This is the part two of an article by artist and workshop leader Amelia Critchlow. You can read How to turn your creative skill into a business (part 1) here.
11. Be visible: once you are up and running you need to be visible: on the net, in magazines, via business cards, by adverts in local shops, libraries, centres, tell people. You won’t sell or get work if people don’t know you are there. So tell the world in whatever format you feel comfortable! Network like crazy on the net, leaving comments on other blogs, guest posting, doing give-aways and so on.
12. Once you have a web presence, get a business card printed up stating clearly what you do (or even what you intend to do!;), with an image that speaks volumes about the nature of your work and contact/web details on. Carry them with you at ALL TIMES ready to give out appropriately
13. Create a signature email so that all emails you send have a link straight back to your website or any url’s, and state what you do ie. jewellery designer, writer, tutor etc.
14. Have a single name that you use consistently for all web url’s so people get to know who you are and make the link. for example same name for; website, blog, twitter, facebook, linkedin etc
15. On any web spaces make it clear and easy to contact you ie. name and email address at the top/front (avoid making it hard for people work to find out how to contact you)
16. Ask! Ask for help, support, babysitting, write ups, ask questions, ask for freebies, for tips and strategie.
17. Swap skills: for example, if you need some-one to read over or edit the text you’ve written for your site (or you want them to write it in the first place) and you can’t afford to pay then swap skills. I do this frequently and people are normally flattered to be asked.
18. Talk: talk to everyone you meet about what you do. Be excited, say it confidently, often I find speaking positively and passionately about what you do leads to offers of work, commissions, workshops, sales, interest etc
19. Ideas-storm with yourself. Once you are up and running and out there or once you hit an obstacle, or maybe before you have even started, I find one of my best and most helpful techniques is to ‘ideas storm’ with my self. Sit quietly, get a note-book and write out the question you want an answer to – frame it as a ‘how’ question, rather than a ‘why’ question. Then quietly let ideas come, and however ludicrous they may seem jot them down. Or go to sleep with your trusty notebook nearby and when you wake up jot down any ideas fresh in your mind. I can honestly say that some of my best and most helpful ideas – that I have then implemented – came to me like this.
20. Last of all I would say just GO FOR IT! There is nothing more fulfilling than earning money from what you love, it gives working a whole new dimension and fulfils parts of you that money never can. I live by the motto that a winner never quits and a quitter never wins, but only you can define what your definition of winning or success is – often it’s not about the money, but being able to live each day fulfilled and content doing what we love .
Oh and by the way I am still learning too and am in the thick of it right now – I am continuously picking up tips and ideas and know I still have a way to go, but the main thing is I love what I am doing and it balances out the things I find tough at times.
You can find out more about Amelia here:
Her website: www.ameliacritchlow.co.uk
Her blog: 101 Bird Tales