Why does society discourage aspiring artists and entrepreneurs?

[EternalForest]

Anywhere we go to try and promote ourselves, we always get the same pushback 

"No self-promotion" 

"Stop spamming" 

"No one cares".

And this isn't just in random comments sections or public places. Try and chat people up at local business, they don't want to hear about your business. In subreddits for sharing music or making music, they discourage you from sharing your own music or, God for bid, trying to SELL your own music! Try selling your movie to any movie subreddit and see how it works out. Your post will get removed within hours.

It seems so contradictory to me. Like, it would be one thing if society didn't encourage kids to follow their dreams... But c'mon. You can't tell people to follow their dreams and then accuse them of "spamming" the moment we try.

Anyone else upset about this?

Edited August 30 by EternalForest

[Puer Aeternus]

Well, it sort of just opens the flood gates ay!

Because a lot of these places are created with specific intentions in mind. They want to discuss and share already popular/quality media. 

It's frustrating to you, because you don't have as many places to sell/promote. Understandable! But if it were allowed, it wouldn't just be you doing so.. A rush of self-promoters would rush in and it would be a nuisance to the majority that just want to lurk/discuss already known content! 

From the raw numbers of it, most of the promotion will be pretty bad! Maybe a few diamonds in the rough.. but mostly cheeks, and it'll take time to sort through it all.

Would be nice if things had more flexibility though. If there were more avenues to promote and get feedback! To discover new things from lesser known artists. Also because sucking or even being half-decent but not quite there is a very important phase! 

[LordFall]

You must study the skill of marketing and branding. What you name as societal forces being against you although not false I would call victim thinking until you've read 5 marketing books. Being an artist and a business person is not enough. Marketing revolves around the fields of psychology and sociology to understand deeply communication and how to relate to your customer/audience. 

[Lord of Darkness]

Cos its complex. And filled with uncertainty. Extra perks for winners though. Most won't even try.

[BlueOak]

Its probably one of the last barriers to overcome in terms of requiring money to make money.

Advertising.

I am not saying its as bad as it was, or there are not avenues, but there are not many.

So I challenge my assumption (I've hit this problem many times.)

GPT 5.0
 

🧭 1. Claim & Optimize Your Free Google Business Profile

Add your location, photos, hours, and services. It’s one of the top local ranking signals.
👉 https://www.google.com/business/

📘 2. Create a Facebook Page & Post Regularly

Use groups related to your niche (local or interest-based). Share helpful posts, not just promos.
👉 https://www.facebook.com/pages/create/

📍 3. Add Your Business to Apple Maps & Bing Places

Apple Maps drives iPhone users, Bing feeds search results for Alexa and Windows devices.
👉 https://register.apple.com/places-on-maps
👉 https://www.bingplaces.com/

🗺️ 4. Get Listed on Local Directories

Yelp, Nextdoor, and Foursquare are still solid for SEO and discovery.
👉 https://www.yelp.com/
👉 https://nextdoor.com/business/
👉 https://foursquare.com/

✍️ 5. Start a Free Blog

Use WordPress or Medium to post tips, how-tos, or stories related to your niche.
👉 https://wordpress.com/
👉 https://medium.com/

📰 6. Pitch a Local News Story

Local papers love stories about new businesses, community service, or interesting founders.
Find “Contact Us” on their site or tag them on social media.

📸 7. Use Instagram Reels & TikTok

Quick behind-the-scenes clips or customer stories can go far with consistent posting.
👉 https://www.instagram.com/
👉 https://www.tiktok.com/

🧑‍💼 8. Post on LinkedIn (even for local services)

Share short insights or tips weekly — helps build authority and referrals.
👉 https://www.linkedin.com/

🗣️ 9. Join & Contribute to Online Forums

Answer questions genuinely on Reddit, Quora, or niche forums — people notice expertise.
👉 https://www.reddit.com/
👉 https://www.quora.com/

💌 10. Build a Free Email List

Start with friends/customers and use Mailchimp’s free tier for newsletters.
👉 https://mailchimp.com/

🎯 11. Offer a Referral Reward

Create a “refer a friend” deal or discount — spread it via word of mouth.

🎙️ 12. Guest on Podcasts or Local Radio

Reach new audiences by offering short, practical insights in your niche.

🧾 13. Write a Helpful Guide or Checklist

Give away a PDF guide in exchange for email sign-ups — positions you as an expert.

🤝 14. Partner with Other Local Businesses

Cross-promote each other’s products (shared flyers, bundled deals, or shoutouts).

📱 15. Engage in Local Facebook or Reddit Groups

Be helpful — don’t spam. Recommend your services only when relevant.

📍 16. Use Free Classifieds

Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and OfferUp can all bring leads.
👉 https://www.craigslist.org/
👉 https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/
👉 https://offerup.com/

🎨 17. Design Simple Graphics for Free

Canva makes social posts and flyers quick and professional.
👉 https://www.canva.com/

📽️ 18. Start a YouTube Channel

Short tutorials, behind-the-scenes videos, or “how we help customers” pieces build trust.
👉 https://www.youtube.com/

📅 19. Attend Free Community Events

Bring flyers or business cards. Offer samples or demos when possible.

🗞️ 20. Use Press Release Distribution (Free Tier)

Sites like PRLog let you post free press releases online.
👉 https://www.prlog.org/

🔁 Bonus Tips

Be consistent — post or engage daily, even for 10 minutes.

Track what brings actual visitors or calls (Google Insights, link clicks).

Focus on helpful visibility, not just shouting “buy now.”

Edited 4 hours ago by BlueOak

[Lord of Darkness]

@BlueOak not a bad business model, but it all can fail in execution. For example bad timing for an idea, it can be good idea  but market was not ready for it or it was too late for it...