and it really resonated with a lot of people in our community. 

It’s no surprise since there was great interest in this topic. We had our community talking so much that we couldn’t fit all of our tweets in one Twitter Moment! Take a look for yourself – Recap 1 and Recap 2. Looking for a quick summary? Some of our best comments are featured below.

How can you turn your content marketing skills into a sustainable independent business? Where do you begin?

A1. You can use your #contentmarketing skills to start creating a personal brand. Start with something that you are strong at, Maybe you are already a great photog or writer or coder. Start to create content around your core skill. Answer questions people are asking. #CMWorld https://t.co/vryJ1cJ5bR

— Gene Petrov – Leadership Coach #SMMW19 (@GenePetrovLMC) March 5, 2019

A1. By knowing where your specialties are in experience and content development and tailoring your freelancing into that specific market. Don’t be general – those people are everywhere. Specialists and experts in niches are what people / businesses seek. #CMWorld

— Patrick Delehanty (@MDigitalPatrick) March 5, 2019

A1: Start by buying your own domain and creating your own blog. #CMWorld https://t.co/e31S0Bp10b

— Carlarjenkins (@carlarjenkins) March 5, 2019

How do you determine if you are ready to become a freelancer or stay in a full-time position?

A3: Some of us are strategic about launching a freelance biz – but you still have that feeling of hoping the net will appear when you leap. I think you need to have the right pieces in place to help that happen – but if you don’t commit fully, it may NEVER happen. #cmworld

— Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) March 5, 2019

A3: You are ready to become a freelancer when you can say goodbye to regular paycheques, benefits and being part of a team. Freelancing is no picnic. #CMWorld

— Wayne Hendry (@ideakid88) March 5, 2019

A3. You know it’s time to quit the full time gig when you’re consistently turning down too much work.

But more often than not, the decision is forced when the full time gig evaporates.

Sometime being opportunistic wins over being strategic. #CMWorld

— Tod Cordill (@todcordill) March 5, 2019

Where are good places to generate leads and find work opportunities for your business? 

A5.
🔸️ As above: Fiverr, Freelancer etc.

🔸️ I’d not rely on these sites for too long: start marketing yr own brand independently & build your own client base.

🔸️ The best way to generate leads without resorting to ads ➡️ create super-useful content…

— Nicky Pasquier [Virtuoso Assistant] 📩 🎨 (@VirtuosoAssist) March 5, 2019

Late, but dropping in 👋. A5: Networking is the best way to make contacts that lead to business. But also, figuring out what your ideal client looks like and researching businesses that fit, then sending letters of introductions (LOIs) can work #CMWorld

— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) March 5, 2019

A5: Social media! Find the platforms where your target audience is spending time and start posting there regularly. #CMWorld

— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) March 5, 2019

We had a great chat this week. Thanks to everyone that took part!

Have you left a “traditional” job and found success? Have you built a profitable side hustle? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Want to understand your role on a content team? Network with fellow marketers and stay informed on all aspects of the content marketing process when you attend Content Marketing World. Special discount code SM100 saves you $100 at checkout.

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