Are you an artist, or other creative who wants to turn your talents into a business? This is often challenging, since many creative entrepreneurs produce marketable work, but lack the business skills they need to run a profitable full-time business.
If you are motivated, however, you can learn these skills and become successful.
Here are some basic steps to getting a product line of your work ready for the marketplace: 1.
Start with a plan.
Your business plan should be "big picture," with your goals on a timeline, but also include quarterly goals which you intend to meet.
Work backwards from your goal to what you can do today.
This will help you to get started, especially if that's one of your stumbling blocks.
2.
Study the market.
Come to an understanding of trends, and what is selling in the marketplace you wish to enter.
Do lots of research - check out Pantone or The Color Institute to determine the most popular colors this year.
Look at websites and catalogs of companies who sell merchandise which would compliment your work.
And most importantly, know your audience.
Who are you selling to? Get very clear on the answer.
This will help you determine price points, style and other factors in your portfolio, as well as a marketing strategy.
3.
Have a professional line ready to go.
Make sure you have a substantial, cohesive body of work.
Your portfolio should be in a recognizable "signature style", and work well together as a collection.
4.
Develop a Unique Selling Proposition (USP).
This statement describes your business and why it is totally unique.
What do you have to offer that is different, superior, or fits the needs of your customers? Stand out from the crowd.
5.
Create a strategy for selling your work.
This could be retail - at fairs, through your own website (or through Etsy or other online shops), at home parties, etc.
Perhaps you want sell wholesale to store buyers and other retailers.
If you have done your research, you will know the trends and your line will work with other lines they are carrying.
Your strategies for wholesale may be attending trade shows, using sales reps, direct mailings of catalogs, and through your website.
There are many other ways to make an income from your work, including art licensing, commissions and public art projects.
6.
Branding.
Your company should have a consistent look and message, which is known as "branding".
Design of your website, business card, sales materials and even your display should use the same elements, colors, and logos.
The more professionally you present yourself, the more seriously you will be taken.
7.
Marketing.
There are a million ways to market your line, from advertising to direct mail, press releases, social networking like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, and many other methods.
Your audience needs to see your company name several times to take notice and remember you.
Pursuing an aggressive and persistent marketing strategy will get your name and products in front of potential customers, and help grow your sales and your base.
8.
Referrals and Testimonials.
The most powerful forms of growing your business depend on the relationships you have built with your existing customers.
Word of mouth referrals and testimonials from satisfied customers will help grow your business faster than any other method of marketing.
It's important to offer value to your customer base which is greater than they expected.
Stay in touch with them through online venues, email newsletters, blogging, mail and in person.
Ask for referrals and testimonials - many people are happy to give them.