Ways to go from broke artist to successful business owner
It’s Tuesday tips and today I want to share some hard truths that helped me so much once I realized them when it comes to the business world.
If you want to be an ARTIST, which includes photographer, videographer, painter, makeup artist, florist, designer, etc. and actually be able to make a living with the work you produce, then you can’t just think like an artist. You also have to fuse business knowledge with it as well. That is the only way to become successful and be able to do what you love full time.
Here are my top 3 tips for what to focus on when it comes combining artistry with the world of business.
1. Customers will not just come to you, you have to find where they are
I have heard a lot of photographers (the industry I’m in) complain that they share their work, but no one is biting. They don’t understand why if their work is so polished that no one is knocking on their door to try and throw them money.
The answer is that you have to market yourself. And not just once. Every single work day I wake up, make my morning coffee and work on my marketing. It’s part of making this a full time job. Social media is of course a powerful marketing tool, but there are many ways to advertise yourself. This could be networking in your local area, or learning SEO to enhance your website.
One of my biggest assets is my website, which has been what I’ve spent the most time on over the years when it comes to marketing. You can learn more from me with my new course “how to create a website that sells” here.
2. Strive for fast communication and good customer service
The second rule of getting more business is to take care of the customers that you have, and word will spread. Happy people like to refer their good experience to their friends, or they will write some nice things about you as a review (don’t be afraid to ask for a review after your service has been provided!)
The sooner you answer an email, the more likely it is that you will win that client. They are looking right then, and may find someone else, or get sidetracked later on.
Make sure to deliver on what you promise. If you give someone a timeframe, try and finish it sooner. It’s much better to underpromise and over deliver than to try and give promises you may struggle to keep.
3. You have to differentiate yourself
You have to think about how you’re different than the other services that are competing for that person’s business. You definitely have something special and unique about yourself, now you have to figure out how to convey that value! How do you do this?
Through your branding! Having a beautiful, professional looking brand will instantly show that you will be trustworthy and worth the money. I recommend taking the time to think about what you want to be known as being an expert in, and showcasing that with your branding choices.
Don’t forget to show off your own personality in your social media or on your website. People like to hire someone that they feel like they could easily work with.
——————————————
It’s so easy to just get caught up in the work you do, but there’s a whole set of things to work on when it comes to getting a business off the ground and to keep it booking. I hope this helped give you some things to think about and improve so that you can hit the ground running today!
SEE MORE ON THE BLOG >>>
