Muhammad Saleem

Digital platforms and social media can help young artists and designers reach wider markets and scale up their businesses, says Dr. Shazia Ramzan, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), while talking to WealthPK.

Dr Shazia said the university’s management was striving to promote entrepreneurship and business skills among the youth. This is the need of the hour, as youngsters should be encouraged to become job creators instead of job seekers, she said. “The university has set a goal to provide the students with opportunities to discover and showcase their their creative abilities. The students must be given platforms where they can explore their potential and express their skills with confidence.

This approach will strengthen our national economy and help create more job opportunities,” she added. “Creativity is a priceless gift of nature and we must use it wisely to build a more prosperous society,” Dr Shazia said. She said the university had recently organized a two-day art gala where around 100 stalls were put on display by the students. Hammad Ahmed, owner of an online store, told WealthPK that the social media had completely changed his business approach.

He said when COVID-19 hit the world and people were forced to stay at home due to lockdowns, he started posting pictures of his clothing products on different social media platforms. “Initially, only my friends and family were visiting the page frequently. But then I changed my strategy and started posting content after doing proper keyword research. As a result, strangers began commenting and messaging me for orders,” he claimed.

“Within a few months, I started receiving orders from customers hailing from Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and even from Dubai and the United Kingdom. It was beyond my imagination that I would get such a response while working from home, he added. He said people started placing orders just by viewing the products online. Now, he runs his business from the comfort of home and does his best to maintain the trust of customers by providing them with quality products, he added.

Giving a tip for those who wish to scale up their business through the social media platforms, he said they must gain practical knowledge of keyword research, photography, and videography techniques, as well as an understanding of current trends and how long these are likely to last.

Talking to WealthPK, Samina Ahmed, a student of Government College University, who visited the Art Gala organized by the UAF, said, “Currently, the majority of young people in Pakistan are using the social media and digital tools just for fun. But these tools and platforms are not just for entertainment, they’re your ticket to a world of progress and prosperity.” She said with creativity, planning, and patience, young artists and designers in Pakistan could easily turn their passion into a global business.

It is the blessing of the digital world that you can now exhibit your talent and skills without being limited by borders, she noted. “Art is not just a hobby; it’s a powerful means to earn and create jobs, and express your thoughts and emotions. In the past, art was considered as something secondary in our society, but now it’s much more than that,” she said. She said the youth need guidance and confidence to grab the available business opportunities. Our educational institutions can play a big role in this regard, she added.

“Institutions must organize exhibitions to make students aware of the latest social media trends that can help them showcase their talent to earn money,” she suggested. She also suggested that the entrepreneurs must be invited to such events and that efforts should be made to include foreign dignitaries through live video platforms if they could not attend in person. This will help artists and designers stay vigilant about the social media trends, attract foreign clients while staying at home, and bring valuable foreign exchange to the country,” she added.

Credit: INP-WealthPk