It can be an exhilarating experience launching your own brand within the creative industry, and creative individuals who want to carve out their own careers dream of starting and running their own businesses.
However, starting a new business with the idea of being creative―can sometimes be daunting, especially if you don't have experience or knowledge about the essentials needed to start a creative business.
So, if you're planning to start a creative business of your own and want to know about those essentials, I have you covered.
So, let's dive in.
Motivation
When it comes to creating your own successful business, motivation and commitment are essential. You need to ask yourself: Do you have enough motivation for it? Are you fully committed to spending your time and effort?
Suppose the answer is yes, then yeah! You've already accomplished one of the most challenging aspects of this process. Businesses can often fail because people lack the commitment and struggle to apply the amount of time and energy that is needed.
So, if you are considering starting your creative business solely based on someone saying you are creative and you should start that business―think twice.
Your creativity is obviously a very important part, but you shouldn't go into your business journey thinking that is all you need. A lot of work is involved in starting a new business, and it can be difficult for you to manage, and you might be tempted to give up.
But, if you have strong self-motivation, if you're highly driven, or have a supportive team with you, you'll be able to go a long way with your business.
Brand Name
Secondly, you need to have a unique brand name.
Choose a brand name that matches your vision, mission or your chosen niche. This will make it easier for people to find out more about your business online.
In the early stages of your creative business, a great brand name can determine how people view you.
It is also vital to ensure that your brand name has the correct domain; you can do this by using Google Domains and searching to see what is available to buy and trying to get a match. Also, make your social media accounts with your brand name (don't forget those keywords).
Other tips are doing a trademark search and even saying the name out loud to make sure it sounds right. Of course, don't forget the benefit of brainstorming sessions with focus groups made up of people with experience in business or even marketing and let's not forget your ideal clients! It will also be an opportunity to gain diverse perspectives on naming.
Knowledge about the Market and your Competition
As I have said previously, it can get hard when you're starting out. But, having some market knowledge will help you and be more productive for you instead of blindly launching something without understanding your audience or what they want from your products or services. So research and holding surveys, quizzes or focus groups can help you gain that understanding. Also, a healthy amount of competition exists in the creative sector. Therefore, you should carefully study the market and even your competitors before starting your creative business. Is the industry saturated with similar businesses? How can you make your business unique? What is your USP? You could also review the way other companies operate in your industry and, learn from them, take note of what makes the most successful creative businesses different from the rest. Remember, it is perfectly fine to adopt good practices from others that have worked, but the key to ensuring sustainability, though, is to be innovative. Try to offer something different from what others are doing. Taking this approach will give you an edge over your competitors.
The benefits of researching your competitors are twofold:
It will enable you to identify ways to surpass your competitors' services.
You will be able to learn from their successes and mistakes.
Official Website
Having an official website when starting your own creative business can be extremely useful, and having this in place will serve your business's needs in two ways:
First, it serves as your online point of contact for clients. Customers will contact you via your website to inquire about your services and to place orders.
Furthermore, your website will serve as an online portfolio of all your work. That is a great platform to showcase your best work and, most important, clients, as it will help you build your reputation. You will be able to demonstrate your skills clearly to potential customers in this way.
Your business needs a well-designed website, so take some time to create one.
Marketing
You've decided you have the passion and motivation.
You have done your research and chosen your brand name.
You have researched your competitors and gained some inspiration.
You have created a website or outsourced the designing of your website
So, all you need to do now is spread the word and attract some of those customers. How? Marketing is an essential part of promoting any creative business in 2022. Make your brand visible to the right people at the right time in the right places to increase your chances of converting those viewers/followers into customers (and maximize your marketing budget).
The correct marketing that is thoughtful and personalized will not only generate new customers but will also build a relationship with them, increasing your chances of conversions and continuing to retain them. You can employ a few strategies to advertise, develop brand awareness, and retain customers long-term. As I mentioned earlier, make sure you have social media accounts set up for your business—this is where most people will find out about you and interact with you! Make sure you are active, interesting, and engaging so people keep coming back for more!
As well as Social Media, you can publish Blogs and Articles on your website, guest blogs on other people's websites, and have a strong email marketing strategy.
Help from the Right Professionals
If you want to start and grow your creative business, it will be all-consuming, but you don't have to do everything all by yourself. At some point, you may need a helping hand.
You could get help in the form of a business coach, mentor, membership, accountability buddy, or network group or for a more hands-on experience, why not try a Virtual Assistant?
Having a virtual assistant like Erin, aka Bizzybee, can give you someone to brainstorm ideas, delegate some tasks, hold you accountable, and support you along your journey.
BizzyBee is for you ― for the creatives!
Get in touch with me, and discover what I can do for your brand.