How to Start a Professional Note
Lately, I feel like more acquaintances are starting a note,
or talking about wanting to start one.
It feels like the number is increasing.
Since I've had people ask me things like, "What should I write about at first?"
I'll write down my own thoughts on the matter.
This isn't necessarily the "correct" way,
just some reference opinions...
First, just write about ten articles casually.
You might feel nervous about the first article you write,
but since no one is watching, it's fine to just write whatever (lol).
Well, to make sure you don't feel disappointed when you read it back later,
why not just honestly write about what you're thinking or what you're curious about?
Difficult things like trying to be funny or popular can be put off for now.
I started writing as a personal memo,
and that element is still a big part of it today.
I started in May 2021, and when I look back at how the first month went,
I wrote 16 articles in May alone (I'm glad I wrote them properly ^^).
This is the first one I posted.
Even though it was my first post,14 likes!
This kind of thing is the secret to why note is so popular.
On a regular blog, you wouldn't get any likes at all.
It's normal to feel like you're getting no response,
but on note, even mediocre articles get likes (lol).
From there, you follow others, get followed back,
and various circles begin to expand.
While feeling the reality and responsibility of being read,
you start to think about what to write next,
what kind of article would be useful or appreciated,
and what you wanted to write about in the first place.
It gives you a chance to think about those things.
Why ten articles?
For example, if there's only one article, honestly,
it's hard to tell what kind of person you are.
With ten articles,
your will to continue posting comes across.
And you can see what kind of themes or issues you are focused on.
Your personality starts to show through, in a way.
Even if you don't nail it down with a title,
you can get a sense of the general direction and theme.
That's why it'sten articles to start.
For now, just write and publish.
Then, while looking at your own articles, think about the next one.
If you really don't know your theme or direction, ask an acquaintance for their impressions.
I think that's the flow.
It's a waste to overthink and never get started.
First, just start.
Everything begins from there.
If you have a purpose for writing a note, put it into words.
If you have a purpose or a goal at the beginning, that's great, of course, but
I think it's also fine if you don't.
Starting from that level and gradually clarifying your purpose and goals is also a valid way to begin.
If you have a purpose or goal at this moment,
putting it into words for now is a very positive step.
If possible, write it in your profile as well.
It might change in the future, but
since you can revise it as much as you want later, a temporary placeholder is fine!
Set up your profile properly.
It is definitely better to have something written in your profile than nothing at all.
Aim for multiple lines rather than just one, with the intention of using up the character limit.
If you want to connect it to your work, write about your work thoroughly.
Who is your target client? (individuals, corporations, scale)
What value do you provide beyond products and services? (changes for the other party, joy)
What have you done? (background, values)
What kind of people do you want to connect with? (image of how you can be helpful)
This is just an example, but
it's like writing a love letter to your future clients.
Is that setting the bar too high?
Anyway, having a solid profile makes it easier for people to follow you.
Focus on the future rather than the past.
Even if you list your past career experience,
readers won't be very excited.
Instead, focus on the future,
what you are thinking about,
what kind of work you are doing (or planning to do) now,
and what kind of future you imagine beyond that.
I think that is what everyone is interested in.
Self-deprecation is not fun to read
Some people write self-deprecating things in their profiles, but
if you want to connect it to your work, you should stop doing that
Simply put, it is not fun to read.
My impression is that
many people are missing out on opportunities here.
Everyone lacks confidence, so
you don't need to write that!
is what I end up thinking.
Use bright images!
Some people don't include profile icons or
thumbnail images for their articles,
but you definitely should.
Being anonymous and having no image is a bit scary.
You can choose from Note's image collection, or
these days, having AI create one is also an option.
You can express a bit of your personality without spending too much time.
I think images are what make you stand out at a glance.
Themes and tones vary from person to person, but
if the colors are dark, the reader's mood will also go down.
If possible, I think brighter is better.
Some people use the same image or
the same frame for all their articles, but
I think it's better to change them according to the article to add variety.
Write your profile and work requests
Note has a feature that allows you to pin articles to the top menu.
It's fine to wait until you get used to it, but
once you have accumulated a certain number of articles, you should set these two up.
Profile
Work Requests
If you have the capacity, create a "Magazine" for each article theme.
Many people come up with various ways to design the flow for work requests, so
it might be good to look at such Note articles as well.
Some people say that job requests don't come directly through note,
so they invite people to their own newsletters or official LINE accounts,
and handle business discussions in more detail there.
Waiting patiently for job requests is one way...
but if you can't wait, let's approach it strategically!
At first, actively go around following, liking, and commenting.
Since you start with zero followers,
you'll want to increase your followers first.
Any goal is fine,
but if you have zero followers, your hard-written articles won't be read much.
In that case, it's faster to go around following and liking others yourself.
Search for your theme,
and when you find an article you like, don't hesitate to hit 'Like'.
For articles you especially like, leave a comment.
Follow people with similar themes.
As you do this, your own articles will gradually start to get read.
It's not about hard selling,
but more like going around and saying hello to everyone.
This time, rather than know-how,
this might have just been me muttering about things to be careful of,
things that concern me,
and hoping you don't fall into any pitfalls.
For now, I think it's just right to start first and think about it later.
This article was written by
Shigeki Kawahara, 'Future Realization Partner' for increasing revenue streams
https://mousoubiz.com/
https://twitter.com/mousoubiz