Content is the name of the game. We have to develop content for social media platforms, newsletters, press and sometimes it can be overwhelming. If you’ve ever felt like what else can I say to my audience, here are 5 ideas of content you can share:
Share your business story – Tell your audience how you got started and share your why. You can even break up the content and share snippets of it from time to time.
Share your inspiration – Share the things that have inspired your creations. Inspiration can come from our loved ones, art, encounters, etc. . Be sure to tell the story of why / how you were inspired.
Share video content – Get creative with video content and share multiple aspects of your business including your processes, successes, and struggles. It’s all a part of the journey and believe it or not, your audience wants to know more of your story.
Share your Maker Tools – As a maker, you have a huge advantage over those who don’t create their own products. You have the privilege of sharing multiple facets of your products. Why not share the tools that help you create your beautiful products. Share your first encounter with a specific tool or the history of the tool. Put a little thought into it and see how many ways you can share your tools.
Share Details about You – I know…most times we’d rather just put our products out there and stay behind the scenes; however, sharing some interesting or little known facts about yourself helps your customers to connect with you. The more they connect, the more they trust your brand.
What are some top content you share with your customers?
Boundaries, Boundaries, Boundaries. The lack of them could cause a lot of inner anger. The presence of them will likely help you stay sane and a lot more content.
Here are 4 ways you can establish in your handmade business:
Determine start and end times for your tasks – Figure out how much time you can allot to your task and set a timer. Do your best to work with minimal distractions and when the timer is up, move on to other things. This will help ensure that you are not sucked into the time stealing vacuum, which leads to us not having time for other important things.
Take a break or vacation. You deserve it. – Sometimes you may need a break from social media, from work, from making and you have to give yourself permission to take that break. It’s okay; everything will be there when you come back.
Ask for Help – Too many times, we try to be super human and do everything by ourselves. Asking for help doesn’t mean that you are not strong or capable. It just means that you recognize your limits and that you will not exhaust yourself. Asking for help or sometimes hiring help will allow you pour time into other things that you value.
Say No- Saying no will help to ensure that you do not overextend yourself. One question to ask yourself as you determine if you should say yes: Will saying yes prevent me from focusing on something that’s more important? If the answer is yes, then you should say no. You may feel guilty at first, but eventually, you will be much happier because you will spend your time doing the things that matter to you.
What other boundaries have you set that help you succeed?
Your vision is the direction you wish to steer your business. Unlike mission which focuses on the current state of your business, vision is future oriented and is centered on where your business is heading.
Where will your business be in 6 months? 1 year? 18 months? If you have a clear vision, you can thoughtfully answer these questions. While COVID-19 has taught us that no one knows tomorrow, makers with a clear vision plan can easily navigate challenges as unforeseen difficulties arise.
Here are three ways you can remain focused on the vision of your brand.Write your vision.
1. It’s hard to remain centered on your vision when you can’t even articulate where you are headed. It’s very tempting to say you know it and carry it around in your head. However that is not the most effective way to hold fast to a vision. In educational circles, it is said “If you don’t write it down, it never happened.” So take a minute and write out your vision statement.
2. Set your vision GPS for the next calendar year. Carve out time to write out a one year vision plan for your brand. Don’t hold back here. If you could truly build the brand you have deep in your heart, what would it look like? Once you map out this plan, consider how you will arrive. What steps will you take next week? Next month? Next three months? Next six months to get there? While you may have to adjust your steps at the three or even six month mark, remain steadfast in pursuit of your one year vision.
3. Anchor your vision. This means tie your vision statement to something greater than you. There will be days where you want to walk away from your vision or even your business. During times like these you have to remember your why and re-focus on where you are heading. For me, I have a memory verse that reminds me that I am not in this alone and where I fail, God won’t fail me. For others, it may be a favorite slogan, saying or even a vision board that inspires you. Take the time to root your vision in something solid and tangible.
How to Shut Down Your Inner Critic by Ciatta-Mae Stubblefield
“No one likes any of this stuff. You shouldn’t try to make anything new” a voice hissed as I packed up the last of my merchandise at the market. As I tugged my suitcase out the door of the event hall, her voice would not relent. “You wasted your time making all of this and no one bought much of it. I mean, look at all these leftovers. You’re not a real maker”. Ok. I had had enough. I spun around to face this nasty person but I found myself standing alone in the parking lot.
Sometimes we speak to ourselves in a way that if we heard one
person speak to another person that way, we would give side eyes all day. So
why do we allow such cutting, toxic and negative words to be spoken over
ourselves? Sometimes such negative self-talk is an indicator of how we truly
see ourselves or how we feel deep down inside. We take such care to craft
beautiful hand made designs, let’s take care to speak beautiful words over
ourselves.
As makers here are three things we can do to walk away from
negative self-talk and kick our inner critic to the curb:
Avoid absolute words such as never because it only sets you up for failure. You have the power to create your best life. You are not defined by absolute words like “never” and “always”.
Focus on the positive. Take a minute and write down things that are going great when you feel the critic in your arise. Focus on the good instead of centering on the bad.
Turn it around by speaking life over yourself – Try saying, “I didn’t sell very many goods today but I will sell more goods at my next market” or “The sale of lack of sale of my goods are not a measure of my talent.”
“Learn the unforced rhythms of grace” (Taken from Matthew 11:28-30 Message)
Covid-19 has taught me the power of establishing new rhythms. Before Covid-19, my life was busy, hectic and frantic – and that was just the way it was. Covid-19 has been an inconvenience, full of uncertainty and has made life in a digital space a reality I wasn’t quite prepared for. But more than anything else, it exposed how crazy my life has been and how I had accepted that pace of life as my truth. So now I’m redefining the rhythm of my life.
As a wife, mom and believer, I’m setting new priorities. As a maker, I’m setting new habits. Specifically, I’m making just for the purpose of making – not just to sell but for the joy of creating something beautiful. Covid-19 is teaching me the beauty of making just for the sake of making, the joy of slowing my life down and the power of establishing new rhythms.
By: Ciatta-Mae Stubblefield
Keep Going
No matter what plans you may have made for your business or personal life, it can only be controlled internally. What happens in your external surroundings , where you do business and live, you cannot always control. Despite the abrupt interruption of our business as usual, I am optimistic that when this is all over, we will continue to thrive in our creative businesses as entrepreneurs.
One of my takeaways from this experience as an entrepreneur is to think positively on how I can incorporate what I have learned into my business goals moving forward. Quarantine/COVID-19 has thought me that uncertainty is real, and it has different levels. I am very thankful for the assurance that I have to keep me going, despite the uncertainties.
by Mina Mantor
Don’t be Afraid to Shift
I love a good schedule and plan and without it, I get easily stressed out . I’ve been accused of trying to over plan my vacation activities (lol). Let’s just say my planner is a staple in my day to day operation. COVID 19 taught me that having a plan is awesome, but that even within that, I should not be afraid to pivot or shift as needed. In order to make it through a series of new occurrences, all happening so quickly, everyone had to learn how to adapt and or shift or get left behind. Individuals, schools, businesses, churches, government all had to shift quickly or risk losing even more.
And maybe that is not so bad because in shifting, we grow and push ourselves. In shifting, we gain new perspective and learn new lessons. In shifting, we stretch beyond what we thought our limits were. So moving on, I will continue to have a plan, but I will also be flexible and allow shifts and pivots. Those can also get me to my destination.
How did you handle shifts in business / life? What are you taking with you going forward?
by Jandi H.
How COVID set off alarm bells for my handmade business
The business environment is constantly changing. Everything is fair game; the tastes/needs of customers, competitors, technology, your team, you name it. We always have the “luxury” of deciding when (and if) we’ll respond to those shifts.
COVID has reminded me how hard it is to change. The pandemic was a the-market-has-changed instance that was undeniable. It was not a gray decision but more like a red lipstick scrawl across the bathroom mirror screaming, “Homegirl, that old plan is not gonna cut it.” And if I’m honest, I resisted changing my product offering and marketing message in response to new situation COVID had created. I had fallen in love with my original plan of a travel-centric resort clothing collection and idea having to pivot frustrated and scared me.
Eventually I did shift and my sales skyrocketed. I realized that even when things get back to “normal”, I have to be more comfortable with recognizing shift moments and push through my discomfort to actually change. That choice can determine if I achieve my goals or even survive as a business. Are you comfortable with changing your plan based on what’s happening in the market? What are some things that make it hard to change? —
“When you know better, you do better. That said, it really is a shame to know better but don’t do better.”
― Germany Kent
We’ve all made some mistakes as because we are humans. The key though is to learn from our mistakes and chart a better path when we get the opportunity again.
Here are 3 common mistakes I’ve made as an entrepreneur:
1.Assuming that I had to fight for every customer’s business. I realized early on that not I would not be able to please everyone as a customer. Don’t get me wrong, I say go above and beyond for customers, but some customers will be unsatisfied regardless of if you go the extra mile or not. I learned that sometimes a sale may not be worth the peace of mind and mental drain. When we encounter those people, it is okay to preserve our peace and let them go.
2. Not investing in my business. I think when we start out, we want to save as much money as possible. But in order to grow, we may need to invest in a masterclass, new tools, or some other opportunities that may cost us. As long as we know that the investment will benefit our business, we should be open to sowing seeds into it.
3.Taking various aspects of business personal. When it comes to customers or to rejections, we tend to internalize and see it as a rejection of us as individuals. I’m learning to remind myself that while my work is an extension of my passion, and essentially a part of me, customers see a product. They typically make decisions about the product and not necessarily the person selling the products. A no is a no to my product because maybe it’s not exactly what they need at this time, its not what they choose to spend on at this time, or a variety of other reasons. My talents are still valid and worthy even if a customer chooses not to purchase from me.
