Connecting With Your Creativity: 6 Essential Steps for Launching a Small Creative Business
Starting a creative, small business can be both exciting and daunting. You have a passion for your craft and a desire to share it with the world, but it can be overwhelming to know where do you start. Let's cover 6 essential Steps for launching and growing a successful creative, small business!
Photo: Lonesome Pictomania
Step 1:
Identify Your Niche
Your niche is your secret sauce, your super power, what makes you YOU! It's incredibly important to know why you stand out. So before you launch your creative business, take a moment to understand what sets your business apart from others. Do you have any unique skills or products you offer? What made you want to create something for the world to have? What was missing before? Understanding your niche is essential to creating a brand that stands out and through powerful messaging it is how you will attract and connect with loyal customers.
Step 2:
Develop Strong Branding
Your brand is more than just a logo or color scheme. It’s the way you communicate with customers, the values you uphold, and the experience you provide. Take time to develop a cohesive brand that resonates with your target audience. When you think of your niche, customers, values, and experience---what words, colors, shapes, and emotions add up to expressing and connecting those things. Try creating a brainstorm web of your main values and break them down into those various elements. Once you do that, you now have a place to start as you create a branded voice, presence, experience, and look. The more cohesive your branding is, the stronger your messaging is and that will help your work resonate on a deep and emotional level with your customers.
Step 3:
Build a Strong Online Presence
In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is essential to reaching customers and growing your business. This means creating a professional website, optimizing your social media profiles, and using online tools to reach new audiences. This is a daunting task, but ultimately necessary for any entrepreneur. Building an online platform is the most financially accessible way to reach massive amounts of people as a small business owner. Pick one or two social media platforms to focus on and a simple website platform such as Wix, Squarespace, or even Etsy, and create a business email so customers have a place to connect with you!
Step 4:
Focus on Customer Service
Your customers are the lifeline of your business. It is incredibly important for you to make sure you’re providing exceptional customer service, from responding to inquiries promptly to addressing any concerns or issues that arise. As a new business owner, you're learning and mishaps will happen. Be communicative, gracious, and proactive! Your community will continue to support you if you are supporting them in return and don't forget to ask your customers to reviews and help spread the word about your business. Word-of-mouth support is by far the most impactful way to grow your new business!
Step 5:
Connect and Collaborate
Building relationships with other businesses and individuals in your industry can open up new opportunities and help you grow your business. Authentic connection and collaboration with others is one of the greatest investments of your time. Attend networking events, collaborate with other creatives, actively support each other on social media, and build partnerships that support your brand. The more you put yourself out there, the more available opportunities will become for you. Be your biggest cheerleader and talk about what you're doing with everyone. People will be excited for you and want to help you out!
Step 6:
Stay organized and focused
Running a small business requires wearing many, many hats. Stay organized and focused by setting goals, tracking progress, and prioritizing your time effectively. The more you and create automated systems in your daily practice the easier your workflow and creative flow will be. Burnout in a major issue when it comes to being a creative entrepreneur. Implement discipline, boundaries, routines, and rituals. And don't forget to schedule self-care. You are the heart of your business and if you aren't taking care of yourself, you won't be able to show up 100% for your business.
Starting a creative, small business is rewarding and fulfilling experience. It takes an incredible person to invest their energy, time, creativity, and money into themselves for a more meaningful existence. Be proud of yourself for starting and know that these tips are here to help you on your journey to building a successful brand.