Getting Noticed: A Brief Guide For Creatives

ARTICLE WRITTEN AND CONTRIBUTED BY: MEGAN COOPER

Whether you’re a fashion designer, artist, or craftsperson, you doubtless want to share your creations, make a name for yourself, and be successful. That’s easier said than done, though: As you may have already experienced, the market is saturated and the competition stiff.
That doesn’t mean you can’t pull it off – far from it. With some practical planning and actions, you can get noticed and, if not get rich, then at least make a decent living off of your passion.

Here, World Fashion Media News offers some advice on how you can get discovered and make money via a creative endeavor:
Make it a business as opposed to a hobby
The best way to monetize a creative pursuit is to get practical and make it a business. When you treat your art or craft as a business, you put yourself in a value-exchange mindset – you see yourself as trading a product or service in return for money. Your work becomes an investment – you learn to value it and not give it away for free (many creatives make this mistake, as Business Insider can confirm). Also, you know you need to actively “sell” your creations to make money – you don’t expect them to walk off the shelves.
Create a business plan
A business plan is a document that outlines your business, including market conditions, your monetization strategy, and sources of funding. It takes a while to create, but it’s worth it. It will help you focus on the nitty-gritty of making money. For the best results, include details on your business – how you’re planning to sell your services, your business structure, your funding, and financial projections – in your business plan.
Entrepreneur offers good guidelines on making one.
Find your ideal audience and cater to them
Your “ideal” audience is people who are most interested in your creations and willing to pay for them. Success is almost assured if you can find them, engage with them, and then fulfil their needs. You may be tempted to do things your own way but you’ll make the most money if you listen to your audience and give them what they want instead. Don’t worry – you’ll have more artistic freedom once you’re established.
Pick up marketing skills and tricks
Today’s audience is bombarded with options. Targeted marketing initiatives allow you to hook them and stay in touch with them, long-term. For instance, you can send personalized emails or newsletters featuring your creations directly to your followers’ inboxes. It’s personal without being invasive. Having an eye-catching banner to accompany your marketing material (on email, social media like Facebook, YouTube, or otherwise) will help you to stand out. Find a banner template that fits your brand, using a banner maker tool, and then personalize it by adding text, color, font, animation, and videos.
Network
Networking offers powerful benefits. It helps you find customers and clients. You can meet fellow artists and find mentors to support you on your journey. You can network online and offline through groups, creative events, festivals, classes, or by arranging a meet-up yourself. If you’ve lost touch with old friends, acquaintances, or classmates who you think can help you to get your business off the ground, you can use a search engine to look people up online in minutes. For instance, you can type in names, graduation dates, schools, and areas to receive a list of results.
Have a website and social media presence
Having a website helps in multiple ways. It makes you seem professional and credible. People can research you quickly, see what you’re about, take a look at your creations, and quickly contact you if they like what they see. Social media allows you to interact with your followers and get your creations in front of many eyes. YouTube videos are a powerful way to get your work in front of many people.
Conclusion
Unless you’re extremely lucky, you won’t go viral overnight and make a boatload of money. But if you make it a long-term commitment and put in the time and effort, you can expect to, eventually, succeed in setting up a steady income stream and become a successful business owner. At the very least, you’ll be able to finance your lifestyle and feel fulfilled.
Image via Unsplash