The True Nature of "Monetization"

This is the paid note I wrote when I participated in Maiton-san's project the other day (the full text is free to read).

From Maiton-san's own perspective, related projects by Ikematsu-san, and also after reading Momomaro Umeko-san's note, I have come to see where the inner restlessness is coming from.

What lies there is a structure similar to the old, bad habits of the entertainment industry.

I think the common intention was to see if that could be avoided. And I, too, was strongly conscious of that.

However, at the same time, I also began to think that perhaps that alone was incomplete.
Along with saying what is wrong in my previous note, in this note, I would like to convey "what should be done" as well.

That said, what I am talking about is not a "path to monetization."
What I am talking about is the fundamental idea of what "monetization" actually means in the first place. I will say some slightly radical things, but please rest assured that this is not a paid note where I am charging money for that kind of content.

So, this time, as the complete version of the previous "full-text free note," I would like to summarize what should be done.

Is your customer on note?

Thinking in terms of marketing, this is exactly it.
"What if money was born from the writing I wrote just as I felt?"
That is certainly wonderful, but I want you to stop and think for a moment.

The people you are trying to sell paid notes to, aren't they people who are working hard in circumstances you want to support? Of course, I think it is fine to support each other, or if the amount is reasonable.

However, if you seriously think about "making a certain amount per month," ultimately, while there may be combinations of multiple service groups such as high-priced services x few, or low-priced x many sales, in the end, it is nothing more than multiplication and addition.
On the other hand, that money is not born from nothing; it is someone's money.

Changing the subject, who is "borrowing" money from whom in government bonds? When the government/national deficit increases, whose money is on the other side?

Well, setting that aside, if you try to increase only your own money, wouldn't it eventually collapse? That is why I think many noters are feeling restless about get-rich-quick schemes that prey on the idea of leaving out the "other party."

After all, the other party may not be a "god," but they are certainly a "mirror." And furthermore, if there is no value or feeling beyond that for the other party, it will become a temporary form, and it could end up with the same fate as high-priced product hit-and-run schemes. *I think there are some very useful high-priced paid notes as well.

In that sense, "have you become someone who is supported." Of course, whether I have become that is another matter, but my current thought is that if you are not such a person, you cannot last long.

That said, if you ask who that is, the person I felt this from the most is Hiiro-san, who has also joined my membership.

Looking at Hiiro-san's stance, what they have done so far, and the many posts they have written, even if there are people who think "I might not be able to pay money right now," I think there are overwhelmingly few people who feel repulsion or a sense that "this is expensive."

Conversely, I think many of those who are in the spotlight now are people who have kept moving forward even when they didn't get immediate attention or reactions.

Maybe you don't even need to monetize!

And what I wanted to convey this time was that it might be fine even if you cannot monetize.
As I wrote at the beginning, if there are not many people on note from whom you want to receive money, you don't have to go through with monetization at all.

Who is your customer?

In my own case, when I was struggling with my mental health and on leave from work, money was tight. Therefore, I have no desire to take money from those who are currently trying to rebuild their mental health.

That is why I try to keep mental health-related content free, or at least keep the price low if it is paid. *However, since 100 yen items are trending now, I would like to reconsider the balance between price and content.

In my case, I focus on receiving work from people who can pay reasonably well or from companies that can easily move larger sums of money, rather than from people who are struggling to make ends meet. This is the background behind why I am not in a rush to monetize directly on note.

What "(Medium- to Long-term) Monetization" Means to Me

Therefore, for me, monetization means

　1. Connecting with people who share similar sensibilities and ways of thinking
　I would be happy if that leads to work in the future, but even if it doesn't, I am already fulfilled by the fact that I was able to connect with those people.

　2. Building a track record that can serve as a numerical indicator, and creating samples
　Another point is to build an easily understandable track record within the note community.
　As a result, it becomes easier for companies to reach out to me, and it also serves as an indicator when I apply for or contact them myself.

　This includes things like follower counts, featured articles, and award records.
　And the most important part is this:the part about building a track record with soul, which then serves as a sample.

Certainly, having a track record with major companies and experience is very important in business. However, even if that track record is something to be proud of, it is not always the case that the content itself is something you can talk about with passion.

For example, when your own ideas are not fully reflected, or when there are larger forces at work behind the scenes. But at least for me on note, it is a little different. It is about the true feelings and ways of thinking that I usually cannot show on the surface.

I am happy when things I have written with soul are appreciated, and things written with soul become samples. In my case, the art report series that was selected as a featured article is exactly that.

I write with all my might even before I receive work, so that people can know, "If I ask Tomoshibi, they will summarize it like this" or "They have this kind of perspective."

In that sense, I hope to increase the number of things I can publish on note, such as interview articles, recruitment PR, and press releases.

Getting involved with people who share similar sensibilities!

Also, I recently realized that people who are pushing forward aggressively (as I see it) are very good at how they interact with those around them and how they involve others or get involved themselves (?).

Of course, there may be various things going on behind the scenes that aren't visible, but I have the impression thatthey are just moving forward on their own initiative. People like Maiton-san and Sunou-san look exactly like that to me.

That Maiton has started a new service for brainstorming! Their stance was as wonderful as ever!

A little self-promotion, but I have also started two services.

One is "Jibunjiku for Life," which helps you regain your own core and bring your daily life closer to what you want, little by little.
And the other is "Jibunjiku for Business," which helps you shape what you want to do into a business.

"It just clicked," or "I'd like to talk to this person."
If you see someone like that on note, why not try interacting with them through comments or other means!?

I personally try to reach out to people who have joined my membership or those involved in contests, but seeing everyone here, I feel I still have a long way to go, so I want to keep taking action!