The post Finding Clients as a Creative Professional: Strategies for Visual Artists, Performers, and More appeared first on Creative Edge Coaching.

In the ever-evolving landscape of social media, maintaining a meaningful connection with your followers is key to staying top-of-mind. A few years back, I shared insights on the importance of consistent communication and the value a Social Media Calendar brings to your creative journey. Today, I’m thrilled to reintroduce this concept with a fresh perspective and an exciting free offer.

Why a Social Media Calendar Matters

Post Content Regularly

Consistency is the secret sauce. Regular, consistent posts have been proven to result in four times more engagement. But this doesn’t have to be a daunting task. The Perennial Social Media Calendar for Creatives is designed to alleviate the burden of constant ideation, giving you a framework to follow.

Share More Content

Quality over quantity is the golden rule. Your audience craves authenticity and connection. While promotional posts have their place (around 20% of your content), the real magic happens when you pull back the curtain on your creative process. The Calendar prompts ensures you always have something relevant and interesting to share.

Build a Community

Social media thrives on the essence of community. Variety is the spice of life, and the Calendar ensures a diverse range of content. From quotes to questions tailor-made for creatives, this strategic approach fosters engagement and, more importantly, trust within your community.

Conclusion

After years of grappling with social media strategies, I knew there had to be an easier way. That’s why I poured months into creating the Perennial Social Media Calendar for Creatives. Specifically crafted to save you time and ensure relevance, this bundle is your ticket to daily posts that captivate your audience.

The Perennial Calendar is designed to offer quality content ideas year in and year out with content at your fingertips. You can download your FREE Perennial Social Media Calendar for Creatives here. Here’s to your continued success in the vibrant world of social media!

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Monica O’Brien is a professionally trained and accredited Coach and founder of Creative Edge Coaching www.creativeedgecoaching.com.au. She blogs on issues about creativity and small business development for conscious artists and business entrepreneurs. Book your free discovery call here.

Join CREATIVITY UNLEASHED! Facebook GROUP – the Official Facebook Community for Creatives.

If you are a creative person building your career or looking to grow your creative business, this group is for you! Our purpose is to support and celebrate creativity and the talented people who enrich our world with music, art, drama, poetry, words, shape, colour, beauty and innovation. Our goal is to connect with other like-minded creatives, ask questions, reflect, get unstuck, move through resistance and blocks, participate in group conversations, share our stories, learn, get support and feedback for our creative endeavours/career/business and tap into the wisdom of the group.

The post Mastering Social Media Engagement: A Timeless Approach with our Perennial Calendar appeared first on Creative Edge Coaching.

The Pull of Comparison and FOMO

Social media platforms are virtual showcases where everyone displays their curated best. It’s easy for creatives to fall into the comparison trap, constantly measuring their own work against the seemingly flawless creations of others. This relentless comparison can lead to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt, which are poison to creativity.

The fear of missing out (FOMO) is another potent force on social media. Scrolling through a feed filled with snapshots of friends’ successes, lavish vacations, or artistic accomplishments can make anyone feel left out or less accomplished. This FOMO can be particularly debilitating for creatives, as it erodes the confidence necessary for artistic expression.

The Need for Discernment

To safeguard your creativity in the age of social media, discernment is crucial. I have personally witnessed the impact that social media has on emerging artists, professional creatives and small business owners. It’s shocking to me that ‘some people’ fabricate posts to present the perfect life, the unbelievable offer or the ideal relationship.

There are aquaintances in my network who blatantly project financial success and I know they are unemployed and financially struggling. Others project the image that a certain method or practice will heal old memories or help transfrom limiting beliefs but they themselves are wracked with demons from the past or beliefs that hold them back. I have to be honest, it’s difficult not to judge their motives.

Here are some strategies you may wish to consider when using social media.

1. Mindful Consumption: Be aware of what you’re consuming on social media. Curate your feed to include accounts and content that inspire and uplift you rather than breed comparison. Unfollow or mute accounts that consistently trigger negative emotions.
2. Set Boundaries: Establish boundaries for your social media use. Allocate specific times during the day to check your accounts, and avoid mindless scrolling outside of those designated periods.
3. Limit FOMO Triggers: Recognise that people often share only the highlights of their lives. Understand that you’re not seeing the full picture, and there’s more to everyone’s story than what’s on social media.
4. Embrace Imperfection: Celebrate your own journey and creative process, including the ups and downs. Understand that growth and progress are often messy, and it’s okay to make mistakes.
5. Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself when you catch yourself falling into the comparison trap. Remind yourself that your creative journey is unique and valuable in its own right.

Staying Disciplined and Inspired

Discipline is the antidote to the distracting pull of social media. Here’s how you can stay focused on your creative endeavours:

1. Create a Schedule: Set specific times for creating and stick to them. Designate periods for brainstorming, sketching, writing, or whatever your creative pursuit may be.
2. Digital Detox: Periodically disconnect from social media entirely. A digital detox can help you regain perspective and renew your creative energy.
3. Engage with Communities: Join online communities or groups dedicated to your creative interests. These spaces can provide support, inspiration, and feedback without the negative aspects of mainstream social media. For example, you might like to join Creativity Unleashed!, our beautiful community of creatives.
4. Set Goals: Define clear creative goals and milestones. Having objectives in mind can keep you focused and less susceptible to distractions.

Social media can be both a blessing and a curse for creatives. While it offers unprecedented opportunities for exposure and connection, it can also undermine creativity through relentless comparison and FOMO. By practicing discernment, setting boundaries, and maintaining discipline, you can harness the benefits of social media while preserving your creative spirit. Remember, your journey is uniquely yours, and your creativity deserves to thrive on its own terms.

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Monica O’Brien is a professionally trained and accredited Coach and founder of Creative Edge Coaching www.creativeedgecoaching.com.au. She blogs on issues about creativity and small business development for conscious artists and business entrepreneurs. Book your free discovery call here.

Join CREATIVITY UNLEASHED! Facebook GROUP – the Official Facebook Community for Creatives.

If you are a creative person building your career or looking to grow your creative business, this group is for you! Our purpose is to support and celebrate creativity and the talented people who enrich our world with music, art, drama, poetry, words, shape, colour, beauty and innovation. Our goal is to connect with other like-minded creatives, ask questions, reflect, get unstuck, move through resistance and blocks, participate in group conversations, share our stories, learn, get support and feedback for our creative endeavours/career/business and tap into the wisdom of the group.

The post How Social Media Can Undermine Creativity and What to Do About It appeared first on Creative Edge Coaching.

Does this sound familiar to you?

Everything Else is More Important

Are you like many creatives where prioritizing YOUR creative work simply takes a back seat? Do you convince yourself that everything else is more important? 

Perhaps you find yourself hiding behind the ‘good friend’, ‘good partner’, ‘good mother’, ‘good husband’, ‘good girl’, ‘good boss’ or ‘good team player’ badge and convince yourself that others (for now) must take priority.

As well-intentioned as this is, you may fail to realize that this behaviour can eat away at your very core, negatively impacting your physical and mental health and overall wellbeing. 

People who are caught in this ‘system’ often experience feelings such as envy, resentment, frustration, low self-worth and anger.  

Free Up More Time?

Because you frame your situation as lacking time, you may think the answer lies in better time management. 

You may believe that managing your schedule will help you ‘free up time’ and then you will have time for your own creative work and play.

The problem is, this rarely works.

Time management is of course a good thing however, it is not the answer to the perennial problem of the inability to honour your personal hopes and desires, especially when it comes to feeling fulfilled and productive as a creative being.

What are the Underlying Reasons?

When the focus is on time management and the underlying reasons for procrastination and overwhelm are not addressed, constriction becomes the norm and stress and overwhelm are amplified.  

Creativity is not possible when creative energy is blocked.  

In my work as a coach with creatives, I have heard and seen the impact of failing to get to the root cause of the beliefs and structures that keep a person stuck.

Examples of Underlying Beliefs

Common examples of how these underlying beliefs that cause overwhelm and procrastination are indicated in the following scenarios: 

• An inability to say no and/or set robust personal boundaries

“If I make time to work on my business and someone asks for my help, I can’t say no because they might think I don’t care about them.”

“I find it hard to stand up for myself and to speak about what I need because it sounds selfish.”

• Under-responsible for Self and feeling responsible for the emotional wellbeing of others 

“I can’t take time out on a regular basis to work on developing my career, because members of my family depend on me to keep things in balance.”

“I can’t make decisions. I want someone to tell me what to do.”

• Caught in a cycle of self-judgment and guilt

“I need to get a ‘real’ job otherwise, people will think I’m just playing around and not pulling my weight.”

“I feel guilty spending ‘me time’, I should be doing something productive.”

• Messiah Complex

“If I focus on my stuff, who will keep the family on track?”

“I can’t ask for help. I’m a grown adult and I should have my act together.”

• Emotional Cripple

“I’m all over the place emotionally. I can’t focus. But that’s who I am.”

“I can’t tell my partner how I really feel because I always end up crying.”

There are many ways that unresourceful beliefs manifest. But one thing is for certain, being compliant, disregarding your inner calling, not honouring your deepest self, discounting your need to create or shutting the door on your creative dreams will not be solved by time management!

When you go deeper and tap into your creative unconscious, you will discover that these beliefs are running the show. They operate out of your consciousness, and yet, they are incredibly powerful.

Discovering Your Truth

Uncovering what is deeply meaningful to you, knowing your intrinsic self-worth, possessing emotional intelligence, and being spiritually awake takes dedication. Many of us need to return to the essence of who we are, to rediscover our truth and unlearn what we have been conditioned to believe about what is worthy or right.  

Society’s Answer

Society’s answer is to do more or to find a quick fix. But for the clients of mine who have made a choice to go deeper, they have freed themselves from the exhausting cycle of overwhelm. 

Now, they are able to focus, fuelled by their truth and not by beliefs that no longer serve them.

Through our work together using Generative Change processes, including Generative Trance they have created robust meaning for what they deeply desire, and they are enthusiastic about creating a life that aligns with their souls’ purpose. The overwhelm is gone and procrastination is no longer blocking them from taking action. 

Are You Ready?

If you’re ready to free yourself from overwhelm and your tendency to procrastinate by identifying and shifting the beliefs that hold you back please get in contact. We can discuss if we’d be a fit to work together in my three-month 1:1 coaching program or my group coaching program, Unleash Your Creative Genius. 

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Monica O’Brien is a professionally trained and accredited Coach and founder of Creative Edge Coaching www.creativeedgecoaching.com.au. She blogs on issues about creativity and small business development for conscious artists and business entrepreneurs. Book your free discovery call here.

Join CREATIVITY UNLEASHED! Facebook GROUP – the Official Facebook Community for Creatives.

If you are a creative person building your career or looking to grow your creative business, this group is for you! Our purpose is to support and celebrate creativity and the talented people who enrich our world with music, art, drama, poetry, words, shape, colour, beauty and innovation. Our goal is to connect with other like-minded creatives, ask questions, reflect, get unstuck, move through resistance and blocks, participate in group conversations, share our stories, learn, get support and feedback for our creative endeavours/career/business and tap into the wisdom of the group.

The post A New Twist on Procrastination appeared first on Creative Edge Coaching.

Yep, that’s right. And the opening paragraph read…

Message: Some newcomers in crypto-sphere in the last 2 years have made life-changing gains within a short period of time. And many are reporting this to be a “wife-changing experience

as well

Are you sick of your marriage and feel stuck?

I don’t know about you, but I could feel myself restricting and recoiling when I read those words. I could not believe that the writer would use marriage (a struggling one at that) as the hook to sell cryptocurrency. Seriously…

Traditional Marketing vs Conscious Marketing

Now I’m all for interesting ways to generate engagement in emails and posts, but I personally don’t believe in using things like someone’s struggling marriage (or the comments like, ‘are you sick of your marriage’) to raise awareness about a product or service that is in no way related.

We need to be sensitive when using humour and be genuine in what we say and do.

Traditional marketers will tell you that you need to do anything you can to grab attention. Then highlight the pain points and hammer them home to ‘close the sale’. Yuk!

What happened to simply and clearly outlining what you are offering and how a client or customer will benefit?

Conscious Marketing

I’ve been a long-time advocate of Conscious Marketing. Unlike traditional marketing, which focuses on the transaction, Conscious Marketing focuses on the transformation. Conscious Marketing aligns with my personal values because it is about building relationships and being authentic.

Whether you are a creative promoting and selling your talent-based services or products or an entrepreneur forging new frontiers, you don’t need to succumb to tacky marketing practices.

Invitation

What I’ve shared here is one tiny piece of what I help my clients understand and achieve in my 3-month 1:1 business coaching program. We work through your ideal client or audience, your offer, what uniquely identifies you from others in your field, and what conscious marketing tools and processes you need to implement to thrive in your professional career or business. If you need help, please send an email to set up an initial chat.

PS I can also help if you’re seeking a life-changing experience but I’m not your girl for a ‘wife-changing’ experience!

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Monica O’Brien is a professionally trained and accredited Coach and founder of Creative Edge Coaching www.creativeedgecoaching.com.au. She blogs on issues about creativity and small business development for conscious artists and business entrepreneurs. Book your free discovery call here.

Join CREATIVITY UNLEASHED! Facebook GROUP – the Official Facebook Community for Creatives.

If you are a creative person building your career or looking to grow your creative business, this group is for you! Our purpose is to support and celebrate creativity and the talented people who enrich our world with music, art, drama, poetry, words, shape, colour, beauty and innovation. Our goal is to connect with other like-minded creatives, ask questions, reflect, get unstuck, move through resistance and blocks, participate in group conversations, share our stories, learn, get support and feedback for our creative endeavours/career/business and tap into the wisdom of the group.

The post What is Conscious Marketing? appeared first on Creative Edge Coaching.

There are a number of important aspects to effective self-promotion, but two stand out as essential:

• Sharing your artistic story
• Building relationships with fans, followers, and the media.

Contrary to popular opinion, the humble artist biography is far from dead. In fact, it remains a fundamental tool that enables you to get noticed and convey your story as a creative.

The challenge is making your bio compelling and unforgettable. A well-written, polished bio can open doors for you in numerous ways – on your social media pages, in guest blogs/vlogs, podcasts, interviews, and when securing gigs, commissions, and other opportunities.

Your bio is a living document that can help you make invaluable connections.

Tips for Writing a Stand-Out Artist Bio in 2024:

1. Begin with an engaging, attention-grabbing opening statement. Keep it succinct.

2. Include a concise description of your creative medium and artistic style.

3. Provide relevant background, history, and key career highlights.

4. Mention any support personnel on your creative team, if applicable.

5. List prominent events, exhibitions, festivals where your work has been featured.

6. Share your awards, achievements, and other accolades.

7. Include a catalog or portfolio overview of your art, compositions, publications, etc.

8. Provide links to your website, social media channels, and other online presences.

9. Always mention your latest projects and upcoming work.

10. Don’t be afraid to showcase your personality and inject some personal anecdotes that give readers insight into who you are as an artist and individual.

If crafting a compelling bio isn’t your strong suit, consider using AI-powered writing assistants to help. Tools like GPT-3 can analyze your artistic style and portfolio to generate a first draft that captures your unique voice and highlights your strengths as an artist. Just be sure to review and personalise the AI-generated content to maintain authenticity. You can also hire a professional copywriter to polish the bio and ensure it effectively conveys your artistic story.

By following these tips, you can create a bio that helps you connect with fans, potential clients, and the media in a meaningful way.

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Monica O’Brien is a professionally trained and accredited Coach and founder of Creative Edge Coaching www.creativeedgecoaching.com.au. She blogs on issues about creativity and small business development for conscious artists and business entrepreneurs. Book your free discovery call here.

Join CREATIVITY UNLEASHED! Facebook GROUP – the Official Facebook Community for Creatives.

If you are a creative person building your career or looking to grow your creative business, this group is for you! Our purpose is to support and celebrate creativity and the talented people who enrich our world with music, art, drama, poetry, words, shape, colour, beauty and innovation. Our goal is to connect with other like-minded creatives, ask questions, reflect, get unstuck, move through resistance and blocks, participate in group conversations, share our stories, learn, get support and feedback for our creative endeavours/career/business and tap into the wisdom of the group.

The post What to Include in Your Artist Bio appeared first on Creative Edge Coaching.

Like any relationship, if we don’t stay in touch via social media on a regular basis it’s more difficult to maintain a meaningful connection.

Posting regularly does not need to be an arduous or overwhelming task. Using a Social Media Calendar is a great way to stimulate ideas and give you a framework to follow.

There are a number of calendars on the market or available online, however, they are general in nature and are not designed specifically for use by creatives. This is why I created a Social Media Calendar Bundle for Creatives.  

3 Key Points

There are 3 key principles that are good to consider while you build your relationships with followers. They are as follows: 

1. Post Content Regularly

There’s plenty of evidence to demonstrate that regular, consistent posts result in 4 times more engagement.

A Social Media Calendar takes the hard work out of trying to come up with ideas week in and week out.

2. Share More Content

The goal with content should be to provide something of interest and relevance to your audience.

You want your content to appeal to what your fans and followers care about.

It’s also important to remember that they are interested in YOU and your creative work – YOU are one of the things they care about!

This does not mean constantly posting promotions but rather, sharing insights into how you create, and pulling back the curtain on your daily routine. This gives fans and followers a glimpse into your work and life, and what inspires and motivates you.

It’s also essential that you promote your products and services, but try to keep these to around 20% of your posts.

If you have ever wondered if being active on social media to promote your art, business or career is worth the effort,  remember, it is about relationship building and keeping ‘you’ in front of your fans and prospects. 

3. Build a Community

Social media is social! Humans are wired to connect with each other. This is why Facebook Groups, Facebook Lives, IG Stories, Reels, TikTok,  are thriving. People love to communicate.

If you want to genuinely create loyal fans and followers I recommended you follow a social media strategy that offers content that your fans and followers will enjoy. Variety is key! 

When fans and followers get to know and like you, they build trust with you. It is much easier to market to people who are in your circle than to what marketers call ‘cold traffic’. 

This is where a Social Media Calendar can be really helpful.

After struggling for years, I decided I needed to find and easy solution to ensure I was posting content that was relevant to my audience, that didn’t take days or months to organise. This is why I dedicated months to creating my Social Media Calendar Bundle for Creatives. It is tailor-made for creatives and posting only takes 5-10 mins a day. It includes 365 days of content PLUS a designer has creates 52 Quotes for Creatives and 52 Questions that are relevant for fans and followers of creatives.  

The Bundle will help ensure you have a variety of content at your finger-tips you share with your members – variety is key to ensuring ongoing engagement.

Initially, you will need to be active in your group, by posting each day and responding to comments. Over time, and with your encouragement, group members will begin to contribute, and the continued success of the group won’t rely entirely on your input.

Good luck! Here’s to you building a strong and profitable tribe of fans and followers. If you’d like help with social media content, you can grab my FREE Social Media Calendar Bundle for Creatives. 

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Monica O’Brien is a professionally trained and accredited Coach and founder of Creative Edge Coaching www.creativeedgecoaching.com.au. She blogs on issues about creativity and small business development for conscious artists and business entrepreneurs. Book your free discovery call here.

Join CREATIVITY UNLEASHED! Facebook GROUP – the Official Facebook Community for Creatives.

If you are a creative person building your career or looking to grow your creative business, this group is for you! Our purpose is to support and celebrate creativity and the talented people who enrich our world with music, art, drama, poetry, words, shape, colour, beauty and innovation. Our goal is to connect with other like-minded creatives, ask questions, reflect, get unstuck, move through resistance and blocks, participate in group conversations, share our stories, learn, get support and feedback for our creative endeavours/career/business and tap into the wisdom of the group.

The post How a Social Media Calendar Can Help You Engage with Fans 24/7 appeared first on Creative Edge Coaching.

This is good news for anyone who wants to extend their network and assert their expertise. There are literally hundreds of thousands of podcasts covering as many topics and themes. It’s no wonder people love to use this medium to get their message to a wider market.

I’ve had the honour of being a guest on three podcasts this year with the most recent being ‘Let’s Get Visible’, a podcast for small business owners, hosted by Doreen Brown. 

Initially, I wasn’t sure what to expect but in all three cases, the host provided a framework for our interview. 

It’s a good idea to prepare in advance of the podcast recording. 

Here are some tips to help you prepare

1. Become familiar with the podcast host

It’s a good idea to listen to a few of the host’s podcast shows so you can get a good feel for the style and the audience. Check out his or her social channels and their website.

2. Take a note of any particular segments or formats within the podcast

Some podcast hosts simply ‘wing it’ and others follow a structure and include particular segments in their show. It’s helpful to know what to expect and to prepare for it.

3. Read reviews

Reviews of the podcast will give you an insight into what the listeners enjoy and topics and themes that result in maximum engagement.

4. Get to know the podcast audience

Ask your host and read descriptions of the podcast to gain insight on who is the target audience. This helps you relate to their needs and interests which results in you being an interesting guest.

5. Call to action

It’s not uncommon for your host to offer you the opportunity for his or her listeners to connect or interact with you after the show. Be prepared to tell people how they can get in contact with you and if asked, what specific services you offer including your coming events, performances and publications.

6. Relax and be yourself

Don’t get caught up in being perfect or saying the ‘right’ thing. Let your personality shine. Imagine you are having a chat with a close friend. This is what makes any podcast compelling and relatable. 

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Monica O’Brien is a professionally trained and accredited Coach and founder of Creative Edge Coaching www.creativeedgecoaching.com.au. She blogs on issues about creativity and small business development for conscious artists and business entrepreneurs. Book your free discovery call here.

Join CREATIVITY UNLEASHED! Facebook GROUP – the Official Facebook Community for Creatives.

If you are a creative person building your career or looking to grow your creative business, this group is for you! Our purpose is to support and celebrate creativity and the talented people who enrich our world with music, art, drama, poetry, words, shape, colour, beauty and innovation. Our goal is to connect with other like-minded creatives, ask questions, reflect, get unstuck, move through resistance and blocks, participate in group conversations, share our stories, learn, get support and feedback for our creative endeavours/career/business and tap into the wisdom of the group.

The post Being a Guest on a Podcast appeared first on Creative Edge Coaching.

Every creative person knows the feeling of being ‘in the zone’ or in flow when they are doing what they love. But how does ‘doing what you love’ translate into making a healthy income? 

Whether you are a performing or visual artist, author or dancer, poet or songwriter, in order to live an abundant creative life, free of money worries, you need to know the 6 key concepts successful creatives employ to generate a consistent and reliable income stream.

As a coach with over 2 decades of working with creative artists, I have observed that creatives who are successful at making a living from their creative projects, performances and services adopt a professional business mindset, and they approach their art differently to other creatives.

Creative success lies in developing a variety of channels by which you can earn your income.

1. Set your ‘professional’ mindset

For a vast majority of creative people, the thought of making money is a burden. It is often associated with getting a part-time job to supplement their creative work.

Marketing is not their ‘thing’ and in fact, many have an allergy to marketing. They have a resistance to promotions and they are repelled by the thought of ‘selling’ themselves. Some also believe that when art is mixed with money creative integrity is compromised.

It’s true, there are plenty of stories that reinforce this position, especially by people who are stuck in an old paradigm. In the past, it was common practice for a manager, producer, record label or booking agent to manipulate the artist to conform, where the creative person felt pressured to sacrifice their artistic freedom if they were ever to make any decent money.

For sure, there are still some individuals and companies that operate in this manner, but we now live in the ‘indie age’ where creative freelances can be the conductors of their own creative lives.

To be successful, we must move from an amateur mindset to a professional, ‘business’ mindset. 

2. Develop multiple sources of income

Successful creatives know what to charge for their gigs and services and they build multiple income streams.

For example, most musicians play music in the evenings and on weekends and supplement their income by selling merchandise, teaching music, offering online courses in a related field such as music production.

Diversity is key. Adding a podcast, online courses, teaching or mentoring services can boost your income for minimal expenditure and overhead.

Additional products and services elevate your profile in the marketplace.

3. Think ‘outside the box’

Creatives can leverage income-generating opportunities in a variety of ways by thinking ‘outside the box’.

For example, in addition to selling an original product such as artworks, music or a book, you could increase sales in the following ways:

• Sell tickets to exhibition, concert or launch (Partner with a charity for a percentage to go to them.)
• Sell ‘gift cards’ during the event and via your website and social channels
• Ask for a gold coin donation for an official program or magazine
• Sell ‘artistic’ merchandise featuring your logo, lyrics, artworks or words
• Conduct a ‘silent action’ for products or future events
• Sell ‘Dinner with the Artist’
• Offer products at multiple price-points
• Sell advertising at the event or in the program or magazine

4. Repurpose content & retarget your audience

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time you wish to offer a new product or service. Take inventory of what already exists and consider different ways to re-purpose the content.

Here are some examples of repurposing content:

• A singer/songwriter may release an album of recorded songs and re-purpose lyrics in the form of a slide presentation that focusses on a particular theme such as love, compassion, caring for the earth or dealing with grief. These slides could be used as lead magnets or sold as a pack for use by schools, coaches or personal development facilitators.
• A visual artist may hold an exhibition and re-purpose images of the artworks or photographs as note cards or screen savers, which could be sold for an affordable fee.
• A video presentation could be visually interpreted to form an eBook or a series of inspirational infographics.
• A podcast series could be repurposed as an eBook, a cartoon, a magazine/newsletter, or a slide presentation.

Low-end sales may not significantly increase your bottom line however, these buyers are now customers with whom you can directly market other products and services.

In addition to repurposing content, we can become fixed on a particular audience or demographic. This can limit the potential for increased sales.

Here are some examples of audience re-targeting:

• Tweak a product by changing the branding or message so it appeals to a wider or specific audience to give a product a second life.
• Performing and visual artists may have products or services that appeal to schools, sporting or religious organisations or a younger or older demographic than originally intended.

When you consider a new product, it is helpful to explore ways that you could repurpose the content to create an additional product or additional markets that could be targeted.

5. Collaborate

Today is it relatively easy to partner with other creatives in a mutually supportive ‘commission’ style arrangement on sales. Sometimes it’s simply a matter of placing an ‘expression of interest’ or an ‘invitation to partner’ on your favourite Social Media platforms.

Some examples of lucrative collaborations are:

• Be an agent to help sell the work of other creatives for a commission on sales
• Collaborate with other creatives to host and organise creative events like concerts, exhibitions, art shows, performances, talks and conferences, and charge for tickets
• Do joint ventures with other creatives who can bring their audience to an online or live event
• Co-author a book with an illustrator, poet or visual artist and sell online and in person

6. Get help

Successful creatives seek help. They know that it is unrealistic to think they need to ‘know it all’ when it comes to marketing and making money. They understand what it takes to be successful and they know they don’t need to be the person who ‘does it all’.

If you are a creative who wants to take your creativity to the world without the ongoing burden of not knowing how you will make ends meet, please reach out today. Don’t let fear or your lack of knowledge hold you back.

Book a free 30 minute ‘Creative Artist Career Check-Up’ call with me today. I’ll help you get clear on how you can increase your income doing what you love. 

The post How to Make More Money, Doing What You Love appeared first on Creative Edge Coaching.

If I had a dollar for every time I heard a creative person speak negatively about business, especially sales and marketing, I would be a wealthy woman!

I get it… creative people generally don’t relate to the business world, finding it brash, ruthless, insensitive and significantly scary!

Business Jargon

Business jargon and terms such as sales targets, networking, metrics, marketing plans, business goals, strategy and frameworks cause many creative people to break out in a rash, freak out or close down whenever they are confronted with the idea of needing to market themselves.

Some creatives are quite repulsed by what they perceive marketing to be about, and try to avoid it like the plague. They often associate the business world with coercion, sneaky sales tricks and dishonesty. And you know what? In some cases they are right.

But here lies the tension.

Many creatives hold the belief that if they participate in marketing they will be compromising their creative integrity.

Most creative people desperately want to share their creative gifts and talents with the world and make a decent living in the process. Unfortunately, there is no avoiding the fact that this requires them to engage in marketing and making sales. But how can they do that without establishing a business? Well… they can’t.

‘Doing’ Business

If you want to move from being an amateur to a professional (in other words, earning a living from your creative gifts and talents), then you will need to find a way to ‘do’ business without feeling that you are compromising your creative integrity, and without having to twist and turn yourself into a style of business that does not resonate with your creative spirit, your skill set, or your interests and energy.

I’ve got some good news.

There is a new wave emerging in the business community that delivers the necessary outcomes (such as branding, marketing and sales), while simultaneously being grounded in building relationships and providing value, rather than being strictly focused on cold, impersonal sales tactics.

Conscious Business

This new way is known as ‘conscious business’. It is a non-traditional business framework that comes from an authentic place, a heart-centered place, a place of integrity and authenticity.

Conscious business is built upon establishing and maintaining genuine relationships with clients, customers and fans.

Conscious business, and associated terms such as ‘conscious marketing’ and ‘conscious capitalism’ offer creatives a refreshing basis for ‘being in business’ without the need to compromise by adopting those more traditional business practices that simply do not resonate with sensitive, purpose-driven creatives, nor the people creatives want to reach and serve.

5 Key Principles of Conscious Marketing

I think we all agree, in order to bring your talents to the world, you need to engage in marketing so potential customers can get to know you and trust you. Selling then becomes a natural progression. 

I have listed 5 key principles of conscious marketing for your consideration. Hopefully, you can begin to incorporate some or all of these into your own conscious marketing process.

1. Build and Nurture Relationships

• Recognise that all marketing is about cultivating relationships.
• Understand your ‘ideal’ customer, client or fan by exploring their needs, struggles, characteristics, and hopes. (Knowing this also informs your creative endeavours.)
• Realise that conscious consumers are more likely to buy if they feel connected and they trust the provider.

2. Be Authentic

• People connect with people.
• Showing up authentically will mean the right people will be attracted to you and your product or service.
• Authenticity and transparency are key to transcending the sleazy, manipulative sales and marketing tactics we want to leave behind!  

3. Emphasize the Transformation

• Highlight transformation to your client, customers or fans.

Examples:

i.) The original pieces in my new art exhibition are all created from sustainable materials and I offer suggestions throughout the installation on how individuals can recycle everyday items.

ii.) If you love peace and quiet, I think you will love my latest recording, in which I have incorporated Indigenous instruments throughout to create a listening experience that is aimed at transporting the listener to a deep meditative state.

iii.) My drama class is like no other. Yes, you will leave with increased acting skills, but you will also grow in confidence exponentially!

• Speak to an experience they can resonate with on a feeling/personal level.

• Explain specifically what they are likely to experience when working with you or when they are accessing your creativity.

4. Be Generous, Surprise Your Clients, Customers or Fans

• Content and value are both crucial in online and offline marketing.

The more value and content you can offer, the better: you will encourage engagement and feedback. People usually love to experience your creative process and get an insight into your world. Be sure to let them in.

• Be an advocate for your work and the transformation you offer.
• Give your followers something they won’t expect – exceed their expectations.
• Continue to market (nurture relationships), even among your most dedicated supporters.

5. Continually Grow Your Business

• Enabling business growth is paramount for any business to be successful.

This requires planning, funding, the right systems, staff, processes, technology and partners. There is no need to feel overwhelmed or out of your depth. Be sure to reach out to coaches and mentors who can help, especially if you feel resistance to the idea of being in business, or you lack business skills.

A Healthy Business

A healthy business means that you can reach many more people, and be prosperous doing so.

If you feel nervous, frustrated, overwhelmed or just downright confused about how to adopt a conscious marketing framework in your business or career, please get in touch for a free discovery call with me so we can explore the exciting options together. I look forward to helping you bring your creative work to the world.

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Monica O’Brien is a professionally trained and accredited Coach and founder of Creative Edge Coaching www.creativeedgecoaching.com.au. She blogs on issues about creativity and small business development for conscious artists and business entrepreneurs. Book your free discovery call here.

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