We will share a couple of things that we did to run a successful creative business. Some of them are:
DIVERSIFYING YOUR SKILLS
If you haven’t already you should start diversifying your skills like if you’re a photographer, videographer graphic designer what have you by trade, you should start becoming a swiss army knife of a human being or an artist. Because we have so much time as artists stay inside and to like learn something new so for me in particular, we learned video editing.
We did learn video-editing to start a youtube channel and for other video clients as well. And We did them for free so that we can kind of get my reps in learning how to color grade and all this other stuff. It took a long time because we started in January. And we like worked on color first then, sound next, and now that business is coming back. we could not only sell my photography skills. but we can also upsell them on my video skills one thing that we want to work on next is music production so learning how to make my own like tunes some beats and whatever so we can like. You know create some custom music for my clients and custom music for this channel. We think that would be super-duper sweet.
So yeah diversifying your skills would be a great thing to do right now. because say for For example, your graphic design business is not doing too well but you know how to do web development and you know how to take photos that’s another service that you could sell., if not upsell for your clients.
START A YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Yes, you should start a youtube channel, you should start sharing the knowledge that you have in your art. From now we would love to see a very active creative business graphic designer or adobe illustrator master on youtube and if that’s you, then you should Jump onto the platform start sharing your knowledge and do it creatively.
We think all types of creative business people should jump on youtube and share what they have done because you never know what may come of it start by teaching what you know. And when you teach what you know well it shows that you have mastery over it at some capacity right. You also don’t even have to put a lot of pressure on yourself to make a great video you’re just teaching what you know and kind of expressing yourself and sharing your knowledge with the rest of the world you’re on Facebook on Twitter on Instagram. It doesn’t have to be a banger of a video just kind of document what you’re learning or what you have already learned.
Creative business people should have some form of video-making skills because the power of video is so tremendous and so spectacular. You never know what may come of it you should start a youtube channel and start your knowledge right now oh my shirt smells like smoke.
EXERCISE OFTEN
Exercise helps out so much mentally physically all your health’s like. it takes care of all of that because with everything that’s going on and we’re trying to run a successful creative business. Amidst a pandemic a lot of stress builds up, a lot of anxiety builds up. So a healthy way to exert that to let that go is through lifting through running and all that other stuff.
KEEP MARKETING YOURSELF
Do not ever forget to market yourself. Now that could mean a broad spectrum of things so here are a couple of examples say you’re a photographer and you’re into weddings. One thing that you can do is run Facebook ads, Now a strategy that I’ve used personally is to run a Facebook ad that promotes a free engagement shoot now that is very attractive to a lot of people. And you could like say that oh only like three to five winners can win so a lot of people are going to apply to be part of that three to five winners.
A lot of people are going to apply and they’re going to get to know your brand like do this Facebook ad. Because before this facebook ad began these people didn’t even know who you were, to begin with. So with a free shoot possibly coming their way they want to apply, they’ll get to know you they’ll see your work.
Can We Earn Immediately
Now immediately you won’t be earning any money from that but when you do those engagement shoots and when you share those photos online through Instagram through Facebook. We even have a strategy that you can use Instagram stories to advertise your services once you get that going a lot of people will start hiring you because you are still putting out good work and you are attracting way more people than you have before. Another thing that you could do is get involved with your community with your new skills or your current skills whatever it is.
For myself, with the black lives matter protest going around the bay area I’ve been video recording and doing a lot of like social media work .for a couple of movements here in you know the community that We live in and it’s been kind of a surprising thing that how well like my videos are getting out like it’s getting spread across the nation.
You’re genuinely wanting to help your community because nobody wants some scummy capitalistic fool trying to get involved only to get a dollar.
UPDATE YOUR PORTFOLIO
And of course, the one that we dread a lot. Update your portfolio update your website we know it’s like a very tedious, very like uh busy work kind of thing but do it. We know a lot of us like neglect that kind of thing because we don’t know if anybody’s gonna look at it or ever or maybe you are very good at it. But for myself when we updated my wedding portfolio my wedding website.
We didn’t know that it was that trash until we updated, luckily for me I’m part of a Facebook group full of other wedding photographers and two guys were willing to give me some really helpful critique on my website.
And they said like a lot of things are inconsistent, a lot of things need to be changed. some copyright needs to be changed and when we uh worked together and edited some photos re-edited a lot of photos. oh my gosh, the portfolio looks way better we have no idea what we was thinking before but it looks so much better now, and um when we got my new clients in we have like.
We think 13 weddings for 2021 now and we have three weddings for the rest of this year when they saw that website the newly revised website. We got a much better reaction to that compared to before. Not saying that the old reactions were bad but these are much better. So get to it get some dusting and cleaning on your portfolio.
FEW OTHER TIPS IN STARTING A CREATIVE BUSINESS
IDEATION PHASE
You need to have a clear idea of what you doing? ,To whom you are doing your business? And what type of services did you want to serve?
Try to analyze your customer and client by examining their need. Try to connect with them whenever needed. This will potentially increase your creative business strategy building strategy. Examining your client can be done from their social media .You will clearly get to know their types of interest subject which will eventually help in pushing your service. The ideation brings a lot of clarity and transparency in your creativity.
Research your competition
After the ideation phase try to research your competition from the other business. It can be figured out by following a Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats method. You have to research a lot about the other business present out there having the same niche of yours, who are in the market from a long time. Try to know their strength in which they are serving better than you, their weaknesses in which they are having a fallback, the opportunities present to come up your business, and the potential threats they might give you in the market.
You should get aware about all the relevant information about them. To do this try to search the hastags in the social media of their, try to get some help from google, try to research their products and services, try to know the skills they are acquiring, etc. This will probably help and get to know the other hidden traits in your business.
Meet with and accountant/lawyer to decide your business entity
Entity can be the services which you will going to offer to your city/country. Try to get a lawyer/accountant for your entity strategy. Every business needs a taxation tactic and strategy, so if you are really serious about your business then, try to hire anyone of them. They will also help you by sharing their ideas and thoughts which would impact in growing your business. Also, try to have a separate bank account for your business other than your personal one. This is because the money transactions, etc will not going to create a mess with your personal one. It will give you a smooth way to handle all the money related stuffs.
Define your marketing goals
You have to define your marketing goals specifically. You have to know what type of goods and services you want to sell, And what type of services does on needs from you. Starting a business requires investment first sometimes. So, get to know the financial stability for yourself if any off days goes in your business for your needs. Also, try to ask yourself how much you expect to earn monthly and how many clients do you need for your business handling. Realizing these few things will give clarity of strategical thinking power for your business. You can then, try the social media for growing your marketing goals for your business.
Start and email list ASAP
Try to make and send an email to customers weekly or monthly. Sending an email describing about the goodness of your product and services can create an impact upon the customers. They will get to know that you value them and it will create a strong bonding relationship between you two. Also, there is a high chance that they might share your products to their friends or relatives which would be helpful in boosting your business.
